The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili delivered a speech at the Atlantic Council. The main topic of his speech was Georgia's integration into NATO. Why should the alliance accept Georgia, which are decisive factors of this issue and what will Russia's role be in this issue. The President of Georgia expressed his own considerations to the audience. Mikheil Saakashvili focused on the existing relationship between Georgia and Russia. He expressed his hope, that he will have good relationship with the newly elected President of Russia.

About 300 political experts, Professors of the leading Universities and representatives of the American media attended Mikheil Saakashvili's public speech. The President of Georgia was answering the questions of the audience for 45 minutes.

"Many changes took place in Georgia during last few years. But how the circumstances will develop, depends on NATO actions. It is very important for Georgia to get MAP at the Bucharest summit. In 1992-1993 during the military operation 500 thousand ethnic Georgians were forced to leave Abkhazia. This happened with the support of the Russian militaries. In 1992 Russia bombed Sokhumi and other towns in Abkhazia. The Minister of Defense at that time blamed Georgians in this provocation. What is happening now? We are offering Russia to forget about the past, but the problem is - part of high ranked officials in Moscow want to declare the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We are ready to resolve this conflict peacefully and democratically. We need international support in it...

Now it is a real historical moment and Georgia wants to move on new level of relationship with NATO. Ideological debates are going on. These debates concern Georgia and the Ukraine. The main topic of these debates is where the border of the alliance would be laid out in Europe. I want to underline the fact that establishing good neighboring relationship with Russia is priority for Georgia, as well as for other European countries. But we should not forget the statements made by the Russian politicians, who are against modern political course", stated the President of Georgia.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia