Good evening!

We have dispatched to Gori our law enforcement ministers, who supervise demining operations in the town and surrounding areas; in the coming minutes movement on highway will be restored; the railroad movement will be restored by tomorrow morning.

It is important for us that movements through highway and railroad are restored immediately. These are arteries of our economy.

There are cargoes waiting for transportation, which have been delayed as a result of the last weeks' occupation.

Now, it is time to start operating all of these - customs service is mobilized and ready to resume its duties.

Now it is important to conduct demining operations.

Lots of lethal mines in different forms are on the ground; there are special traps for children - so called Afghan candies that are dropped on the ground.

We brought in our demining specialists - we have enough resources for this - and all facilities, villages where we establish our control should be subject to demining operations, in order to eliminate life threat posed to our citizens, who anyway went through the suffering.

This is very important.

I would like to say that due to unprecedented pressure from the side of the international community, withdrawal of occupational forces from the main residential areas has begun.

Certainly, this is a good start and steps are made into the right direction.

I want to remind you that several days ago, we were under the threat of loosing control over Tbilisi; we were hearing personal threats from interveners.

We had the very similar situation in 1921. Russian 11th Army was on similar distance away from Tbilisi, when Georgian government had to flee from the capital. That time, Georgia was kept in slavery for 70 years.

Now the main plan of Russians is mainly failed; however, we should not have an illusion that we will achieve everything easily. The way of our final liberty will be very hard and full of obstacles.

It is very evident that before occupations forces are replaced by international peacekeepers, it is inconceivable to talk about any type of conflict resolution and full liberation of Georgian territories.

Today I heard on TV Giorgi Targamadze's [opposition MP] comment made in the Parliament; he mentioned that we should not deceive ourselves that pull back of Russian troops from this highway is the end of the problem.

Indeed we should not deceive ourselves. In reality, Georgia's de-occupation process is underway and this will be the subject of big international fight.

Good news is that for the first time in the last 15 years this occupational force, which does not have a mask any more, does not speak with other's voice and does not play the role of arbitrator, unlike it was before, when in practical we were one by one with this force.

On the other hand, this has become very important theme for the free, civilized world.

Here has taken place the confrontation of the world's two visions. One vision is based upon the human being's freedom and in this case the basic values are human's life, dignity, freedom and country's independence. While according to another vision everything is trampled down and it gains power by brutality, pillage, trampling down of human dignity and humanity in general. I think everybody has seen how much dignity has Georgian community - almost all Georgian community.

Everybody has seen that besides huge pressure and despite of the fact, that all this was aimed at collapsing of our government and factorizing of Georgia, bringing in people from abroad and putting them in the government, the Georgian government not only hasn't collapsed, but was functioning very efficiently during these days.

Sisters and brothers, the main work is starting from now. First of all we have to reconstruct houses for all people, whose apartments were damaged and to build houses for those, whose houses were burnt. Before world woke up, our troops had deterred Russian air-forces and Russian army, which was exceeding our army in several times.

I would like to tell you, that only from Gori more than 500 armored units have been drawn off; twice as many were in western Georgia and in Tskhinvali zone. Such massive attack has never taken place since 1968 in Czechoslovakia and 1978 in Afghanistan. Similar attack has not been launched against any other country.

We all understand well that this was planned long time ago, but in spite of many warnings, nobody has reacted adequately. Honestly, I've never imagined myself that all this could occur at such scale, even though our European and other partners, as many of you, have been warned by me and by many of you.

It is better, at least for now, that we all together look into eyes of this reality and government should actively start work. We have gave compensation to the families of died soldiers. All families, the victims of the aggression, should receive compensation as well, so that government ensures their better material standing; we know, though, that these losses are not compensable.

As soon as demining process is finished, all construction teams in Georgia should rush into destroyed houses, villages, damaged places and we should kindle big construction works - we should build much better buildings than it were before, and we should show to everybody, that as Georgian soul hasn't broken up, so Georgia will be more developed and successful country.

We have several difficult months ahead.

These people did not enter here to achieve military goals - their main goal was to destroy infrastructure. After they failed to achieve their objective through economic embargo, small provocations and inspiring internal disorder, they decided to achieve this objective through other means - to directly wipe out the government of Georgia and to destroy Georgian infrastructure, so that Georgia never gets back on its feet.

We should recover very rapidly and compensate the losses they have inflicted on us.

Today I had a meeting with the leaders of the U.S. Congress; there will be assistance coming, but this will require several weeks; before that, we should start using all our resources to help sufferers.

We work actively with the EU; we are in constant contacts with the leadership of France - the EU chairman country, and with the highest government representatives of Germany.

During these days, together with very tragic events for our nation, Georgia has gained unprecedentedly big number of friends in the entire world.

In our history we never had such a solidarity and support from the rest of the world.

Yesterday you saw hundreds of people in Estonia, Romania, Hungary, which went out in the streets to support Georgia.

I had a telephone conversation with the opposition leader of Hungary, Victor Orban; and the government of Hungary has the same position.

