TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgia’s billionaire-backed opposition movement, Georgian Dream, is not going to reconsider the country’s participation in the ISAF operation in Afghanistan.

Press spokesperson Maya Pandzhikidze said this at a regular briefing on February 27.

A few days ago, after the death of three Georgian soldiers in Afghanistan, Irakli Sesiashvili, one of the movement’s spokespersons, said he suspected that their death was related to the Georgian president’s visit to a Georgian base in Afghanistan the day before the inicident.

On February 21, the president Mikheil Saakashvili visited Helmand Province, where there is a Georgian contingent. The next day, information was released about the death of the three soldiers.

After Sesiashvili’s statement, national TV channels were reporting for several days that Georgian Dream is against Georgia’s integration with NATO and participation in the alliance’s operations.

Georgian Dream’s press spokesperson said the movement figureheaded by Bidzina Ivanishvili is proud of the Georgian soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

“They fulfill a peace mission there and in our opinion, they protect Georgia thousands of kilometers away. Their death is painful not only for their families, but for the whole of Georgia,’ she said adding, ‘In the name of Georgian Dream I once more confirm respect to our strategic partners and underline that even after we come into the government, participation in the peace operations of our armed forces will be guaranteed as it is today and it won’t be revised.’

She expressed condolences for the Georgian soldiers dead last week in Afghanistan.

“I note that Georgian Dream express grief not only for the Georgian soldiers’ death in Afghanistan, but also for the death of USA and NATO member country’s soldiers there,” she added.