"When I came back to power, Georgia was completely isolated on the international stage"
- Eduard Shevardnadze
About this Quote
Eduard Shevardnadze was a Georgian political leader who served as the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1985 to 1991 and as its President from 1995 to 2003. In this quote, Shevardnadze is referring to his return to power in 1995, after the fall of the Soviet Union. He is saying that when he went back to power, Georgia was entirely separated on the international phase. This suggests that Georgia had no diplomatic relations with other nations, and was not a part of any international companies. This isolation was most likely due to the political instability in the region, along with the economic and social problems that Georgia was dealing with at the time. Shevardnadze's go back to power marked the beginning of a duration of reform and modernization in Georgia, which eventually led to the country becoming a member of the United Nations and other international organizations. Shevardnadze's efforts to enhance Georgia's international standing succeeded, and the nation is now an appreciated member of the international community.