Saakashvili offers opponents reforms, urges unity against Russia
14:0321/07/2009 MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia's president has proposed electoral and economic reforms to the opposition and called for unity in the face of Russia, Georgian media reported.
Mikheil Saakashvili made a 42-minute address to parliament late on Monday in a bid to appease the opposition, which has held protests since April demanding his resignation following the war with Russia last August.
Saakashvili has also been criticized at home for growing increasingly totalitarian, monopolizing state media and clamping down on protesters.
The speech, which was interrupted nine times for applause, including five standing ovations, laid out the president's proposals for a greater opposition role in running public television channels. He also suggested holding early local elections in spring, rather than in the fall, and said they could "think about" direct mayoral elections in the capital, Tbilisi.
"The Georgian people are living through an extremely difficult period. Part of our territory is occupied. The aggressor is continuing to exert pressure, trying to ruin our statehood," he said referring to Russia, which has deployed more troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia after last summer's conflict.
He said the only way to meet the challenges was a stronger democracy and reforms.
"We will not back down from our path, our only path - this is reform, reform, and once again reform, without any kind of backwards glance. This is the only way for us to become a reliable partner for our allies," he said.
Critics said Saakashvili's proposals were designed to please the United States ahead of a visit by Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
Washington, which has urged Georgia to strengthen its democracy as a key condition for joining NATO, is believed to be growing disillusioned with Saakashvili's policies.
Biden is also expected to ease Tbilisi's concerns about Washington's "reset" of relations with Russia.
Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war after Tbilisi ventured to regain breakaway South Ossetia. Moscow then recognized Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Moscow has also been angry at Saakashvili's drive to bring the ex-Soviet Caucasus state into NATO.
The Wall Street Journal published an interview with Saakashvili on Monday quoting the leader as saying that Georgia's NATO bid was "almost dead," and reunification with South Ossetia and Abkhazia unlikely any time soon.
In parliament later on Monday, Saakashvili denied he said anything of the kind and claimed the paper had already apologized to him.
A senior Georgian official said the newspaper had misinterpreted Saakashvili's words.
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