Saakashvili: Putin is "relentless enemy"

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili Friday described Vladimir Putin as a "relentless enemy" of his country. This came during a television show that curiously resembled the Russian prime minister's own live phone-in sessions, AFP reports. Saakashvili: Putin is "relentless enemy" "Georgia has not had such a relentless enemy as Putin since Shah Abbas," Saakashvili said, in reference to a 17th century ruler of Persia notorious in Georgia for having repeatedly invaded the country. Saakashvili said Russia had sought to destroy the Georgian state during a brief war between the two countries in August over Georgia's rebel region of South Ossetia. "Our enemy failed to reach its goal of annihilating the Georgian state," he said. "When the Georgian state will be strong we will manage, together with the international community, to restore our territorial integrity." Saakashvili nonetheless appeared to be following Putin's example in making the television appearance, his first live question-and-answer session with citizens from across Georgia. Putin held similar sessions while Russia's president and continued to do so last year after becoming prime minister, burnishing his image as Russia's true leader despite President Dmitry Medvedev taking over in the Kremlin. Saakashvili also said he didn't expect any change in U.S. levels of support for Georgia now that President Barack Obama had taken office. Under former U.S. president George W. Bush, Washington was among Georgia's strongest supporters, pouring economic and military aid into the ex-Soviet republic. "I am very optimistic about future U.S.-Georgia relations," Saakashvili said. Most questions focused on fears over the Georgian economy, which is under double threat from the global economic crisis and continued tensions with Moscow, once Georgia's leading trading partner. Saakashvili sought to reassure Georgians on the economy, saying billions of dollars in Western aid earmarked for Georgia after the war would be used to keep the economy afloat. He again rejected calls for his resignation from Georgia's opposition, which has accused him of mishandling the war with Russia. "In the face of a world (economic) crisis... holding early elections would amount to setting the country back by years," he said. Russia sent troops into Georgia in early August to repel a Georgian military attempt to retake South Ossetia, which had received extensive backing from Moscow for years. Russian forces later withdrew to within South Ossetia and another rebel region, Abkhazia, under a European Union-brokered ceasefire. Moscow subsequently recognized both regions as independent countries.

Saakashvili: Putin is "relentless enemy"

"Georgia has not had such a relentless enemy as Putin since Shah Abbas," Saakashvili said, in reference to a 17th century ruler of Persia notorious in Georgia for having repeatedly invaded the country.

Saakashvili said Russia had sought to destroy the Georgian state during a brief war between the two countries in August over Georgia's rebel region of South Ossetia.

"Our enemy failed to reach its goal of annihilating the Georgian state," he said. "When the Georgian state will be strong we will manage, together with the international community, to restore our territorial integrity."

Saakashvili nonetheless appeared to be following Putin's example in making the television appearance, his first live question-and-answer session with citizens from across Georgia.

Putin held similar sessions while Russia's president and continued to do so last year after becoming prime minister, burnishing his image as Russia's true leader despite President Dmitry Medvedev taking over in the Kremlin.

Saakashvili also said he didn't expect any change in U.S. levels of support for Georgia now that President Barack Obama had taken office. Under former U.S. president George W. Bush, Washington was among Georgia's strongest supporters, pouring economic and military aid into the ex-Soviet republic.

"I am very optimistic about future U.S.-Georgia relations," Saakashvili said.

Most questions focused on fears over the Georgian economy, which is under double threat from the global economic crisis and continued tensions with Moscow, once Georgia's leading trading partner.

Saakashvili sought to reassure Georgians on the economy, saying billions of dollars in Western aid earmarked for Georgia after the war would be used to keep the economy afloat.

He again rejected calls for his resignation from Georgia's opposition, which has accused him of mishandling the war with Russia.

"In the face of a world (economic) crisis... holding early elections would amount to setting the country back by years," he said.

Russia sent troops into Georgia in early August to repel a Georgian military attempt to retake South Ossetia, which had received extensive backing from Moscow for years.

Russian forces later withdrew to within South Ossetia and another rebel region, Abkhazia, under a European Union-brokered ceasefire. Moscow subsequently recognized both regions as independent countries.