Georgian diaspora in Russia sharply condemns Georgia's military campaign in South Ossetia

Грузинская диаспора в России резко осуждила военные действия Грузии в Южной Осетии

An association of Georgians in Russia condemns the aggressive politics of president Mikhail Saakashvili, "who is under the thumb of American sponsors and began the campaign in South Ossetia." As Mikhail Khubutia, president of this public organization, said to an IA Regnum corresondent, "the Georgian diaspora in Russia unanimously condemns the actions of the Georgian leadership which gave orders to wipe the sleeping city of Tskhinvali off the face of the earth." Khubutia said that this opinion is shared by the overwhelming majority of ethnic Georgians living in Georgia. In total, they amount to almost one million persons. "I can't speak for everyone, but many share our position and condemn Saakashvili's actions," said the president of the Association of Georgians in Russia. Mikhail Khubutia said that for the past few days, he has been in contact with representatives of the Ossetian community in Moscow. He also said that the organization intended to give humanitarian aid to victims.

At the request of our IA Regnum correspondent, the head of the Association for Georgians in Russia was asked to comment on a statement made by Erosi Kitsmarishvili, the Georgian Ambassador to Russia, at a May 20th press conference in Moscow. Asked whether or not Georgia intended to begin military campaigns against Georgia and South Ossetia, the ambassador exclaimed: "I swear by my mother's honor that we aren't going to be at war!" "Yes, I am familiar with this statement from the Georgian Ambassador. I am confident that when he said this, Georgia truly didn't have any plans to forcefully seize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. And if they did have plans, then the ambassador wasn't let in on them. It seems to me that the decision to begin a military campaign against South Ossetia was made a month ago, when US Secretary of State Rice visited Georgia."

IA Regnum