Tbilisi. If elected the President of Georgia, I will do my
best to restore normal, good neighborly relations between Russia and Georgia -
Nino Burjanadze, ex-Speaker of Georgian Parliament and currently the leader of
the Democratic Movement-United Georgia (DMUG), told the Voice of Russia radio
station.
Presidential elections in Georgia are
scheduled for October 27.
The politician pointed out that during the
meetings and talks with Russian officials, including the top leadership, she
had never heard even a slightest hint of their willingness to obtrude unequal
relationship upon Georgia. In her words, officials in Moscow realize that
normal and mutually beneficial relations can be built only with due account for
legal mutual interests of each other.
Burjanadze also stressed that
Russian-Georgian relations could not be built only based on economic interests.
"I think that the Russian market is not the only thing that is important
for Georgia. Moreover, I would say that long-term and comprehensive talks on
many political issues are far more important than economic talks with
Russia," she stressed.
She also said that if elected, she
intended to develop dialogue with Sukhumi and Tskhinvali.
"It is important for us, first of
all, to find a common language with Abkhazians and South Ossetians, since if we
manage to find a common language and are able to re-build those friendly links
that existed between our countries, if we manage to build trust, only thus any
settlement will be firm and abiding," Burjanadze stressed.
Official registration of presidential
candidates will begin in Georgia on September 7 and will finish on September
27. Among the candidates, who are also running for president's post along with
Nino Burjanadze, are: Giorgi Margvelashvili (ex-Minister of Education; the
ruling Georgian Dream coalition); David Bakradze (ex-speaker of Georgian
Parliament; former ruling party - the United National Movement); Giorgi
Targamadze (leader of the Christian-Democratic Movement).