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Russias putin worried by georgia power change Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24341346.htm http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24341346.htm 24 Nov 2003 11:55:12 GMT Russia's Putin worried by Georgia power change (Adds quotes) MOSCOW, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed concern on Monday that Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze had resigned under the threat of violence from opposition protesters. But he said the veteran leader's departure had been a consequence of serious errors and called on the ex-Soviet state's new leaders to re-establish traditionally strong links between Tbilisi and Moscow. "There is logical concern that the transfer of power in Georgia has taken place against a background of strong pressure of the use of force," Putin was shown on state television as telling a weekly ministerial meeting. "Those who organise and encourage such actions must assume their responsibilities before the Georgian people." Georgian foreign policy, he said, had been conducted "without reference to the deep cultural and historic ties of the Georgian people and without reference to geopolitical reality". That was a reference to Shevardnadze's bid to move the country towards the West and lessen Russian influence. "Relations between Russia and Georgia in recent years had been quite difficult," he said. "We assume the future legally elected leadership of the country will do everything possible to restore the tradition of friendship between our countries." It was clear, he said, that Shevardnadze had "never been a dictator". But he said his decision to step down after three weeks of protest -- initially over alleged fraud in a parliamentary election -- "was no surprise for us". "The transfer of power in the country is a logical result of a series of systemic errors in foreign, domestic and economic policy by the country's former leaders," Putin said. (Reporting by Ron Popeski, editing by Ralph Boulton; Reuters Messaging: ronald.popeski.reuters.com@reuters.net; Moscow newsroom, +7 095 775-1242))

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