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President Saakashvili visits ethnic Armenians in southern Georgia
Imedi TV, Tbilisi
28 Dec 04
[Presenter] During his visit to Akhalkalaki [town in southern Georgia
with a large ethnic Armenian population] today, which lasted just
about 30 minutes, the president managed to find time to visit two
local families. Mikheil Saakashvili unexpectedly called on an ethnic
Georgian and an ethnic Armenian family and personally gave them New
Year presents. [Passage omitted]
[Saakashvili, interviewed] Unfortunately, as you know, my predecessor
[Eduard Shevardnadze] would only meet local activists in the function
room. He seemed to think that there was no need to visit people. As
for me, I am more interested in ordinary people than in activists. I
take interest in specific people and their problems.
Next year we are starting the implementation of a big project, the
construction of the Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki road. This, naturally, cannot
be completed within a year. We are thinking of starting it some time
in the autumn. We have already secured funding for that. It will be
one of the main projects of my presidency.
This region needs to be integrated and linked to the main transit
routes, to the capital of Georgia. People should be able to move about
more. They should be able to sell their produce somewhere else and be
integrated into Georgia both economically and politically. [Passage
omitted]
Imedi TV, Tbilisi
28 Dec 04
[Presenter] During his visit to Akhalkalaki [town in southern Georgia
with a large ethnic Armenian population] today, which lasted just
about 30 minutes, the president managed to find time to visit two
local families. Mikheil Saakashvili unexpectedly called on an ethnic
Georgian and an ethnic Armenian family and personally gave them New
Year presents. [Passage omitted]
[Saakashvili, interviewed] Unfortunately, as you know, my predecessor
[Eduard Shevardnadze] would only meet local activists in the function
room. He seemed to think that there was no need to visit people. As
for me, I am more interested in ordinary people than in activists. I
take interest in specific people and their problems.
Next year we are starting the implementation of a big project, the
construction of the Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki road. This, naturally, cannot
be completed within a year. We are thinking of starting it some time
in the autumn. We have already secured funding for that. It will be
one of the main projects of my presidency.
This region needs to be integrated and linked to the main transit
routes, to the capital of Georgia. People should be able to move about
more. They should be able to sell their produce somewhere else and be
integrated into Georgia both economically and politically. [Passage
omitted]