Released Georgian sailors home at last

Fifteen Georgian and three Turkish sailors finally arrived home after their 508 day period of captivity by Somali pirates. A private Airzena Georgian Airlines plane was sent by the Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili specially to transport the released sailors from the African port of Kenya, accompanied by the delegation of Georgian officials chaired by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Giorgi Karbelashvili.

Having greeted the released sailors at the Turkish airport on Friday President Saakashvili and the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Taip Erdoghan thanked the Georgian and Turkish sailors for the great solidarity they showed towards one another during their long spell of captivity. Referring to the “hell” the eighteen sailors had lived through from September 8, 2010 Saakashvili spoke of the importance of Turkey’s participation in releasing the sailors.

Emphasizing the importance of cooperation between the two neighbouring states in various fields Saakashvili spoke of Turkey’s significant development in recent years. The Georgian President called it a country defining the processes in the region and the main guarantee of peace in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. “Turkey is our window to Europe - with its help Georgia can connect with the European railway,” he said announcing that in 2013 Georgia would have a regular connection with Europe via a modern railway as “the greatest geopolitical break-through” for the entire region.

Turkey, according to the President, has become a state that creates innovations. Turkey is distinguished by the welfare and very fast development there. This is a result of the revolutionary reforms which the Turkish leadership has undertaken despite all of the difficulties… We are closely following Turkey’s reforms with admiration,” said Saakashvili, highlighting Georgia’s exemplary relations with Turkey in comparison to the complicated relationships it has with other neighbours.

As Saakashvili said, more than 600 sailors from the EU are still in captivity in Somalia. Denouncing piracy and international crime he said that the release of the Georgian and Turkish sailors would give hope to those hostages who remain in the captivity of Somali pirates. Wishing for the released sailors to quickly forget the horror they had experienced, the Turkish Prime Minister spoke of the many attempts of the two sides to release the sailors and the negotiations held with the President of Somalia. “Such Georgian-Turkish solidarity will be written in history as an example of our friendship. This is a relationship between countries which understand each other,” Erdogan said, explaining that the two countries’ relations are now moving to a new level.

Having left Istanbul on a plane with the Georgian sailors, President Saakashvili wished them all the best for the New Year and awarded the captain Memed Zakaradze with the order of dignity as a representative of the Georgian marine school who has trained a lot of exemplary sailors. Governor of Adjara Levan Vashalomidze and Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Giorgi Karbelashvili also received special orders from the President. Unfortunately Kareblashvili became unwell in Africa and as a result couldn’t attend the ceremony, but the Georgian President praised him as a person who never doubted the success of their attempts to release the sailors.