Eduard Kokoity with a three-liter bowl of wine. Photo: ITAR-TASS/ Sergei Uzakov.
– Eduard Dzhabeevich, the President of the Russian Federation today congratulated the heads of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on the 15th anniversary of the independence of the republics. There are some amazing words in there. In particular, Vladimir Putin expressed the hope that “Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia will continue the common path of strong cooperation, mutual assistance and defense of common interests in the international arena.” Very good words. Do you remember well that day, 15 years ago, in the Kremlin, you signed?
– I perfectly remember this day and everything that preceded this day 15 years ago. And today, remembering all this, I would like to say a huge thank you to all the deputies and senators of the Russian Federal Assembly. Then both houses of parliament unanimously voted in favor of an appeal to the President of the Russian Federation for the recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Not a single vote against, not a single abstention. I am deeply grateful to all those people who later made this fateful decision. And, of course, I remember, I would like to refresh my memories in detail, I remember our reaction to Sergei Vasilyevich Bagapsh very well. (Head of Abkhazia. – AG) We understood what a great and high responsibility was assumed then by the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev, agreeing with the idea of parliament to recognize our republics. And this comes at a time when the United States, several European countries and NATO have taken up arms against Russia. And then such a powerful political will of Russia, in fact, meant the end of the unipolar world. And today, celebrating our glorious 15th anniversary (and we celebrate this date together with the fraternal peoples of Russia and Abkhazia), I would like to state once again: of course, we are immensely grateful to the leaders of the Russian Federation, personally to Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev , Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin… Therefore, in fact, today we are something more than good old neighbors. If they had not had that determined will, their firmness, if there had not been this Russian nucleus, there would have been no recognition of either South Ossetia or Abkhazia.
– Tell me, is it true that when these wonderful and fateful decisions were signed in the Kremlin, South Ossetia received recognition from Russia … 30 seconds before Abkhazia?
– (smiling) Sasha, well, it was Sergey Vasilyevich Bagapsh and I who joked a little, we noticed. Probably for joy. Even when they recognized us, I asked the guards: who had they called before to sign the documents? My guys, and they had tears in their eyes, they say: we, South Ossetia. I say: we are 30 seconds older than our Abkhaz brothers.
– And one more thing… When 15 years ago in Komsomolskaya Pravda we congratulated South Ossetia and Abkhazia on this event, such a photograph appeared, among others: Eduard Kokoity at a rally in Tskhinvali with a jug of wine. Then you said you drank… five liters at a time. This is true?
– You know, it was my vote and my word to the elders of the Kokoity families. Once, on the Nativity of the Holy Mother of God, I swore that from today I would not drink an ounce, until I achieved peace and independence for my people, for my republic. And this vow, this word that I gave to the elders, I fulfilled it. For me it was a very serious test. And then I had this feeling, and today it overwhelms me: I am very grateful and grateful to everyone. Today I would embrace every citizen of South Ossetia, every resident of Tskhinvali, who did not run away in difficult times, who fought to the last for victory and independence.
– So, how many liters of wine were in that bowl, in this jug? Is it true that you drank five liters at once?
– There, the truth, there were four with something, nobody measured. They just took it, the bowl was large, five liters were placed in the bowl.
– And did you drink the five liters?
– Yes. I even turned the container upside down and then showed it to everyone: empty.
– Five liters for the independence of South Ossetia!
– Yeah.
– Class!
– When your people look at you, when you are grateful to this people, you will not drink five liters, you will go around the Caucasian Ridge. So I had an incentive: these are my people who looked at me. And it had to be done in front of the people.
