Eduard Shevardnadze Quotes

Prospects of normalizing our relations with Russia look good.

I am not responsible for the actions of Saakashvili and even for those of Gamsakhurdia.

I think my resignation was the only way to avoid bloodshed.

I was a member of the Politburo for seven years, a foreign minister.

I think if someone else other than Reagan, someone less of a hardliner, had been in power then the breakthrough in ending the Cold War would not have happened.

I don't want to go down in history as a man who allowed blood to be shed.

They're making a song and dance because that serves their immediate interests. But what will happen tomorrow? They will have to pay salaries and pensions.

To sum up, what has been our policy? We looked for and found friends all throughout the world.

Even the pyramids might one day disappear, but not the Palestinians longing for their homeland.

I believe that with the help of foreign countries - and under that condition only, because they have no other source of financing - the new government may temporarily extricate Georgia from the current situation.

You know, to address crowds and make promises does not require very much brains.

But we cannot rely on foreign help indefinitely.

Now, the entire world community recognizes Georgia. We are members of the United Nations and the Council of Europe. Everything is being prepared so that we will soon enter the European Union.

I couldn't stand the idea of bloodshed, casualties.

But the Americans have no extra money. They have their own problems. They can provide financial assistance for two, three, four, or six months at most.

As for myself, I was never against Russia.

Corruption has its own motivations, and one has to thoroughly study that phenomenon and eliminate the foundations that allow corruption to exist.

But eradicating corruption is not enough to sustain a country.

I'm sure that was the right step, even though, formally speaking, it may seem disadvantageous for a president to resign. But, looking into what is happening today and what is going to happen in the future, I think history will show I made the right decision.

When I came back to power, Georgia was completely isolated on the international stage.