November 13, 2007
DAS Bryza Press Conference in Tbilisi
November 13, 2007 at USAID Ballroom
Introduction: Ambassador Tefft:
Thank you very much for being here. I’d like to introduce you to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasian Affairs, Matt Bryza.
Opening statement: DAS Bryza:
Thank you so much, Mr. Ambassador, and thank you all for coming. Thank you for your patience. I apologize that we were a bit delayed. We were having a very substantive discussion with Speaker Burjanadze, and I just wanted to continue our discussion because of the substantive nature. We all have observed the Speaker’s substantive role in helping to stimulate a serious discussion between Opposition members and the Government. It’s positive the way we’ve begun to see the demands of the opposition addressed. Addressed, we hope in a substantive way that we hope will help ensure that after the elections every one will have a stronger restored faith in Georgia’s democratic processes.
We have been clear in our own statements about what we hope will develop here in Georgia. I wanted to underscore that I’m here as an envoy of our Secretary of State but I’m here as well as somebody who has a deep love of Georgia, I mean, our whole Government does; that’s why we’re here in general.
We have spent over a decade contributing part of our treasure and our energies and our emotions to the success of Georgia’s democracy. We should keep in mind that despite the current tensions, that what has happened here in the last four years in positive is, in fact, remarkable, and is only the beginning of a story.
I have been asked to convey the suggestions of the United States Government that to make sure this process continues and that at the later stages of this drama unfold the way we all hope, that the state of emergency be lifted as you know and that all broadcasts resume. What we’re suggesting – I’m not saying that we’re demanding anything – what we’re suggesting is that these steps are important to restore everyone’s faith in the democratic processes here that have begun so auspiciously, frankly.
There’s responsibility on the part of the Government to engage with the Opposition and think through what the various steps that are needed to move the country ahead. There’s responsibility as well on the part of the Opposition to make sure that the Government side is acceding to some of the demands, that there is not a current series of increasingly escalatory demands put on the table.
Our government and our press spokesman, Sean McCormack, made a statement a couple of days ago when he welcomed President Saakashvili’s decision to hold early presidential elections and to hold a plebiscite to determine the timing of parliamentary elections. This was a fundamental demand of the opposition. So, because we felt that the government was coming to a compromise with the opposition, we welcomed that step. Yet we still have our suggestions on the table that there needs to be a way to move forward on the other steps I’ve already mentioned.
Responsibility is shared in this society right now. It’s not responsible to call the president a terrorist or to call him a criminal or to call for a coup. That’s not responsible under any circumstances. Nor is it responsible to deem members of the Opposition unfit for dialogue. I think we’re moving beyond that right now. I sense that in the discussions over the last couple of days that minds and hearts are beginning to open a little bit, especially after my conversation with Patriarch Ilia today. I hope to see President Saakashvili in a couple of hours; I think we’re going to do that. And, finally, I wanted to say something about Georgia’s territorial integrity.
No body should ever question our country’s firm and total commitment to helping Georgia restore its territorial integrity. Sometimes there are statements issued from other countries that seem to try to take advantage of the current situation. I heard one elected official from the region saying, well, that perhaps Abkhazia now, its independence should be recognized, or others talking about the ability to purchase property in Abkhazia.
Those sorts of steps are absolutely reckless, dangerous, unnecessary. All of us now have a commitment to Georgia’s territorial integrity. The United States, our colleagues in the Friends’ Group - Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia - we’re all committed to Georgia’s territorial integrity. So, no step should be taken now that in any way questions Georgia’s territorial integrity. Georgia has a responsibility to work with the international community and, most importantly, with the Abkhaz, the South Ossetians, to resolve those conflicts peacefully. That’s happening. Nobody should question our support for Georgia’s territorial integrity. There have been some reports that we’ve seen in the media and elsewhere about possible movements of soldiers from Russia into Abkhazia. We have no way to confirm or deny those reports. I’d just like to say we immediately raised these reports with the Russian Government to make clear that we’re watching and to make clear we expect our Russian colleagues to abide by their commitment to Georgia’s territorial integrity.
So, those are some introductory remarks. I’ll take your questions for a while now, and, again, I apologize for being late. And I thank you for your patience and for joining us today.
Question 1: BBC Matthew Collin:
Can there be generally free and fair elections here in January if a State of Emergency involving severe restrictions on the media is still in force less than two months before those elections?
Answer 1: DAS Bryza:
I think - I don’t think - I know from my conversation just now with the Speaker of Parliament, that it sounds like the state of emergency will be lifted in the next two or three days, In fact, I think on the 16th, that’s right. So, I think that will be past, that will be over. Obviously, you know that one of the messages I’ve been asked to convey from my Secretary of State is that the State of Emergency really should be lifted for exactly the reason you articulate; to make sure that the election is free and fair and is seen that way. And the lifting of the State of Emergency would certainly be in keeping with everything we believed for as long as we’ve known the people in this government that their desire is to solidify and advance democratic reform here.
