Shevardnadze accuses Soros of organising a coup d'etat in Georgia

Former President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze has accused American financier George Soros of organising the events that led to the coup d'etat in that Caucasian republic.

"This is his plan," said Shevardnadze in the "News of the Week" programme on the Rossia TV channel. According to him, Soros has formulated "a whole concept how to hold elections so that new people come to the government, and how to found such organisations as in Yugoslavia." "This is the plan of Soros. He provided for everything: how much money is necessary, what government organisations are reliable, with whom it is necessary to cooperate," said he.

Shevardnadze reminded the audience that one of the American organisations got access to the lists of the constituents compiled by the municipal authorities of Georgia. After that many names disappeared from the lists, said the ex-President.

"You have driven him (Soros) away from Russia, and you were right. His behaviour is not good. He should not poke his nose into politics in general," he added.

Answering the reporter's question whether he really will stay in Georgia, Shevardnadze said: "Yes." Shevardnadze believes that Russia should persuade Abkhazia and South Ossetia (self-proclaimed republics of Georgia) to recognise the territorial integrity of Georgia. "I told Aslan (Abashidze) that if the Russians help you, and Abkhazia and the Ossetians make a statement that they recognise the territorial integrity of the country, if you achieve this, you may be elected the president of Georgia," said Shevardnadze. "Russia should persuade these ones, those ones and still others," added the ex-President of Georgia.