August War Five Years Later

Tamta Tvalvadze

Five years have passed since Georgia-Russian Armed Conflict in August of 2008. Georgian politicians evaluated relations and perspectives of cooperation between two countries.

Georgia’s Special Envoy for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze said in his interview with The Voice of Russia: 

“It seems to me that much time will pass before we accept Russia’s assessment of those events. However, our position is this: we must look into the future and by means of a dialogue which we started last year we should move forward step by step.” 

State Minister for Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili said: “Five years have passed since 2008 tragedy. This war is our common tragedy and nobody had won in it. Many families fled from their families and still live in displacement. State is obliged to create honorable living conditions for them; but it is impossible to fully resolve the conflict without their return. We would like to tell Abkhaz and Ossetian citizens of our country, that we can eradicate all our problems together. They will never face threat in Georgia, will have perspective of development and real guarantee to maintain their ethnic origin in this country.” 

State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Aleks Petriashvili said that restoration of territorial integrity, Georgia’s integration into NATO and in European Union will be the main priorities, which will not be negotiated in return for anything. “The government of Georgia is doing everything to settle relations with Russia, but not at the expense of any of our national interests.”

President’s administration also made statement about the August war:

“Five years have passed since that day when Georgia had to respond to the aggressor to defend its freedom. Georgian heroes, who lie in Mukhatgverdi Cemetery now, were sacrificed to the freedom and independence of Georgia; they have died for better future of our nation. The only wish we can have today is that our society will continue striving for better future for what these boys have died,” the head of President’s Administration Andro Barnov said. 

Source: Interpresnews