Georgia: Brussels Forum Will Bring Together Saakashvili, Alasania and Russia's Lavrov

Both Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and opposition leader Irakli Alasania are headed to Brussels to participate in a high-level political and business forum on March 20 to 22.

Alasania, the former United Nations ambassador, whose opposition coalition is now running a plebiscite on early presidential elections to remove Saakashvili from office, is not among the speakers, but is listed as a "participant."

The event will also feature ex-Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabichvili, who heads the opposition party Georgia's Way.

At a March 21 evening session scheduled to be moderated by US State Department Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, Saakashvili will speak about the domestic economic and political fallout of last year's war with Russia, fulfillment of the ceasefire agreement with Russia, and US-Georgian relations under President Barack Obama.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will also address the forum.