Georgia's most powerful man suggests an apology for 2008 war with Russia

Georgia's most powerful man, Bidzina Ivanishvili, suggested that the South Caucasus country could apologise to Ossetians for the 2008 war with Russia that led to Moscow recognising two rebel Georgian regions, Georgian media reported. Russia recognised South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia, as independent states after Russian troops repelled a Georgian attempt to retake South Ossetia in a five-day war in 2008. Ivanishvili, a billionaire ex-prime minister who is the lead candidate of the ruling Georgian Dream party in an Oct. 26 election, said the "criminal regime" of former President Mikheil Saakashvili triggered the war on the orders of foreign powers, according to Georgian public broadcaster 1TV.