Mikhail Saakashvili ready to cooperate with Adjarian leadership

On January 9, Mikhail Saakashvili, Georgian president elect, expressed readiness to cooperate with the leadership of the Adjarian Autonomous Republic.

He noted in the air of Tbilisi TV Company Imedi in the evening of January 9 that the presidential election had been held on the territory of Adjaria. Both the people of the autonomy and its head, Aslan Abashidze, contributed to it. Abashidze "took a judicious stand" on this issue, according to Saakashvili.

Saakashvili also said he was ready to settle questions of the relations between the center and the region and of the differentiation of jurisdiction between them, as well as problems of budget and fiscal nature.

At the same time he emphasized, "The adjustment of the relations between the center and the region will not be done at the expense of Georgia's state interests... No concession or compromise can be made in this field."