Georgia vows no surrender
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
WASHINGTON, Aug 12 (AFP): Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili on Monday vowed no surrender even as Russian troops pressed deeper into his country and he said the capital Tbilisi was being threatened.
Asked during a phone interview with CNN what he would like Russia's leaders to know, Saakashvili responded: "I think they should hear Georgia will never surrender. Georgia will never surrender."
Saakashvili, who earlier in the day said in an address to the nation that "the majority of Georgia's territory is occupied," accused Russia of premeditating the attack, which began several days ago.
"No matter how superhuman a military you have, if you have not been preparing the attack for months and months, for God's sake, how can you mobilize into another country 1,000 tanks within hours if it's not a premeditated attack on a neighboring country?" he asked.
Asked during a phone interview with CNN what he would like Russia's leaders to know, Saakashvili responded: "I think they should hear Georgia will never surrender. Georgia will never surrender."
Saakashvili, who earlier in the day said in an address to the nation that "the majority of Georgia's territory is occupied," accused Russia of premeditating the attack, which began several days ago.
"No matter how superhuman a military you have, if you have not been preparing the attack for months and months, for God's sake, how can you mobilize into another country 1,000 tanks within hours if it's not a premeditated attack on a neighboring country?" he asked.