Morning:
8°c
Putin ‘threatened to hang Georgia leader’
Ed Harris14 Nov 2008
NICOLAS Sarkozy was today reported to have saved the Georgia's president from being "hanged by the balls" by an angry Vladimir Putin.
According to accounts from the Elysée Palace in Paris, the Russian prime minister revealed his plans for getting rid of Mikheil Saakashvili when the French president was in Moscow in August to broker a ceasefire in Georgia.
"I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls," Mr Putin apparently said. Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard, and said: "Hang him?" Mr Putin clarified his point by adding: "Why not? The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein."
Mr Sarkozy replied: "Yes, but do you want to end up like president Bush?" Mr Putin: "Ah, you have scored a point there."
Mr Saakashvili laughed nervously when a French radio station read out the exchange to him yesterday, saying: "I knew about this scene, but not all the details. It's funny all the same."
In August Russian tanks rolled within 30 miles of Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, when Mr Saakashvili tried to crack down on the breakaway ambitions of South Ossetia.
Reader views (3)
It is now accepted fact that the Georgians shelled civilians in S.Ossetia(killing many & a war crime to boot!)prior to the Russian intervention. One should ask, what else could be expected of the Russians viewing the circumstances? Since the facts became available there has been a deafening silence from the west, no effort to educate their citizens of the true course of events and,to remedy the lies of the Georgian Government which of course they were fully aware of at the time! The hypocrisy of western governments reek & detract from any credibility they may have left. Personally I am a great admirer of Putin, Medvedev and their Government. They have restored pride to the Russian people,(they are very popular with their citizens - unlike their kin in the western democracies) while, refusing to lie down and be raped by the West of their natural resources, whilst also being threatened with military encirclement.(a real fear to a country who lost 20 million dead in WW2) This naturally is very upsetting for Western Governments. What amazes me is how quickly the good guys have morphed into the bad guys!
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London., 14/11/2008 16:46
Report abuse
Otto, you're as ignorant as you are illiterate.
- Wentworth, London, 14/11/2008 14:16
Report abuse
Shame of Russia, my god and then we still trying to have normalization of the partnership with Russia after such a discussion? Is Georgian leader worst then Hussain?? come on guys time to shut the Russian aggression once and for all!
- Otto, London, 14/11/2008 10:47
Report abuse
