"Georgian president thanks Biden for visit last month
MILWAUKEE - President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia personally thanked Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden yesterday for flying to his country to show support during the Russian invasion last month.
"You came straight into the middle of the conflict. . . . That was very brave of you," Saakashvili told Biden before a private meeting. "I certainly will not forget that, and my people are not going to forget it."
Saakashvili said the trip was even more remarkable because it came while Biden was being publicly mentioned as a leading candidate to become the running mate of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Biden traveled to the pro-Western former Soviet republic in his capacity as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; he was picked by Obama several days later.
Biden told Saakashvili, "I was happy to do that and thought it was important to show American solidarity and support." Biden added that Russia must not be allowed to bring down a democratically elected government, that the United States and Europe should provide substantial economic aid to Georgia, and that Russia should be penalized.
Saakashvili met in New York on Wednesday with the Republican ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin and thanked McCain for his strong support during Georgia's military conflict with Russia (AP)."
