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Georgia: Saakashvili vows to secure IDPs return to Abkhazia in months

Mikheil Saakashvili, who runs for reelection in the January 5 early presidential elections, said Georgia along with the international community would create conditions in next few months that would secure internally displaced persons' safe return to Abkhazia.

Saakashvili was speaking at a meeting with a group of internally displaced persons from Abkhazia as part of his election campaign. The meeting was held in the Tbilisi Municipality building.

"I promise you - and this is not a promise made because of pre-election campaign - if the January 5 elections are held normally, we will spend next winter under the condition of warmer climate; we will be back to our homes. I promise this to you and I guarantee this. I have never before said anything more concrete," Saakashvili said.

"I want to promise you that in the nearest future - I was thinking of doing that in my first presidential term, but because of well known reasons, I have cut down that term - so in the nearest future, I mean nearest months, I am not saying nearest years, we, along with the international community, will create conditions for your return to Abkhazia in safety and dignity."

He then criticized "some international organizations" for advocating creation of conditions that would foster internally displaced persons' integration to local population in Tbilisi and other areas where they are residing currently.

"Some international organizations call on us to convince internally displaced person that there is no longer need in return. I have a very blunt response to this: I do not know whom you are going to convince, but I know that my house is in Sokhumi and you won't be able to convince me in this kind of thing," Saakashvili said.

He also said that some non-governmental organizations were advocating for the Georgians to repent Tbilisi's mistakes that led to armed conflict in Abkhazia in early 90s.

"Why should we apologise? Say sorry for what? Because our heads were cut and because we have been forced out of our homes; or maybe because our churches [in Abkhazia] were raided and our children frozen on mountain passes [when displaced persons tried to flee Abkhazia]? Should we say sorry? For what? I can not understand what a grant they have received from international organizations [to advocate this stance]... I know there are some international groups, not the state ones, which pay money for this type of foolishness. This is not only about just saying sorry, it means creation of a legal ground for depriving you the right to return back to [Abkhazia]."

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