Below are the commentaries by politicians, parliamentarians and experts carried by the Russian newspaper Gazette.
Georgia's Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania:
"President Saakashvili and I have made the joint decision to invite Kakha Bendukidze as the economics minister to our cabinet. We are sure this decision is optimal. Bendukidze was in charge of rescheduling dozens of industrial entities. They were large factories thought of as 'almost hopeless'. The vigorous policy and approaches of Bendukidze have rehabilitated them with a new level of capacities. He enjoys a high prestige in Russia, Europe and the United States. The economic process in Georgia targets deep-going remaking. It is no secret that we pin high hopes on Bendukidze".
Alexander Shokhin, chairman of the observation council at the investment group Renascence Capital:
"Last Friday I attended the joint Russo-Georgian business conference in Tbilisi and had a private meeting with Kakha Bendukidze. I didn't get the impression that he was going to be a Georgian minister. In conversations with journalists he very cautiously spoke of making investments in Georgia. I left the conference before him and do not know what happened during the two days. It could be seen from my talks with Georgian cabinet ministers that it was very much in favour of economic cooperation with Russia and would like to attract a number of Russian experts. Kakha with his experience is the symbol of success in Russian business. His authority and expertise are very important. His appointment is very much Saakashvili's move: there are foreign nationals inthe Georgian cabinet and a minister who is a Russian national can play on it".
Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the international committee of the Federation Council (the upper chamber of Russia's parliament):
"I think it is a very intriguing appointment. Under Shevardnadze the economy of Georgia was a virtual thing. Georgia's membership in the World Trade Organisation was only political and was not the merit of the Georgian economy. It relied on the subsidised prices of Russian fuels and the cash remittances of Georgians working abroad, in Russia above all. The fist thing Bendukidze should do in his post is to fight against corruption and build the real, not virtual economy. Bendukidze's appointment is the birth of a linkup between the Russian and Georgian economies. Russia's interest in Georgia is clear: the energy sector and transport transit through the Georgian ports. Hopefully, Bendukidze will do work in the interests of both the countries".
Konstantin Zatulin, head of the CIS Countries Institute:
"Appointing Bendukidze, the president of Georgia relied on his firm contacts with Russia. The Economics Ministry has been passed to Bendukidze to make it clear that Georgia is not only gathering Georgian brains to help the homeland but also has far-reaching plans for the development of economic cooperation with Russia. I'm sure that Bendukidze cannot, with the best will in the world, to have much say on the Georgian policy. The policy course has already been set. It is diametrically opposite to the economic interest of Russia. The economics minister can only make up for the faults of the course in relations with Russia by attracting Russian capital and binding Russia by economic projects. It will be good for Georgia if Russia invests in it. I think Georgia is very much interested in Russia's making the bulk of investments in Georgia's agriculture and food industry because nobody wants Georgian wine, foods and mineral water. Georgia's interest is Russia is clear. Georgia's pro-Western policy kills farming in Georgia, which is an agrarian country".