So, I think we’re going to be beyond that moment here shortly, in which case I would say, of course, there’s plenty of time to organize an election that’s free and fair. We spent some time yesterday with the Chairman of the Central Election Commission and he feels confident as well in the ability to organize and to train and to deploy observers to make sure that the elections are as free and fair as they can be. I also know that the Government has invited as many observers as can come here. So observers, whoever’s watching, please come. Thank you.
Question 2: Resonance Newspaper, Eliso Chapidze [in Georgian]:
Will the recent developments in Georgia damage Georgia’s chances to switch to the MAP status? Did you bring with you, among those recommendations sent by Secretary Rice to the Georgian Government, a recommendation about the restoration of Kavkasia and Imedi TV broadcasting in order to put the presidential candidates in equal position?
Answer 2: DAS Bryza:
Thank you. On Georgia’s NATO aspirations, the U.S. remains a firm supporter. We strongly believe that enlargement in NATO ought to be open to candidate countries who fulfill the criteria. And the criteria for NATO membership are both security, meaning military reform, and democracy. I know for a fact that some of our fellow allies are wondering whether or not the events that are unfolding right now as we’re all here together mean that Georgia in some way disqualifies itself for a Membership Action Plan. We don’t share that view. The jury is out.
Going back to the first question: As the state of emergency is lifted, and as the country prepares for elections, and if those elections are as free and fair as we expect them to be, why should there be any questions? If Georgia’s democratic system recovers and moves forward again, well, then, it appears that Georgia will again be on a path to fulfill all of the criteria of NATO membership.
I’d just like to make one more point about reform and tension in society. I lived through and loved the period from 1989-1991 in Poland - that’s where I began my diplomatic career - and I remember how after some of the most thorough-going reforms ever I’ve experienced in my career were enacted, how unpopular the reformer Leszek Balcerowicz became in terms of Polish politics and he had to leave office. And now he is seen as a national hero, a treasure, one of the great reformers in history, certainly in Europe.
And so, what Georgia is going through right now on the one hand is something that happens in post-Soviet, in post-communist societies. That’s not to excuse or to ignore the severity of what this country has just gone through. I just want to say that there is often, as a by-product of reform, this kind of tension and it’s up to the governments to recover and to strengthen democracy in the process.
The jury’s still out as to how things will come out here, but I feel more confident that things are back on track which gets to your second question about Imedi and Kavkasia television; again you know I said before that I have been instructed to stress the importance of Imedi TV and Kavkasia TV for all broadcasts being restored. The symbolism how closing down television broadcasts sends shock waves through our capitals be it in the United States or in Europe. That said we also understand that there is, there are certain professional guidelines, limits, codes of conduct of journalism. My own statements are misinterpreted all the time. But maybe because I do not speak clearly, often there is translation problems. But sometimes there are desires of editors to manipulate. I have seen it, it’s happened to me here repeatedly, In Georgia, not blaming anyone here in this room. But it has happened on both of the major stations, on Rustavi-2 and on Imedi. That happens and we know and I sense that the Georgian government is genuinely, genuinely concerned that what was being broadcast on Imedi at the time was inciting people potentially to violence but certainly to calls for the overthrow of the government. I am not saying Imedi was doing that frankly, I do not speak Georgian. I don’t know what it was actually saying. What I can say is that I know that there is genuine fear or belief in the government here that that was happening. So, when, I’ll say when, Imedi is restored, or when Kavkasia TV is restored, and when Rustavi-2’s news broadcasts are restored. We hope that the journalism that is coming out is fully professional like the people here who are in this room and does not involve calls for unconstitutional steps but instead offers a variety of views, different views, granted political views that are critical of the current government - that’s healthy for a democracy, that’s necessary for a democracy, but also maybe views that don’t call for the overthrow of the government by unconstitutional means. Calling for an election and a change of government? – That’s democracy.
Question 3: Radio Liberty, Georgian Service, Nino Gelashvili:
Position of the international society on introduction of the emergency situation was clear from the very beginning before the Parliament adopted it. Is it well argued to you why this state of emergency was introduced? Today the question is to lift it. It has its term. It will be finished some time, but was it argued well to you, even though some people are quoted from TV or some people think that some journalists make some announcements. It looks more like a censorship. Is it a reason to close mouth to all TV and radio media in Georgia?
