It is taking parliament Speaker Nino Burdzhanadze a huge store of diplomatic tact to explain the situation.
The Council of Europe failed to properly evaluate recent Adzhar developments. Of all international organizations, the CE has been the friendliest toward Georgia-yet it refused to give Georgia a hand when the latter needed help as never before, and was looking forward to it. That is what underlies President Mikhail Saakashvili's pointed response, Ms Burdzhanadze is sure.
"We cherish our contacts with the Council of Europe. Georgia traditionally has the closest and warmest ties with it, of all international organizations. That was the main reason for our embittered response," she says.
Nino Burdzhanadze intends to go to Strasbourg, May 15, for an upcoming PACE assembly, her press service said to Novosti/Georgia news agency.
Walter Schwimmer made a statement on Adzhar developments, May 3, to blame either party for a botched-up dialogue. "Tactless," Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili snapped to that. In yesterday's public statement, he harshly came down on Mr. Schwimmer. Practical action of the Georgian top promptly followed-a resolution to expel the Secretary General's envoy, who had allegedly been misinforming his superior on the situation in Adzharia.
