"Principled" int'l reaction to Russia’s war in Georgia could’ve prevented Ukraine war - Georgian Defence Minister
Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze on Monday urged the international community to accelerate Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration process. Photo: Defence Ministry press office
Tweet 
Share
The International community realised this year that it should have shown a "principled" reaction to Russia’s 2008 war in Georgia, Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze said on Monday at the Mukhatgverdi Fraternal Cemetery outside Tbilisi, reiterating the messages of Georgian top officials that a more robust position against Russia’s aggression 14 years ago could have prevented the current hostilities in Ukraine.
In his remarks, Burchuladze stressed the international community could show such principled position "even now" through accelerating Georgia’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic space.
First of all, today we honour our heroes. Our Government has pledged to continue to offer care for their families. Fourteen years following the August War, the civilised world has understood, probably, this year, that it should have maintained a more principled position [towards Russia’s aggression against Georgia]. I believe that this principled position can be expressed even today, through accelerating Georgia’s integration into the European Union and other organisations or ensuring collective defence”, Burchuladze said.
Flags flying at half-mast in front of the Defence Ministry offices to honour fallen servicemembers and victims of the Russian aggression in 2008. Photo: Defence Ministry press office
In comments earlier on Monday, Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili said his Government had chosen a “peaceful, prudent” policy as the way to restore territorial integrity and unify the country.
During the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia 169 servicemembers and professionals of the Ministry of Defence were killed along with 11 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and 224 civilians.
Around 30,000 citizens of Georgia were forced to abandon their homes in the now-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
Georgian defence minister Juansher Burchuladze met with Head of NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer on Wednesday and discussed the military cooperation between Georgia and the alliance.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday criticised the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili for transferring “strategic facilities” to Russian state-run enterprises and unilaterally cancelling visa requirements for Russian citizens “a few months” after the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said Russia's aggression against Georgia in 2008 and in Ukraine in 2014 and again this year were “part of one, large-scale aggression”, in comments on the 14th anniversary of 2008 conflict.
The Georgian Government has chosen a “peaceful, prudent” policy as the way to restore territorial integrity and unify the country and believes it will definitely achieve the goal, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday in connection with the 14th anniversary of the Russian invasion that sparked the five-day war between the two states in 2008 and the ongoing Russian occupation of two Georgian regions.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Sunday paid tribute to the servicemembers who had lost their lives in the Battle of Shindisi during the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, as part of events marking the 14th anniversary of the conflict.
Foreign embassies and dignitaries on Sunday issued condemnations of Russia's ongoing occupation of Georgia's regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and called on the Kremlin to fulfil its obligations under the European Union-mediated ceasefire agreement by withdrawing forces from the occupied regions on the 14th anniversary of the 2008 war between the two countries.