Burjanadze rejects Georgian authorities' claim of opposition conspiracy with Russia

Kyiv, June 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Opposition Democratic Movement - United Georgia leader Nino Burjanadze denies the alleged conspiracy with Russian security services.

"There was no conspiracy with Russia, Russian Spetsnaz. Otherwise, the situation would have been quite different. If we had been preparing a coup, had conspired with Russia and had had 4,000 armed people, I can assure you that [Georgian President Mikheil] Saakashvili would not have stayed in office," she said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine news agency in Kyiv on Monday.

Burjanadze stressed that she and her supporters had obligations to the people of Georgia. "We are trying to peacefully achieve the transformations my country needs. Unfortunately, it is very hard to combat dictators," she said.

Burjanadze said she had visited Moscow thrice in the past two years and she would be visiting Moscow "as many times as she needs." "I think that for Georgia, the same as for any other country of the world, it is very important to try to normalize relations with Russia or, at least, to prevent a new direct armed confrontation between Georgia and Russia," she said.

"I would like to know the opinion of Russian high-ranking officials about any real prospect to improve Russia-Georgia relations," Burjanadze said.