Nogaideli: We need a dialogue with Russia without any preconditions

Nogaideli believes that the main point is holding negotiations with Russia without any preconditions. The Georgian guest said that being an oppositionist, he is perfectly aware of the fact that Georgia has got Saakashvili's legal government and that negotiations on the state level can be held only with the authorities.

However, he said that he came to introduce the viewpoint of the opposition so that the people in Russia knew about it and were ready to hold negotiations in future. However, what concessions is Russia ready to make in order to mend the relationship? Having proven to be as a skillful diplomat, Nogaideli underlined that he was not going to tell the Russian politicians what their national interests should be; the main point is to start a dialogue putting any emotions aside.

The politician also believes that it is necessary to reform the country's state structure in future. Movement for Fair Georgia, as well as a number of other oppositional parties believes parliamentary republic to be Georgia's future. According to Nogaideli, no political crisis in Georgia was ever restricted by any political frames in the last 20 years, always turning into a street confrontation. Both Russian and Georgian journalists wanted to know whether the former Prime Minister is afraid of coming back to his motherland to earn the label of "Georgia's traitor". At present, the official Tbilisi refers to Russia solely as to "an aggressor and an occupant", while anyone who is more or less connected with the northern neighbor is called a "traitor". The answer was very simple. "I would not have returned to politics after the August events if I had been afraid of anything", - Nogaideli said with tranquility which is untypical of most Georgian politicians. After the press-conference, the GeorgiaTimes correspondent managed to interview Zurab Nogaideli.

-You have come to Moscow as an oppositional politician in the line of people's democracy. Are similar trips to Abkhazia and South Ossetia also possible?

-Of course, but not now.

-When?

-Such a visit could be paid later on. There is the pre-election campaign going on in Abkhazia at the moment. I would not like to affect it in any way by my visit but I believe such meetings to be necessary in future.

-You have met the representatives of expatriate communities and you are in favor of their active participation in elections. The authorities are promoting the same initiative in respect of the communities from far-abroad countries. Will the Georgians residing in Russia and those living in the USA be granted equal rights?

-The point is that during the elections, Saakashvili captures the votes of those living outside Georgia. It is no secret that many of our fellow countrymen have got double citizenship, or have left the country illegally; they are absent from Georgia at the moment of elections. All their votes are cast in favor of the ruling team. We should create an environment when the Georgian citizens living abroad would have the right to participate in defining the future of their Motherland. The point is not only Russia.

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