Eduard Shevardnadze Quotations

I think my resignation was the only way to avoid bloodshed.

You know, to address crowds and make promises does not require very much brains.

I'm sure that was the right step, even though, formally speaking, it may seem disadvantageous for a president to resign. But, looking into what is happening today and what is going to happen in the future, I think history will show I made the right decision.

As for myself, I was never against Russia.

I am not responsible for the actions of Saakashvili and even for those of Gamsakhurdia.

Corruption has its own motivations, and one has to thoroughly study that phenomenon and eliminate the foundations that allow corruption to exist.

But eradicating corruption is not enough to sustain a country.

Even the pyramids might one day disappear, but not the Palestinians longing for their homeland.

But on second thought, after I decreed the state of emergency, I came to the conclusion that that was impossible to achieve without bloodshed because the street protesters were full of anger and nearly out of control. This is why I thought we needed to find another way out.

I don't want to go down in history as a man who allowed blood to be shed.

Now, the entire world community recognizes Georgia. We are members of the United Nations and the Council of Europe. Everything is being prepared so that we will soon enter the European Union.

It is absolutely impossible to settle the debts to pensioners, teachers, and others. The country hasn't got enough money to do so.

To sum up, what has been our policy? We looked for and found friends all throughout the world.

Germany is determined to provide substantial help. So are the Netherlands and other states. But a day will come when we have to count on our own resources.

Zhvania was the general secretary of the organisation which I founded, the Citizens' Union. It was the biggest organisation and came first in all elections, and Zhvania was the leader.

We also have a real opportunity to join NATO.

But we cannot rely on foreign help indefinitely.

I couldn't stand the idea of bloodshed, casualties.

I don't plan to return. I have a lot of unresolved things to do.

I was a member of the Politburo for seven years, a foreign minister.

In my life I have always found ways of dealing with a situation.

No Georgian has the right to evade or neglect his duties and responsibilities.

Prospects of normalizing our relations with Russia look good.

The external world is committed to helping Georgia settle its problems.

When I came back to power, Georgia was completely isolated on the international stage.

But the Americans have no extra money. They have their own problems. They can provide financial assistance for two, three, four, or six months at most.

I believe that with the help of foreign countries - and under that condition only, because they have no other source of financing - the new government may temporarily extricate Georgia from the current situation.

I think if someone else other than Reagan, someone less of a hardliner, had been in power then the breakthrough in ending the Cold War would not have happened.

I believe politicians should always remain realistic.

You know in the West they support realistic forces.

True, other countries are helping us. Germany is determined to provide substantial help. So are the Netherlands and other states. But a day will come when we have to count on our own resources.

They're making a song and dance because that serves their immediate interests. But what will happen tomorrow? They will have to pay salaries and pensions.

I don't want to make pessimistic predictions, but really the situation is difficult. It is even more difficult than before I resigned.