... New World: Between Russia and the West
Georgian Dream’s focus on domestic political stability and the apolitical nature of its informal leader were reflected in its foreign policy agenda. The party took a page from the UNM’s book when it came to Georgia’s comprehensive integration into the European Union and NATO and shared its predecessor’s view that Abkhazia and South Ossetia were parts of Georgian territory. The only addition was the diplomatic principle of “negotiating the possible,” which led to the restoration of economic cooperation ...
... demonstration of resources and opportunities for confrontation.
However, before and after the “Hot August”, both Russia and the West were engaged “competitive cooperation” in the Caucasus despite a complete incompatibility of their positions regarding Georgia’s NATO membership. The OSCE Minsk Group on the Karabakh settlement, co-chaired by the U.S., France and Russia, survived not only the “five-day war” of 2008, but also the “Russian spring” of 2014. Two military escalations in the Karabakh ...
... aware that Saakashvili’s close associates attack media people and politicians rather than ordinary Russians), Russian carriers abstain from flying to the Republic for the time being, even though a restart of flights is currently negotiated.
Second, Georgia began to receive “unpleasant signals” from the European Union. In the European structures, especially in the EuroParliament, Saakashvili retained quite a strong lobby, which started to put pressure on the Georgian government on all uncomfortable issues—from the fact that the Republic is essentially ...
....uk/news/world-europe-48727133
European Council., (2020). EU relations with Georgia [online]. European Council. [Viewed 14 February 2021]. Available from:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48727133
Kereselidze, N., (2014). The engagement policies of the European Union, Georgia and Russia towards Abkhazia.
Caucasus Survey
. [online]. 3(3), pp. 309-322. [Viewed 14 February 2021]. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.1080/23761199.2015.1102451
Kirova, I., (2012).
Public Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution: Russian, Georgia ...
... bodies, ideological and political symbols.
When the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was recognised in August 2008, it was the Caucasus that saw the precedent of changed borders between the former Soviet republics.
It was in the Caucasus that Georgia, in its bid for NATO membership, held a referendum on acceding to the alliance and over two-thirds of Georgians voted for accession. Consequently, strategic cooperation with NATO was, in addition to rhetoric,
bolstered
by a popular vote.
The ...
...
2019 marks the 10
th
anniversary of the Eastern Partnership, a political initiative the EU launched in 2009 for developing relations with six eastern countries of the former socialist bloc. The collaboration program with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine was primarily intended as a means for introducing these countries to the European experience and approaches to developing their economies, political institutions and civil society. Given current events, however, Russia has ...
... Caucasus territories is a way to ensure the safety of ethnic minorities and preserve local cultures from Georgian nationalists. From the Western perspective, it is more about Russia having outposts in Georgia to slow down the integration process of Georgia in the European Union and NATO Command Structures.
Both arguments are relevant, while Russia is ensuring the safety of Abkhazia and South-Ossetia, it also takes advantage of the geo-strategic location to increase Moscow's smart power in the whole Black Sea region....
... period in which any kind of ambition will become irrelevant. Efforts will now be focused on reducing expenditure and risks.
The European Union is taking up a defensive position. This is not isolationism but pragmatism, which signals a revision of the ideas ... ... its actions in Ukraine, suddenly resolved the issue in a matter of weeks and welcomed Russia back into its fold.
And over in Georgia, mass protests sparked by the ill-fated appearance of a Russian Duma deputy in the Georgian parliament resulted not in ...
... and Russia. Corruption is a big issue to deal with in Ukraine, but also in Russia. However, corruption on (somehow) comparative levels, has not prevented enormous economic development in other countries like China and India, or even Brazil and Mexico.
Georgia
The situation in Georgia cannot be solved by force. Years ago, the US engineered the downfall of Shevardnadze’s Russia-friendly Georgia. The next Georgian leader (who now has an international arrest order from Georgia for corruption) tried ...
... is more, Georgia became a net exporter of electricity in 2016. Georgia has also been
able to streamline
the activities of its national energy market regulator in accordance with international standards.
Shadows of Domestic Policy
Alexander Skakov:
Georgia, the European Union and Associated Membership
However, all the talk about the success of Georgia’s modernization has been accompanied in the global media with reports to the effect that, in reality, Georgia is not run by the parliament or the president, ...