Answer 3: DAS Bryza:
Certainly you could judge from my last remark that of course we could not support the silencing of any journalists. The freedom of the media is an absolute cornerstone of democracy and while people could argue over whether or not certain journalistic standards were upheld, I have no way to judge that, again, I don’t speak Georgian. You can argue about that, but the symbolism of silencing any media outlet is profound. It does not really matter so much whether or not the argumentation for imposing the State of Emergency was convincing to me. My mission here is to try to find a way to have this state of emergency lifted. It sounds to me based on my conversations since I’ve been here that that’s coming. Beyond that is does not matter how well people argued it.
Question 4: Radio Liberty, Nino Gelashvili:
Excuse me, and how hopeful the opposition and the authorities are about the dialogue that this dialogue will be a real one and not symbolic?
Answer 4: DAS Bryza:
I think that the dialogue that’s already been going on has been real. It has been substantive based on the conversation just now with Speaker Burjanadze and my ongoing conversations all of these days with many leaders of the opposition. I sense that they are having a real discussion. That was something we’ve called for in Press spokesman McCormack’s statement. I’m pleased to say that it does appear there is serious discussion going on. That’s good.
Question 5: BBC Russian Service, Keti Bochorishvili:
Mr. Bryza, what’s your comment on the story of deported Russian diplomats? What do you think how strong is the threat that Russia might interfere into the current processes in Georgia?
Answer 5: DAS Bryza: The issue of the mutual expulsions of Georgian and Russian diplomats is really none of the United States Government’s business. I have no way to assess allegations on the Georgian side, so, there is not much more to say about it. I hope that the incident is over. It seems like it’s finished. In terms of Russia’s intentions, again I’m here to speak for my government, not for the Government of Russia. I can just repeat what I said before, or I can go a bit further and say: I would be shocked, based on our own conversations with Moscow in the last few days, if there was truly something planned that would aim to destabilize Georgia. That is something that would sharply contradict Russia’s status as the facilitator of the Friends of the Secretary General process on Abkhazia. It would run counter to Russian behavior in my experience dealing with the Abkhazia problem where our disputes are purely political, where we often are fighting very hard for Georgia’s territorial integrity. Sometimes we hear differing statements coming out of Moscow, but at the end of the day our disputes are all political, diplomatic.
Question 6: Kommersant Newspaper, Galina Gotua [in Russian]:
On top of the Presidential elections, a plebiscite on parliamentary elections was declared. Why was it a plebiscite, and not a referendum?
Answer 6: DAS Bryza [in Russian]
Do you want me to answer in Russian or English? Does everyone speak Russian? Okay then in Russian. This should be a short answer. I understood from my friends in the Embassy and from others that it would a referendum, but now as far as I understand, it was always phrased as a plebiscite. I am not sure exactly what the difference is. As I understand it, a referendum is legally binding, while plebiscite has only political ramifications. In my opinion, this is not important. What is important is that the people of Georgia, the voters, are able to express their free will through elections. Whether this process is called a plebiscite or a referendum is not important, it is a mere technicality. The most important thing is that the voters will determine the political future of Georgia through elections, through a plebiscite.
Question 7: Washington Post, Tara Bahrampour:
This kind of goes to President Bush calling Georgia “a beacon of democracy” a couple of years ago: In the past weeks some opposition figures have said that the United States’ support for Georgia without enough questioning of things like Judicial reforms and property seizures, I am speaking specifically about President Saakashvili’s government would you say that this is an accurate assessment of the United States policy up until now. Do you foresee any changes on this front? Do you think the United States will be taking a harder look at this kind of thing?
Answer 7: DAS Bryza: Thank you, well, beacons flicker. They go on and off. This is beacon is on. But this was a couple of people wondering how bright, how intense the beam was. Of course I disagree with the idea that we’ve offered unconditional support for anybody, we don’t. We have offered strong support through our USAID programs - we are here in USAID’s headquarters in Georgia - and through our political and diplomatic dealings with Georgia for U.S. policy interests. Our interest in Georgia is one of Democracy, as our own President has said. I know, I don’t think, I know he came here when he did because of the strong progress Georgia had made on Democracy. That is the cornerstone of our national security interest in Georgia. We care about Georgia, number one, and Georgian democracy. That has always been clear, that’s never wavered from our perspective and our assistance programs all aim to strengthen Georgian democratic institutions. We have sometimes rather serious disputes in private with our friends in the Georgian government about tactics. Now you have seen in public we have taken a line that has suggested some serious steps that are necessary to keep all of these same processes that we have supported so fully on line. So I think we’ve been absolutely consistent. I think, well, Sean McCormack’s statement speaks for itself. You saw how he came out when we were so concerned about important, symbolic steps that led some to believe perhaps that the beacon was not shining as brightly as it had been or as it should. But I feel better now, I don’t want to put a rosy light on all of this, but I feel better that the momentum is restoring a bit, because as the last questioner, or the one before that suggested the talks going on between Opposition and Government are serious. We just saw yesterday, right, that now we have four candidates who are going to run for the Presidency here. From what I understand they are all going to be able to run, none of them are going to face any sort of limitations. They are all either going to be able to come back to the country or be able to move around publicly and freely. That’s great. So that’s a reason to be optimistic in a sober way that things are moving back in the right direction. Sorry for the length of the response.
