Toomas Hendrik Ilves met with Mikheil Saakashvili on Saturday in Riga. Both Heads of State were participating in the third Riga Conference on foreign and security policy.

Presidents Ilves and Saakashvili spoke primarily about the situation after the Russian-Georgian war in August in Georgia, and in the region generally.

“Georgia and its friends must focus most emphatically on the future, and only on the future—this implies self-confidence, democracy and the intensification of democracy, a market economy, and the consolidation of society,” Ilves said.

Ilves affirmed support for the continuation of Georgia’s NATO-directed reforms.

“The consistency and decisiveness of the efforts made in this regard has been a powerful engine for the reform policies of all the countries that have aspired to accession to NATO, which does not let governments deviate from the course of democratic reforms and prevents them running aground,” said Ilves.

Speaking of the situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Ilves considered it important that all the points of the August 12th and September 8th peace plans of French President Sarkozy, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, be fulfilled.

“I hope that the European Union observers, who are doing a very good job in the region, will also soon get access to South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” emphasized Ilves.


Ref. Office of the President
Public Relations Department

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