Excerpts: New president's speech

Excerpts from speech delivered by Georgia's new president, Mikhail Saakashvili, at his swearing-in in the capital Tbilisi on 25 January 2004.

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Our nation has proved to the whole world that at a crucial moment, it has always been capable of defending its dignity, demonstrating dignified co-existence and friendly competition with the leading nations of the world.

The new leader has the blessing of the church in Georgia

Now, it is time we Georgians did not depend only on others.

It is time, we did not ask what the world is doing for us and what assistance it is providing to us, although we are grateful for all this, but rather it is time we asked what Georgia will do for the world and what contribution it will make to the development of the world.

Georgia will be a steady ally of all its friends and neighbours. Georgia should establish itself as a country with international responsibility, as a dignified member of the international community, as a country which, its complicated geopolitical situation and location notwithstanding, has developed equally good relations with all its neighbours.

Integration in Europe

In the meantime, it does not forget to regain its place in the European family, in the European civilization which it deserves but which was lost several centuries ago.

As a country of ancient Christian civilization, we must regain this place.

Our steady course is towards European integration. It is time Europe finally saw and valued Georgia and took steps towards us.

We can already see the first signs of it. It is not accidental that we hoisted the flag of Europe here today.

This flag is also Georgia's flag because it demonstrates the essence of our civilization, our culture, our history and the horizons and views of our future."

Friends and neighbours

We have excellent relations with our other neighbours and we want to have very good relations with Russia. Georgia does not need Russia as an enemy.

We need Russia as a friend.

We need Russia as an ally, as a strong partner and today, on behalf of the Georgian people, I would like to extend the hand of friendship to Russia and want this friendship to become established and develop.