Tbilisi and other states should draw conclusions about the inevitability of punishment for aggression following the events of August 2008, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told TASS on Tuesday.
According to him, today Georgia should regret its decision.
“At the time, [then Georgian President] Mikhail Saakashvili went to the limit and lost everything, as it usually happens to reckless and irresponsible leaders. Choosing to launch a brutal aggression against South Ossetia, he eventually had to face a new situation as we recognized two new independent states on August 26, 2008, - the Republic of Abkhazia and the Republic of South Ossetia. We have been boosting relations with them and will continue to do that,” he said.
“I do hope that Tbilisi and other capitals not only in the Caucasus region but also in other parts of the world will draw conclusions about the consequences of aggressive steps. Since 2008, it has proved to be an important international event, which showed that any act of aggression will inevitably entail punishment and aggressors will always fail to get the desired result but will have to face quite the opposite,” the Russian deputy foreign minister said.
“We are glad that more countries have been recognizing these two states and they themselves have been working to organize their life better,” he noted.
The Deputy Foreign Minister also praised the Geneva discussions on security and stability in the South Caucasus, involving Russia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Georgia and the United States.
“Regular direct contacts with Georgian representatives help the parties resolve problems without delays, talking frankly and even emotionally to each other, as well as exchange views on the most pressing issues. We stand for continuing the Geneva discussions on the South Caucasus to make sure that the mechanism for responding and preventing incidents, developed during these consultations, continues to operate on a regular basis. Then it will be possible to ensure security in this region so that people can ponder their future in peace,” Karasin concluded.
