"Georgia is undertaking an immediate, unilateral cease fire"

W czwartek, 7-ego sierpnia wieczorem, Saakaszwili powiedział w gruzińskiej telewizji państwowej:

..I want to declare with full responsibility and confess that several hours ago, in my capacity as Commander in Chief of Georgia, I issued a very painful order directing all Georgian police forces and other units under our control not to return fire, even if they face intensive bombing.

However, I would like to state that in the hours since, during which time our forces and civilians have fallen victim-there are many casualties and many wounded, many houses have been destroyed and damaged-I did this deliberately in order to have the possibility to stand before you and call for an immediate ceasefire and immediate negotiations.

I continue to support the peace plan for South Ossetia that I introduced three years ago, a plan that has been developed over the course of many years. It includes practicaly unrestricted autonomy and local governance for South Ossetia, special safeguards for the human rights of every ethnic Ossetian, autonomy under international guarantees, an autonomous structure created according to EU standards.

I am proposing that Russia act as a guarantor of South Ossetian autonomy within Georgia. I act with full responsibility, so that Russia, Georgia, and European countries can participate in the peacekeeping process. The local population must feel that they are defended by the international community, by people who deserve their trust.

I want to say, that despite the fact that many people have been killed and robbed, have had their possessions absolutely destroyed, we are offering full amnesty to everyone who has committed such criminal acts punishable under Georgian law, if they immediately cease fire. I am willing to take even such a consequential step. The Georgian government is ready to forgive the crimes committed in recent years in order to secure peace, to continue the peacekeeping process and negotiations.

We offer all of you partnership and friendship, despite your violations against Georgian state and the local population, no matter what acts you committed, acts that are punishable under Georgian and international laws. Because peace is a greater value, more vital than anything else. We are ready for any sort of agreement in the interest of peace....

I would like to address the international community. Nobody should try to present the Georgian government as a supporter of any kind of violence. For so many days, we have been reaching out to our partners-today we have spoken to several world leaders-to help us stop the escalation of violence. We ask that you help us conduct direct negotiations, to guarantee the autonomous status of South Ossetia, and to internationalize the peace process. We also ask for your assistance in holding a more results-oriented dialogue.

We are doing everything to avoid escalation of the violence.

Georgia is undertaking an immediate, unilateral cease fire. We do not have the will to respond to violence with yet more violence.

Let’s stop this spiral of violence. I address everyone: Let’s do everything to stop the escalation-today, tomorrow, or the day after-and return to the negotiating table. Let’s use every possible format-direct, multilateral, and other formats-to overcome this absolutely critical situation, to come out of this unacceptable deadlock in which we all find ourselves....

6 godzin później Temuri Jakobaszwili, gruziński minister dla reintegracji melduje:

Georgian units have almost surrounded Tskhinvali