Saakashvili-Opposition Talks End
Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 11 May.'09 / 16:45
Source: Rustavi 2 TV

“Perception of the crisis by us and by Mikheil Saakashvili absolutely differ,” Levan Gachechiladze, an opposition figure, said in a brief comment made after two-hour talks with President Saakashvili.

“He believes that everything is all right in the country and we believe that everything is very bad; that is the only result of this meeting;” he told journalists and added that the opposition negotiators would now meet with other leaders to inform about the details of the talks.

He also said that detailed statements would be made at a protest rally outside the Parliament at 6pm local time on Monday.

Irakli Alasania, leader of Alliance for Georgia, who was among the group of four opposition negotiators, said that the sides had exchanged views on the political crisis in the country.

“There are serious differences,” he said, “but the fact in itself that the meeting took place is a positive step.”

“We had an open conversation, a very open conversation,” Salome Zourabichvili, leader of Georgia’s Way party, told journalists after the meeting. “But we assess the crisis absolutely differently.”

Kakha Shartava, leader of the National Forum, said that the opposition negotiations put forth the opposition’s major demand about President Saakashvili’s resignation and also listened to the authorities’ position about the current situation in the country.

“Our views mostly do not coincide with each other. We have listened to what steps they are planning to take in future,” he told reporters. “If there are some acceptable proposals we will decide at a joint meeting. Our today’s mandate was limited by informing them about our vision, pushing the most important issues and listening to their options.

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