November 11, 2007
Press Question and Answers DAS Bryza in Tbilisi
November 11, 2007 at the Tbilisi Marriott
Question 1: Reuters News Reporter:
Definitely it’s not just a regular visit you’re paying Do you have any comment, do you have a reason, what’s the assessment of the whole situation?
Answer 1: DAS Bryza:
Well I don’t have any assessment yet because I’ve just arrived, I arrived very early this morning. I’m here talking to as many people as possible, from as many segments of Georgian society as I possibly can. I’m here at my Secretary of State’s direction with a message that’s quite clear. I talked about it yesterday in the New York Times. The message is that it is really important from my Secretary of State’s perspective that we get back to normalcy in terms of Georgian democracy as quickly as possible. Normalcy means making sure that these elections that will take place on January 5th and the referendum are free and fair. And to get there it’s important that of course obviously that the state of emergency is lifted and that all TV broadcasts resume. This is not a case of the United States demanding if our friends don’t do what we say we will be so angry, it’s just an observation that for democracy to move forward and for all the people of Georgia to restore their faith in the process here obviously these steps need to be taken. But otherwise, right now I am listening, gathering information, talking to people, as I said from all segments of Georgia to try to figure out what the next steps might be.
Question 2: Reuters Television:
Well have you got any idea of what the next steps may be?
Answer 2: DAS Bryza:
Well the next steps besides what I’ve mentioned in terms of resuming all television broadcasts and lifting the state of emergency logically and preliminarily I can say that there needs to be a discussion among responsible members of the opposition and top level people in the government. To do what? To chart the next concrete steps that will rejuvenate the democratic reform process and restore the faith of everybody in the leadership of this country. And I would just like to underscore that the President of this country has shown remarkable leadership. He has risen as one of the most prominent figures anywhere, certainly in Europe. I think the country is counting on him to show that same leadership that he did during the Rose Revolution and since then. The key point is to make sure that decision making in this country is transparent and open to all points of view on the one side, on the government’s side and on the opposition’s side that the demands are reasonable, are responsible, are constructive and will energize the democratic process. Calling for a coup, calling for overthrows of government by unconstitutional means, that’s not constructive, but refusing to have a discussion that’s not constructive either. So the last thing I will say as someone who cares deeply about this government we love democracy in this country. It sounds corny, it sounds like a slogan, but it’s not, it’s what we truly believe. Georgia matters to us because of it’s democratic system and we have to do all that we possibly can to strengthen it.
Question 3: Reuters Television:
Do you trust in democracy?
Answer 3: DAS Bryza:
Well of course. We have trust in Georgia: the people of Georgia, the leadership of Georgia, the wisdom of the Georgians, the fact that we share values with them. If we didn’t believe that we shared values with Georgians across the board we wouldn’t be here, the Secretary wouldn’t ask us to come. Thank you very much.
Question 4: Channel One, Georgian Public Television:
Definitely the dialogue has started between the opposition and the government, the leadership, are you going to assess the process, how can you assess it? (parts inaudible)
Answer 4: DAS Bryza
I don’t think it really appropriate for the United States government to be assessing the progress of negotiations between opposition leaders and the Georgian government. This is an internal matter for the Georgian people and the Georgian Government to work through. I’m here simply in a spirit of friendship to talk to people from all segments of the Georgian political system and to see if they can’t in fact find a way forward, but on their own. I’m here as an outsider, but as an outsider who represents a government that cares deeply about Georgian democracy.
Question 5: Channel One Georgian Public Television:
How do you assess the situation today from today’s perspective, how do you see the situation?
Answer 5: DAS Bryza
Just a preliminary assessment. You know I got in very late or very early, my plane had to make an emergency landing on the way here so I didn’t get in until five in the morning today. But in my conversation so far I sense a realization among from leaders on both sides that it’s time to have a serious discussion. And that’s all I can hope for that the discussion is serious and takes place in a spirit of compromise. Thank you very much.
Question 6: Bloomberg:
I know that the Georgian government have been speaking over the last few days with the Council of Europe and various other parties and they have all expressed that we will continue in support of Georgia. Basically they are saying that nobody is telling the Georgian government what to do. Because Saakashvili has said yesterday he will lift the State of Emergency when he wants to. Do you agree with that.
Answer 6: DAS Bryza:
President Saakashvili is the sovereign leader of a sovereign government of a sovereign state. He won the election with 97% of the vote a few years ago, right? He’s right, it’s his authority and he is responsible for the future of the country. That said, we have deep interests in the future of this country, we have committed much of our energy and our treasure to the success of democracy here, so we want to see democracy strengthened. We don’t have any authority, he does have the elected authority. We can listen, we can assist, we can offer our advice and we can make clear what we believe humbly is necessary to sustain our support. But it’s his decision to take, of course.
Question 7: Bloomberg:
Another thing is that how convincing is to you is the Russian link?
Answer 7: DAS Bryza:
I’d rather not comment on that. You know I’m here in Georgia as an American official responsible for our Georgia policy and that’s what I focus on. I think what’s realistic, what’s real is that as I look out at Rustaveli Avenue that out there, there are strong feelings that have developed indigenously based upon the situation in Georgia among Georgians. Whether outsiders want to take advantage of the situation, well I think we all assume that that’s the case, that’s how the world works. There have some incredibly irresponsible statements coming out of Moscow. What Mayor Luzhkov says about recognizing Abkhazia is reckless and dangerous.
Question 7, follow up: Bloomberg:
Investment is very cheap in Abkhazia, etc?
Answer 7, follow up: DAS Bryza
That is ridiculous, that is so dangerous, he is playing with fire. Or, what the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said about how Georgian democracy - that means demonstrations.
Question 7, follow up: Bloomberg:
But that was Lavrov that said that.
Answer 7, follow up: DAS Bryza:
Well it was the spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry that said the most objectionable things. Who is he to talk about democracy? Has anyone talked about zachistki [Russian for cleansings] lately in Chechnya? Have they asked anybody in Chechnya about that point? So they have no business talking about democracy unless they’re trying to create an explosion here. I don’t think they are, I don’t believe Minister Lavrov is trying to create an explosion here but I do believe there are much less responsible people in the Russian system that are trying to take advantage.
Question 8: Bloomberg:
My last question that I pose to you before I see you at the press conference, Saakashvili is promising fair elections, but are there any possible presidential candidate from the opposition? Some of them are discredited, wanted, oh you name it. How fair can the elections be when Saakashvili has no competition.
Answer 8: DAS Bryza:
I don’t know. It’s not for me to determine. What’s important is that these steps that Secretary Rice and the White House have underscored be taken. Which is to lift the state of emergency and make sure all broadcasts can resume. Only in a situation of political openness and freedom can the voters themselves assess whom the right candidates are. Beyond that I don’t how to assess the freeness and fairness at this point.
Question 9: VOA:
Here’s the question. You know with the closing of independent media in Georgia, an American ideal has been violated and also American property has been affected.
Answer 9: DAS Bryza:
As I said in an interview with the New York Times yesterday, it is essential that the State of Emergency be lifted immediately and that all media be allowed to resume their broadcasting.
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