"Degenerated former separatists", terrorism suspects and "former politicians running around the streets", are the forces on which Russia relies on to regain influence over Georgia, President Saakashvili said on May 19.

Speaking at a joint news conference with European Parliament President, Jerzy Buzek, in Tbilisi, Saakashvili commented on Russian President Dmitri Medvedev's recent remarks on the August, 2008 war in which he said that events of 2008 made Russia feel strong.

"The statement that it demonstrated the Russian strength is, to say the least, not true. A period since August, 2008 has demonstrated Russian policies weaknesses," Saakashvili said. "You remember the Russian President's statement that I am a 'political corpse', I am a 'corpse' for last three years, although, I think, I look much better than [a corpse]."

He said instead of collapse, which Russia aimed at with the military intervention, Georgia "has turned into the major reformer in the region."

"Was not it important for the Russian authorities to have as an ally such an important country [like Georgia]? Was not it important for Russia to have as a partner and a friend democratically elected Georgian government?"

"Who are Russia's allies in Georgia today? Degenerated former separatists, who are now in service of occupiers; thier [Russia's] key ally whom they rely on in rest of Georgia it is Kochoia [a nickname of a man who was arrested in connection to series of blasts in Tbilisi last year, which Georgia says was masterminded by a Russian intelligence officer] from Gali and those former politicians who are now running around the streets here [apparently referring to the part of opposition planning street protests] and who set world records by polling as the most unpopular [figures], which has already, almost grown into people's hatred towards them - quite fairly I want to note. Are they [Russia] going to strengthen thier political influence in this region with such allies?" Saakashvili said.

"We are of course open for serious negotiations with Russia; of course we want to openly share to Russia with our reform experience and to have normal state-to-state relations on the condition that they will recognize us as a state and start talks with Georgia's democratically elected present authorities," he said.