At a 24 November cabinet session, President Vladimir Putin said that the change of leadership in Tbilisi was \"the logical result of serious systemic mistakes in foreign, domestic, and economic policy\" made under former President Eduard Shevardnadze, ORT and RTR reported. Putin said Shevardnadze\'s foreign policy ignored \"the historic and cultural roots of the Georgian people,\" while domestic policy was \"helpless maneuvering between different political forces\" and economic policy was \"reduced to a demeaning struggle for handouts from abroad.\" Relations between Russia and Georgia have not been simple in recent years, but it should be stressed that Shevardnadze was not a dictator, noted the Russian president. Therefore, he continued, we are worried that change of power in Georgia occurred under \"strong coercive pressure.\" Those who organize and encourage such actions take a great responsibility on themselves, Putin added. Putin also said that he hopes the new Georgian leadership will \"restore the tradition of friendship\" between the Russian and Georgian peoples. (RFE/RL)