President Saakashvili reiterated on December 23, that talks were underway with the United States on strategic partnership treaty and added that at the same time Georgia was ready for holding talks with Russia “anytime at any level.”

“But all types of negotiations with Russia are based on the recognition of the fact that significant part of Georgia’s territory is illegally occupied by the Russian Federation and any type of negotiations and any type of agreement should be based on unconditional respect of Georgia’s territorial integrity; recognition of Georgia’s independence and respect to Georgia’s free choice. We are ready to remove all the rest confrontational issues and to be constructive in the negotiations,” Saakashvili said in televised remarks made at a session of the National Security Council.

Earlier on December 23, the Russian daily, Kommersant, reported that President Saakashvili had an attempt to establish contacts with the Russian authorities through intermediaries and met with head of the Union of Georgians in Russia, Mikheil Khubutia, in Munich in November for that purpose. President Saakashvili did not address that particular report in his remarks.

Speaking at the National Security Council, Saakashvili also said that talks were ongoing with the United State aimed at “formalization of strategic relations” with “the world’s most powerful state.”

“This is still on the stage of negotiations, but every state, which managed to establish this type of relationship with the world’s most powerful state has also managed to secure its stable development and peace in regions where these states are located,” he said.

“Everything we will do in this regard serves Georgia’s unity, Georgia’s strengthening, Georgia’s stability and peaceful development of Georgia,” Saakashvili added.