Georgian president urges Abkhazia, South Osetia to reunite

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has called on the people of South Osetia and Abkhazia to reunite with Georgia and immediately start negotiations to restore unified government ties.

Mr Saakashvili made this statement in Osetian and Abkhazian while attending a military parade in Tbilisi to mark Georgia's Independence Day on Wednesday, May 26.

"We are ready to consider any models for the structure of the state, taking into account the interests of the Osetins and Abkhazians to ensure their future," Mr Saakashvili said.

"The Georgian state will always consider the interests of every Osetin and every Abkhazian," the president said. He maintained that the state can be strong in unity, "unity of Georgians, Osetins and Abkhazians, but Georgia and its president will never accept the country's disintegration."

In an interview with a number of Georgian television companies on May 25, Mikhail Saakashvili said Georgia would reunite sooner than many might think.

"This will happen much faster than many, including foreigners, might think, but all of society must be consolidated for this," he said.

Editors note: See also the article "Georgian president promises to get Abkhazia back".