Question 8: Washington Post, Tara Bahrampour:
Can I just add, in the future, assuming, you know, whatever the government is, do you feel like the US is going to be looking harder at some of these issues like Judicial reform and like the others.
Answer 8: DAS Bryza:
I don’t know how we could look much harder at them. There is a presumption out there that we are not looking hard, but we’re looking very hard at judicial reform. Every time I come out here I try to meet with Prosecutor General Adeishvili. The reason I do that is to maintain a sort of a scorecard on how things are going. Judicial reform has positive elements here and negative elements. More needs to be done on judicial reform, I would never argue against that, but significant steps have been taken. So I would not say that the U.S. is going to begin to look at judicial reform, I’d say that we’re going to continue to maintain our very serious focus on it.
Question 9: NTV Nugzar Kereselidze [in Russian]:
Mr. Bryza, are all Georgian Presidential candidates on an equal ground in the coming election? According to the Washington Post President Saakashvili is scheduled to meet with President Bush in December. Will a similar opportunity be offered to every candidate for the Presidency?
Answer 9: DAS Bryza [in Russian]:
We cannot support one candidate over another here. This would mean that we do not support the process of democracy here; rather we support certain individuals. We sure are not going to do that. President Saakashvili’s meeting in Washington has been arranged a long time ago. Certainly, now his schedule needs to be revised if he runs for the president of Georgia for the second time – it will be quite logical of course. But I cannot take the responsibility for making a decision. President Bush will make this decision. I know our policy. We are not supporting any individual candidate, we support democracy here, we support the election process here. And we support all that ensures the Georgian voters decide their political fate. Wait a little bit, be patient, to see the date of a meeting between President Bush and the President of Georgia – I’m not specifying the name. I’m saying the president of Georgia.
Question 10: Bloomberg, Helena Bedwell:
Georgia’s reputation abroad since the Rose Revolution is damaged. Can it be really restored? Saakashvili’s reputation here in Georgia has been damaged, because people are hurt. What does the United States recommend to restore Saakashvili’s big popularity, apart from just lifting the state of emergency and restoring the media. What else can he do?
Answer 10: DAS Bryza:
Apart from that, I guess I’ll also go back to what we’ve been saying for a little while which is to have a serious discussion with the Opposition, with all members of the Civil Society as well about the state of the country. All of these views matter, everyone’s view is significant, simply because somebody represents a particular civil society group or a political grouping does not necessarily give them authority to be followed in calling for the overthrow of the government, but all these views need to be heard. I would think, just as just as an observer here, that having a meaningful discussion with all segments of civil society will be quite helpful. I am not convinced that there is a serious, I don’t know what the level of popularity of President Saakashvili is, and that’s what the election on January 5th will determine.
Question 11: The Georgian Messenger:
More concretely we have no idea when Imedi TV will be back on air. Can Georgia hold an acceptably fair elections if Imedi is not back on air before January 5th?
Answer 11: DAS Bryza:
You see, we hope it’s going to be on before January 5th, right and there are so many elements that go into free and fair election. All I can say right now we are looking for ways, thinking through, talking with all the concerned parties to find a way to bring Imedi TV back on and to make sure then that the election is as free and fair as possible. You’ve done a classic thing of asking me a hypothetical so I am not going to speculate any further and my crystal ball speculation would not be worth the price you’d pay for it.
Question 12: The Georgian Messenger:
How does that represent a compromise?
Answer: DAS Bryza: The question of changing the electoral date for the parliamentary elections was a core demand of the Opposition, in fact that was…
Question 12, follow-up: Georgian Messenger:
Plebiscite is not binding.
Answer 12, follow up: DAS Bryza:
I guess that remains to be clarified; is it politically binding? In my Russian remarks I was saying that my understanding. All that matters is that, what I was saying is that it become binding de facto in a political sense at least. Whether it’s a plebiscite that is politically binding or a referendum that is legally binding is not for the Unites States to pronounce upon. What matter to us, because it’s democracy that matters so much here in a strategic sense is that the will of the Georgian the voter determines the political future of the country. A core element today of determining Georgia’s political future is the timing, it appears to be, is the timing of parliamentary elections, because that was the demand that the opposition was articulating on November 2nd when they first went to the streets. So I have hope and confidence that plebiscite will resolve this issue.
Thank you.
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