Before the beginning of the summit of the CIS leaders, the President of Georgia met Georgian Diaspora and the clergy in St. Giorgi's Georgian Church. This was his second visit there. The church service was conducted in his honor. The President himself handed the Medal of Honor over to the head of the Georgian Church.

The President of Georgia expressed his gratitude to the Georgian Diaspora for maintaining their dignity and strength.

"We are a very small country, but even a single bit is very important for us. Against the background of recent events - statements and various threats, the Georgian government and Georgian people won't give up a single inch of the Georgian land. We will never give up, what our ancestors maintained for us for millenniums. We will evidently unite Georgia... There is a lot of criticism existing against Georgia, but this is the criticism against a strong and successful country. It is based on the sense of rivalry. We are special people. We fulfilled our promise regarding the formation of the Georgian State, but now time has come for a major promise - to unite and strengthen Georgia. This is neither threat nor wish. Regardless the events that developed recently this will definitely happen. Georgia has a lot of challenges. I know it perfectly well, what problems you could have in that period, but still you haven't lost the Georgian soul and individuality, I bow before you... Without any exaggeration we have shown the whole world - where the others die, Georgians maintain their dignity" - Mikheil Saakashvili addressed the congregation that gathered in the church.

The President of Georgia expressed his gratitude to the Georgian Diaspora for their national attitude.

"Georgians have capability to choose the dignity of their country when time comes to choose from personal welfare and the motherland. History will never forget it" - Mikheil Saakashvili stated.

As President Saakashvili pointed out, it's not in the interest of Georgia to have complicated relations with Russia. The Georgian citizens residing in Russia asked the Georgian President about visa regime. Mikheil Saakashvili expressed his hopes that the relationships with Russia will improve step by step. The President of Georgia promised the professionals working in Russia to create appropriate conditions in Georgia. Mikheil Saakashvili noted that during his meeting with the President of Russia it was confirmed that Russia is not going to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, it was clearly announced about the positon of Russia at this meeting.

"This is the first hopeful statement" - announced the President of Georgia - he spoke about the return of the refugees to Abkhazia, and noted that Georgia made many legal and diplomatic steps in this direction and will do more in future. "Now all documents mark an unconditional right of refugees to return to their homes and maintain their property," he said. "We will take all necessary diplomatic legal steps; of course it is up to Georgia to resolve this issue; nobody will be able to resolve it without us. This is the issue of Georgia's strengthening and development. This is the aim of my life. You have the main defender in my person. I do not have any other functions" - Mikheil Saakashvili stated.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia