Georgia Dispatches: Condoleezza Visits, Misha Speaks…

Almost everybody was waiting for 15 August 2008: Friday’s joint press conference with the U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, and the Georgian president, Mikhail Saakashvili — literally. With Georgian forces having been defeated by the Russian military in South Ossetia and parts of Georgia proper now under Moscow’s control, over a hundred journalists turned up at the new presidential palace currently under construction in Tbilisi.

Condoleezza Rice had brought with her a six-point ceasefire agreement for Saakashvili to sign, and neither seemed to be too happy with it. Rice was stern-faced and Saakashvili at times exasperated and flustered. Neither, perhaps, was as exhausted as the media pack which had to wait three hours for the scheduled press conference to begin in the scorching sun. Still, the presidential staff did supply free chilled Georgian mineral water after the first hour of waiting.

And I suppose when Russian troops are literally less than forty minutes away from your capital, it’s no wonder that proceedings were so delayed. Unfortunately, however, one film crew from the BBC couldn’t wait any longer and nor could journalists from some other significant international publications. As for myself, I have to admit, I was as interested in witnessing the Georgian president speak in person.

In a joint news conference with Ms Rice following nearly five hours of talks, Mr Saakashvili said he would never accept any part of his country being occupied.

He gave an emotional address, referring to Russia as “cold-blooded killers” and “barbarians”, and he said that Georgia was now “looking evil directly in the eye”.

But Mr Saakashvili also criticised the West for failing to react strongly enough to previous Russian military moves and for not granting his country Nato membership earlier this year.

Ms Rice said that Russia had to accept Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and demanded a withdrawal of all Russia military from Georgia “at once”.

But as the pair spoke, there were reports of Russian anti-personnel carriers moving closer towards the Georgian capital, setting up a new checkpoint about 35km (22 miles) outside Tbilisi.

But, I also have to say, I was not impressed and wondered what the U.S. Secretary of State thought of sharing center stage with a man who likened the Russian invasion of Georgia with a girl being raped because she wore a short skirt. Such statements during the press conference did not appear sufficiently presidential, in my opinion, and were seemingly not reported by the mainstream media.

And nor was Misha’s reference to bringing Western pop and rock bands to Georgia to perform, thus illustrating how European the country was, perhaps. Sure, acts such as Shakira have performed in Tbilisi, but it might be best to overlook the Boney M concert staged in South Ossetia last year to promote peace — something that seems to have obviously failed.

With Tskhinvale Ossetians entrenched just a grenade launch away along a ridge above the village, the four piece group, led by original Boney M. singer Marcia Barrett, kicked in with the playback of “Daddy Cool” and continued to woo enemy soldiers into dropping their weapons and dancing the patriotism out of their bodies with “Ma Baker,” “Belfast,” “By the Rivers of Babylon,” and more.

Georgian President Saakashvili was there getting jiggy with Tbilisi mayor Ugulava and the alternative de-facto president of South Ossetia, Dmitri Sanakoev.

“This is a disco approach to conflict resolution…” the president told a BBC correspondent under the dim of the Bony M. hit, “Sunny.” “By doing this we hope to lure people out of their trenches to come dance with us…”

But whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation — and whoever is to blame for the hostilities which erupted less than two weeks ago — there’s no doubt that the majority of Georgians are behind their leader. True, the situation in the country since the 2003 Rose Revolution has greatly improved, but even those voices critical of the president are taking his side as one editor for an international publication explained to me via email before I set off for Georgia.

Population critical of the stupidity that caused this mess, but, when it comes to a choice between Russians and Misha, everyone will take Misha. As one journalist said, “I don’t like Misha, but no way Russia is going to dictate who my president is.”

While the crisis continues, such an attitude will surely prevail. At times of war they generally do. However, when the smoke clears and more in-depth analysis occurs as to the cause of this conflict materializes, will that remain to be the case? There are already some critical voices, but one thing remains in Saakashvili’s favor. None of the present group of opposition leaders offer anything better and probably offer much, much less.

Photos: Condoleezza Rice - Mikhail Saakashvili Press Conference, Presidential Palace, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008