On Saturday at a meeting with journalists the Russian president stated that "it is an internal Georgian affair" and Russia did not intend to interfere with it.
The head of the Russian state drew attention to the fact that the Russian military base in Adzharia was not involved in the conflict. Mr. Putin stated: "And that was specially mentioned by the Georgian president. We will continue acting like this and will not interfere with the conflict." Mr. Putin indicated that he wished all disputes were settled only through peaceful means.
Mr. Putin recalled the Kars agreement signed with Russian participation and stated: "We are entitled to consider ourselves the guarantor of the agreement." According to him, in line with that agreement Adzharia is an integral part of Georgia and Russia will do its utmost to preserve the territorial integrity of Georgia and to settle all disputes through peaceful means.
The president indicated that he maintained personal contacts with the Georgian president and that the Russian leadership maintained contacts with Adzharian authorities.
Mr. Putin stated: "We have stable, business-like, kind and warm relations [with Saakashvili]."
