Georgian PM considers uproar over his statement about August war unfounded

Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili made a statement on Friday in connection with the August war, according to which he has never said that Georgia was the aggressor and started the August war.

"I want to make a statement and to shed light on my answer to the question asked at a news conference regarding the questioning of the president because of the 2008 war, which caused baseless fuss," the statement says.

According to Ivanishvili, regarding the August war of 2008, he has never said that Georgia was the aggressor and started the war.

"Our army did not cross the border of another country and did not move to the territory of another state," he said.

"We have to investigate and find out the truth, which I am sure will in no case affect our country's image and nothing will concern its territorial integrity," the report says.

"A lot of questions need to be answered regarding the previous government about the war - why President Mikheil Saakashvili failed to prevent an obvious provocation, how the commander in chief and the government acted, why senior officials intervened in managing the military operation, which caused chaos and disorder, why was the civilian death toll so high, why the government failed to evacuate the civilians, how our reservists remained without command, and etc. Nobody doubts the valour of our armed forces, heroism - hundreds of young people died in this unequal struggle," the statement says.

It is necessary for Georgia to establish the truth, the impartial investigation will put an end to speculations around the war, establishing a fair principle will increase Georgia's authority and its reliability Ivanishvili said.

Questions are only towards the political leadership - Commander in chief and the whole government, and they are obliged to answer these questions before the law", the statement says.

Large scale military action was launched in South Ossetia on August 8, 2008. Later, Russian troops occupied Tskhinvali and expelled the Georgian military.

Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in late August. In response, Tbilisi ended diplomatic relations with Moscow and has called the two unrecognised republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied territories.