Look at the Western press - except of 2-3 articles that are paid off (Russians have lots of money ...) - predominantly they publish publications in support of us.

We witness inconceivable developments; whatever Georgia has tried to achieve step-by-step during 15 years in terms of our conflicts - which was to explain and prove our truth, in these days every ordinary person has clearly understood it.

Every person understands well what the real problem of Georgia is, what the real threat is, with what phenomenon are we dealing; they understand that in Georgia currently the destiny of the free world is to be decided.

We have to create the society, we have to develop; you saw in these days how mature our society is.

This society is based upon the principles of freedom, civilization, free world and democracy.

The members of our society have demonstrated the great solidarity towards each other.

People take displaced children to their homes to take shower, to sleep well; people collect mattresses and clothing for them. I also know that barbers are serving them for free. Coaches of various sports are training children for free and thus support their adaptation. Besides, children can attend movies for free.

This is internal solidarity of the European society.

You saw faces of those people who had robbed and humiliate people.

We have to make a conclusion from this.

I asked my society from the very beginning to stand firm for a while, if we wanted to continue our development and become society, like we should be. It seems like we had to go through this, it was impossible to avoid this, despite our attempts. I want to express gratitude to the government, policemen, who were acting heroically, also to the representatives of local governments.

The way towards our development starts now, we have to work hard in the nearest future, we mast be consolidated as never before and we have to work night and day, without rest. We must continue our assistance, we must continue our diplomatic relations, for the prosperity of our people.

We need to liberate our country and need to follow the European, democratic way. We must use this incredible support, which the international commonwealth expressed towards us.

I want to say that Gori is the town of heroes.

People were able to survive so much pressure during these days. I know how heroically were people acting in Zugdidi, Senaki, Poti, Kaspi, Kareli, Khashuri, Tskhinvali and areoud these territories.

This is new Georgia, which will never ever surrender.

We have reached incredible economic success during last several years. And now they attempted to return us back to 1992-93.

But they will never accomplish this, because we have different government in country, different President and what's the most important we have different people and society.

These people now know price of development, freedom and economic success.

Challenges are still awaiting us, but no one will be able to return us back in time without electricity, gas, in times without roads, hunger and injustice.

We have to do the rest - we have to work and have tight relationship with our partners.

I am grateful for our parliamentarians, who are in regions now.

They played good role in mobilization of people. The whole political spectrum, excluding some minorities did their utmost.

The occupiers hoped that somebody would offer them their job. Maybe one or two did make this offer, I do not know.

Everyone understands that if it happens, they will never have their country, and those people who browse around on our streets, will always give them directives, and they will be humiliated forever. Russian forces must leave Gori, Kaspi, Kareli, Zugdidi, Poti, Tskhinvali, Sokhumi and the rest of Georgia.

This process started and no matter what kind of provocations they will plan for us, we won't respond. No one will stop this process any more.

The price of all of this was the blood of the Georgian people, but it has started. Georgia showed to the world that it is a very small, but very brave country, which has enormous love towards freedom and has incredible sense of dignity.

We want to have good relationship with everyone in future, with Russia as well.

I do not want our society to get upset on Russian society; this is not a sign of civilization.

We have to look at everything from the historic perspective. We need to understand that all kind of hazardous policy will change, but the relationship between the peoples will remain.

The main issue for Georgia is to keep its statehood and freedom. I am sure that we already did this.

One week ago all of us were sitting in this room. They were moving towards the capital without stopping. I asked a question - maybe somebody wanted to leave Georgia, I got a respond - we all will remain in our country and will fight to the last drop of blood for Georgia.

This is the action of the government with full sense of responsibility.

This is the responsibility before the present generation and before millions of Georgians (all ethnicities), who will be born in the next centuries. 1921 will not repeat in 2008.

Georgia cannot lose its statehood; it can not lose its territories and has no will to speak with someone from the position of a vassal.

In terms of equality, with the sense of dignity and in a friendly manner, we will talk to anyone about anything.

We have our national interests and interest for our future.

We are not going to do anything out of spite or will not do anything to please anyone. We will be an equal member of the commonwealth of European countries.

Every single fact of ethnic cleansing must be documented. In 1992-1993 the government was not able to document everything, and then all of it got lost.

Today they will be punished for expelling every single person from their homes.

First of all, we need to return these people back to their houses and secondly, whoever did this must be punished by the international law. We applied to all international bodies. Yesterday there was an interview of the attorney.

They will be punished for every burned house and every destroyed family.

I want to express my gratitude to all Archbishops, to his Holiness, he went everywhere so bravely, he met everyone and all this period the church showed its own society a real dignity and patriotism. They helped everyone, despite their religion and origin. This is very important as well.

The problem is that they have destroyed our facilities in Tamarasheni, Kurta and Upper Abkhazia, which we have constructed with so much bitterness.

But it does not matter now; we will return there and build one hundred times better facilities!

Press Office
of the President of Georgia