Mr. Gachechiladze,
We, Georgian students living in America, observe the pre-election campaign in Georgia very attentively. Some of us have a negative attitude towards the reforms carried out by Mikhail Saakashvili. Consequently, we express our desire to fulfill the priorities of the Saguramo Manifesto. We also support the United Opposition Movement and your candidature.
We want to express our point of view of the pre-election activities:
1) We, a part of the Georgian students living in America, are dissatisfied that the opposition was unable to put forward a united candidate when it was demanded by society.
2) We are concerned about the problems regarding election registers. We are planning to send letters to the senators of the states we live in, and to senator Lougar, demanding the US president’s administration to take active steps in executing the Senate’s Resolution on holding democratic and transparent elections in Georgia.
3) We feel positively about your election campaign. It consists of highlighting mistakes of former President Saakashvili and publicizing the priorities of the Saguramo Manifesto.
Hence, we, the Georgian students living in America, address you:
1) It is advisable and moreover, necessary to strengthen the opposition forces financially and with human resources for the victory of the United Opposition Movement on January 5. We think that you should start negotiating with Badri Patarkatsishvili and Shalva Natelashvili and persuade them to withdraw their candidacy in your favor. You can offer them to staff the interim government with their representatives in local and regional governments.
2) It will be effective to offer real social programs to the constituencies, because social benefits are very important for many voters.
3) It is advisable to involve celebrities (Otar Meghvinetukhucesi, Nineli Chankvetadze and others) in your pre-election campaign, but take into account that the government might put pressure on them. (US presidential candidate Barak Obama has used this method very effectively)
We believe that the Georgian people will elect a real patriot on January 5! We want to return to Georgia after finishing business schools in America and do not want to remain here for 5 more years.