President Saakashvili comment after sacking defence minister

Tbilisi, Georgia - 10 November 2006
1. Mid of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and former Georgian Defence Minister Irakly Okruashvili
2. Zoom into Okruashvili
3. Mid of Saakashvili speaking at head of table

FILE: Georgian-North Ossetian border - 2005
4. Various of Okruashvili and bodyguards

Tbilisi, Georgia - 10 November 2006
5. Wide of news conference
6. Cutaway of cameramen
7. SOUNDBITE: (Georgian) Mikhail Saakashvili, Georgian President:
"I have said that we have to settle the question of Georgia's territorial integrity together with Okruashvili and while he is the office. I want to restate once more that we are going to restore Georgia's territorial integrity, but today the front line in the struggle for Georgia's territorial integrity goes through its economy and only ignorant people cannot see that. We will lose everything - army, ammunition and motivation if we are not strong and our enemy knows this very well."
8. Wide of State Chancellery

STORYLINE:

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has officially confirmed earlier reports of significant reshuffles in his government.

Irakly Okruashvili has been relieved of the duties of Defence Minister and will be appointed as the new Economic Development Minister.

Political observers in Moscow consider that the removal of Okruashvili from the Defence Ministry may help stabilise Russian-Georgian relations.

Since coming to power in late 2003, President Saakashvili has made it a priority to rein in the breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Instead, South Ossetia and Abkhazia have said they want to join neighbouring Russia, which has granted nearly all residents Russian passports and cultivated strong political and economic ties with the impoverished region - a move which has angered the Georgian government and led to increasing tension between the Russia and Georgia.

The Kremlin in turn, claims Georgia is building up its military to take the two provinces by force, accusations Tbilisi rejects.

Speaking at a news conference in Tbilisi, Saakashvili repeated his insistence on reuniting Georgia.

"We are going to restore Georgia's territorial integrity, but today the front line in the struggle for Georgia's territorial integrity goes through its economy and only ignorant people cannot see that."

The replacement of Saakashvili's hawkish Defence Minister has been seen as a softening in policy towards the Russian-backed separatists.

However, Okruashvili maintains he plans to celebrate the New Year in South Ossetia's capital.
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