Georgian PM speaks at Munich Security Conference

Georgia's Prime Minister believes if the international community had paid more attention to the Russia-Georgia conflict in 2008 then the Ukrainian crisis could have been avoided.

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili spoke at the 'Beyond Ukraine – Unresolved Conflicts in Europe' session at the the 51st Munich Security Conference yesterday, where he said if there had been sanctions imposed on Russia following the August 2008 war, then the conflict in Ukraine could have been prevented.

While addressing the audience, Garibashvili said he welcomed the Moscow visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Francois Hollande and their attempt to solve the ongoing crisis in Ukraine through peaceful negotiations with Russia's president Vladimir Putin.

In his speech Garibashvili spoke about Georgia-Russia relations and said restoring dialogue with Russia was important and was the initiative of ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili. Garibashvili said Georgia had made "constructive steps" in recent years but Russia did not adequately respond to Georgia’s efforts to normalise relations.

At the international conference, the Georgia PM also voiced his concern about the current situation in Georgia’s Russian occupied regions.

"More than two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, we are again living with new dividing lines in the heart of Europe,” he said.

"Despite our diplomatic attempts, the unconstructive policy against Georgian statehood continues, including through installing barbed wire fences along the occupation line, and in some cases, even in the territory controlled by the Georgian Government.”

Furthermore, Garibashvili said the so-called "treaties" on 'alliance and strategic partnership' or 'integration', signed between Russia and breakaway Abkhazia and Russia's plans to sign a similar document with breakaway Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region encouraged annexation of the Georgian territories. He said the deals also envisaged further integration of the occupied regions of Georgia into military, economic and social system of the Russian Federation.

"These so called 'treaties' are obvious steps forward to the annexation of Georgian territory. [It is] a severe violation of international law that not only affects Georgia but the entire system of security in Europe as it was built up with common efforts since the end of the Cold War,” Garibashvili said.

The PM was confident Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions had "no future without Georgia" and said Tbilisi was ready for immediate reconsolidation with them.

Similarly, the Georgian Government would be willing to meet with the Russian President but the meeting needed "good preparation".

"The meeting should be oriented on the result," Garibashvili said.

Finally in his speech, the Georgian official reconfirmed Georgia’s European choice was firm and irreversible.

Along with the Georgian PM, other dignitaries participated in the session about Ukraine including the president of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of Serbia and the Croatian Foreign Minister.

Within the Munich Security Conference Garibashvili also attended a State Dinner hosted by the PM of Bavaria. Bavaria. Photo by PM's press office.