GEORGIA: MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER MIKHAIL SAASKASHVILI NAMED AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Record ID: 643514

  • Title: GEORGIA: MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER MIKHAIL SAASKASHVILI NAMED AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
  • Date: 26th November 2003
  • Summary: (U3) TBILISI, GEORGIA (NOVEMBER 26, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING 0.06 2. VARIOUS OF FORMER GEORGIAN PRESIDENT EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE AND BODYGUARDS IN CAR DRIVING AWAY FROM OFFICE BUILDING BUILDING 0.18 3. SLV MAN ENTERING PARLIAMENT BUILDING 0.23 4. SLV MAN PLANTING TREE IN PRESIDENTIAL YARD 0.25 5. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) FORMER GEORGIAN PRESIDENT EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE, SAYING: "I can't answer [who shall be president] I think they [opposition] must agree amongst themselves." 0.29 6. VARIOUS , SHEVARDNADZE GETTING INTO LIMOUSINE / CAR DRIVING AWAY SURROUNDED BY BODYGUARDS 1.05 (W4) TBILISI, GEORGIA (NOVEMBER 26, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. VARIOUS OF ACTING GEORGIAN PRESIDENT NINO BORDZHANADZE AND OTHER MAIN OPPOSITION LEADERS MIKHAIL SAAKASHVILI, ZURAB ZHVANIA AND OTHER OFFICIALS ARRIVING TO MEET MEDIA 1.22 8. SCU CAMERA CREWS 1.27 9. SMV (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) ACTING GEORGIAN PRESIDENT NINO BURDZHANADZE SAYING: "We have made a decision that on the early presidential election we will have a single candidate for president and this candidate for president will be Mr. Mikhail Saakashvili" - BORDZHANADZE THEN TURNS TO SAAKASHVILI AND SAYS: "congratulations" 2.12 10. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MIKHAIL SAAKASHVILI SAYING: "I want to say thank you to Mrs. Nino (Bordzhunadze). Today all the citizens of Georgia are looking at us and their country - and all the heroes, who over the last days did everything for the victory of our "velvet rose revolution", are also looking at us and Georgia. Now there is talk of how easy it was to do this (change of government/ revolution) and I want to tell you and it is very important historically to know this - that nothing was easy (to achieve). " 2.46 11. WIDE OF MEDIA 2.53 12. WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 3.11 13. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MIKHAIL SAAKASHVILI SAYING: "We have to settle our relationships with all of Georgia's regions and especially with Adzhara. Also we have to settle our relationships with our neighbours especially with Russia" 3.20 14. SMV MEDIA 3.25 15. WIDE SHOT OF GATHERING/ BORDZHUNADZE, SAAKASHVILI AND OFFICIALS LEAVING (2 SHOTS) 3.47 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th December 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TBILISI, GEORGIA
  • Country: Georgia
  • Reuters ID: LVAFR7GUSUUCJLTSRV5C7VIHTCP
  • Story Text: Georgia's main opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili has been
    named as presidential candidate as former leader
    distances himself from race.



    Georgia's main opposition parties named Mikhail
    Saakashvili on Wednesday (November 26) as their sole
    candidate in forthcoming presidential elections to replace
    ousted Eduard Shevardnadze as head of state.

    As the announcement neared, former President Eduard
    Shevardnadze paid a visit to his former office to clear out
    his personal items.

    He said he met with his former aides and passed out
    books with his signature.

    U.S-trained lawyer Saakashvili immediately said he
    expected to triumph in the January 4 presidential polls and
    a partial re-run of disputed parliamentary polls that
    triggered the mass protests which preceded Shevardnadze's
    downfall.

    "I am ready for our victory in the forthcoming
    presidential and parliamentary elections," Saakashvili told
    supporters inside parliament.

    Saakashvili, 35, was the driving force of the
    people-power revolution that toppled Shevardnadze on
    Sunday. Commentators said that, on his current popularity,
    Saakashvili will almost certainly win the election.

    It was not immediately clear who would be running
    against him.

    Interim President Nino Burdzhanadze and fellow
    opposition figure Zurab Zhvania flanked Saakashvili as the
    announcement was made.





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