Mikhail Saakashvili Quotations

If this had happened one year ago, the whole system would have collapsed.

He understood the shortcoming which we had. He understood we had corruption.

Today is the greatest day in the history of Georgia -- this is the day of our dignity, the birth of a new Georgia.

Our steady course is towards European integration. It is time Europe finally saw and valued Georgia and took steps towards us.

We are ready to hand over the control over these heights to the peacekeeping force, which includes Georgians,

We want to turn this page of history for this country.

The time has come to end divisions between peoples. The time has come to end the cycle of poverty, hopelessness and despair. The time has come when all those affected by this conflict must become genuine advocates for peace and no longer promoters of instability and an unhealthy status quo.

(The U.S. role) is something very crucial to us, not because the Americans can solve it alone,

This compact is a partnership between our two peoples who share the same values and have the same dreams for their children and ... believe in the supreme value of liberty,

This man stole everything from us and he is not going to take notice of his own people. We are not going to take over the state chancellery building (Shevardnadze's offices), but I want you to get closer so he can hear our shouts.

It means ... (we have) somebody at the table who could basically convince ... Russia that peace-making pays off ... we are working closely with the Americans on our peace plan and with the Russians on our peace plan.

In any case there was no danger whatsoever for the presidents,

Georgia today is a nation undergoing a profound transformation. It is a transformation that requires us to first acknowledge who we are - in order to be sure of what it is we want to build. It is a transformation that requires us to frankly assess our strengths and weaknesses, and to confront sometimes painful realities. And it is a transformation that is producing results.

You can understand mixed feelings that people might have here,

I have good relationships with Hillary Clinton, Joseph Biden and especially Richard Holbrooke - he is my teacher. I learned a lot of great things from him.

The more insecure you are, the more prone you are to create crises.

I promise not to become a source of shame for you.

Understandably, no peace can sustained when people continue to suffer from hunger, lack of jobs, lack of basic public services - and most of all - lack of opportunity or hope.

For the first time in 15 years, Georgia this winter has its electric power guaranteed without deficit. This is a historic achievement.

First and foremost - our vision for a united and peaceful Georgia is based on respect for the desire - and respect for the right - to South Ossetian autonomy.

Georgia is not just a European country, but one of the most ancient European countries.

Keeping small nations enslaved because of the deals between the great nations or because of any pragmatic considerations that might have been there are totally unacceptable.

We have not created any sort of democratic test for any nation.

If Russia shuts off central Asia and the Caspian Sea from Europe, the European allies of the United States will be totally dependent on Russian gas and energy.

Investors feel very comfortable working in Georgia

Georgia does not need Russia as an enemy.

America has value-based leadership. America is valued - America is followed by other nations, including my own nation, because it's based on the values that America has to offer to the rest of the world - freedom, freedom of choice, democracy, open market.

It is time we Georgians did not depend only on others, it is time we asked what Georgia will do for the world.

I admire American ideas.

Well, killing me makes no sense because Georgia already has a Western-educated political class.

America is very important economically. It's certainly, by far, the most important country in the world.

We must create the Georgia that our ancestors dreamed of, the Georgia that we dream of.

With the most powerful binoculars, I cannot see Alaska.

Solidarity was the best thing which happened in the 20th century.