Russia: Meeting Between Medvedev & Saakashvili!

June 6, 2008,
Konstantin Palace, St Petersburg

Beginning of Meeting with President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili

PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Mikhail Nikolayevich, I am pleased to have this chance to see you and talk.

I was in Germany yesterday and spoke with my German colleagues. They are concerned about the future of Russian-Georgian relations.

I think that we ourselves are capable of resolving all the issues that face us today, overcoming the difficulties before us and building relations for the long term? What do you think?

PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA MIKHAIL SAAKASHVILI: I agree with you completely, Dmitry Anatolyevich.

I am happy to have this chance to come here and talk. I am very pleased to be able to see you face-to-face and get to know you better. I hope indeed for fruitful and long-term cooperation and that we will be able to settle all the urgent and painful issues in our relations.

In my view, there are no issues that cannot be resolved. There are plenty of issues we still need to resolve, but there are no problems for which solutions cannot be found. Practically any problem can be solved so long as we have good will and mutual understanding.

Russia and Georgia are countries that share very close historical, cultural and human ties. Today’s situation is not natural and it is not benefiting anyone.

I think we must settle all of the issues between us. There are issues of principle, problems that have built up. We will resolve them. We hope that this will indeed be possible.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Let us do just that: let us continue our discussion and settle these issues.
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Thought this was interesting because of the issues way down South in the land of Georgia….

Kyle & Svet

comments always welcome.