President Saakashvili said on April 17 he was “astonished and anxious about the provocative nature of Russia’s move” to establish legal links with breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

He added that he was also “satisfied, for the first time, with the sharp response from the European Union, NATO, and our traditional partners.”

Below is the full transcript of President Saakashvili’s statement made at a cabinet meeting, which was aired live on Georgian TV: 

“I want to apologize for my voice [he was speaking in a hoarse voice], I spent the entire previous day in phone conversations. I think that first of all, the statement of the NATO Secretary General was very important, because such a clear announcement - that it was a provocative Russian move, it was breach of Georgia’s sovereignty, and NATO's and the international community's demand that this move be not just softened, but reversed was very important. The EU’s clear support for Georgia’s peace plan, its territorial integrity and the inviolability of our borders is also very important.

I want everybody to understand well, that nothing will prevent Georgia from becoming a democratic, successful state and a united country. Nothing will hamper the process of the peaceful unification of our country. We will continue working with all our partners. We expect and demand that the Russian Federation revise all those decisions, which breach Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. I want everybody to understand - our efforts and our actions will be directed towards the peaceful unification of Georgia and mobilization of international support.

I want everybody to understand - we need not only statements, we need serious diplomatic actions from our partners, our friends. We expect and hope that these actions will be made in the nearest days and nearest weeks. I want to ask Giorgi Baramidze [the vice-premier and state minister for Euro-Atlantic ingratiation] to conduct several visits to Europe from tomorrow, to Germany, France, maybe to several other countries regarding this issue. I'm asking Davit Bakradze [the foreign minister] to visit the United States in the nearest days to consult on this issue. We are ready to hold consultations with the Russian Federation and we are ready to continue working with all sides over the peace plan. Everybody should understand it clearly.

I am astonished and anxious about the provocative nature of Russia’s move and at the same time I am satisfied, for the first time, with the sharp response from the European Union, NATO, and our traditional partners. 

I think this reaction was a surprise for Russia as well. Russia has got accustomed to many people in the international community ignoring what it does. I think that serious revision of this policy started yesterday. Therefore, we should remain patient and resolute, but at the same time we should be very brave.”