When Georgia was striving towards democracy, the pressure from Russia was felt, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said at the Summit Basecamp in California (U.S) where he was invited as a special guest. "The assassination attempt on my life was planned," the president said. He also drew attention to the existing situation in Georgia, its reforms and relations with Russia.

"Georgia is really a beautiful country," he said. "This is one of the oldest Christian countries in the world. Medicine and science originate from here. However, the situation in the country was so hard a few years ago that about 80 per cent of the population were not even provided with electricity and corruption was actually a way of life." /Trend/