Giorgi Khaindrava, who was sacked from the position of State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues on July 21, accused Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili of “turning from the course” officially adhered by the Georgian leadership in respect of secessionist conflicts.

Ex-State Minister Khaindrava made a statement on Friday, before he learnt that he was replaced by Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze on this position. Khaindrava was speaking with reporters to respond accusations voiced by Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili at a late-night political talk-show aired by Rustavi 2 TV on July 20.

Okruashvili unleashed harsh criticism against Khaindrava for not following an official line in respect of an incident involving a brief detention of Russian officials on July 14 and July 15, when a car of the Russian Embassy was stopped near town of Gori by the Georgian Military Police. Defense Minister described Khaindrava’s position over this incident as “political coquetry.”

“It is inadmissible when a Minister talks in this manner in respect of another Minister… I do not think that I have turned from the official course, I think Okruashvili has turned from this course,” Khaindrava said.

“Political coquetry first of all is a statement [made by Okruashvili] that we will celebrate [2007] New Year in Tskhinvali [South Ossetian capital], although there is no political precondition for this; coquetry was when a statement was made [by Okruashvili] after the Tliakana operation [when Georgian troops captures Tliakana hill during the summer 2004 clashes in South Ossetia] that eight Kazaks were killed, but eventually it turned out that only one man – a resident of Tskhinvali [with the second name] Sanakoev died, he was injured in leg, but died because of bleeding; political coquetry is to make a statement at Orpolo firing range [during the large-scale maneuvers of Georgian troops] the he [Okruashvili] does not care what Europeans think [about conflict resolution issues]. I can list many other cases of political coquetry of Okruashvili,” Khaindrava said.

He said that his complains in respect of detention of the Russian officials was “fair” and reiterated that it was a violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Khaindrava also unleashed criticism towards Alexander Sukhitashvili, Chief of the Military Police and described him as “smuggler.”

Before becoming chief of Military Police Sukhitashvili was chief of the Shida Kartli region police, but was sacked in March, 2005 after his subordinates were arrested for smuggling charges. Sukhitashvili is regarded to be Okruashvili close ally.
 
Khaindrava also criticized an anchor of the Rustavi 2 TV’s talk-show Nika Tabatadze, who is also General Director of the television, for the way he was wording his question to Okruashvili. During the talk-show the Defense Minister said that deputy commander of the Russian land forces in charge of peacekeeping operations Valery Yevnevich is “zhulik” – a petty swindler in Russia. Yevnevich was in the car of Russian Embassy, which was stopped by the Military Police.

Nika Tabatadze asked Okruashvili: “So Khaindrava is defending zhulik?”

“Yes of course,” Okruashvili responded.

Khaindrava said that the way Okruashvili described him was “insulting” and added that wording of Nika Tabatadze’s question “was also absolutely inadmissible.”

“Tabatadze himself is defending ‘zhuliks’ and he forces many journalists in this television [Rustavi 2] to protect those ‘zhuliks,” Khaindrava said, referring to those allegations that the Rustavi 2 is the government-controlled.

The television is owned by businessman Kibar Khalvashi who according to the Georgian media reports is a close friend of Okruashvili.

Khaindrava learned about his dismissal while he was speaking with the reporters and said that this decision was a surprise for him.

“It is strange for me to dismiss the State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues, when the Defense Minister turns from the course,” Khaindrava said.