Eurasianet Organization
June 17 2004

EU EXTENDS COOPERATION WITH GEORGIA, BUT EXPRESSES CAUTION ON
ACCESSION ISSUE
Almut Rochowanksi: 6/17/04

The European Union is seizing an opportunity, created by the Rose
Revolution in Georgia, to promote political and economic
stabilization programs in the Caucasus. On the eve of a June 17-18
summit in Brussels, the EU confirmed that Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia would be included in its New Neighborhood Initiative. In
addition, an EU-hosted donor conference generated over $1 billion in
pledges – nearly double the anticipated amount — to promote reforms
in Georgia. Despite the strengthening cooperation, EU officials are
cautious about Georgia’s chances for eventual EU membership.

At the opening of the June 16 donors conference, EU External
Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said Georgia deserved generous
support “in order to encourage the recent success” of Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili’s reform drive. [For background see the
Eurasia Insight archive]. Prior to the gathering, Georgian officials
said they hoped to receive up to 485 million euros ($582 million).
The total amount of pledges – 850 million euros — far exceeded that
figure. The EU itself is allocating 125 million euros ($150 million).

“By pledging so much aid, they [donors] have made it clear that new
relations are starting with Georgia,” Georgian Prime Minister Zurab
Zhvania told the gathering. “This aid is unique not only because of
the sum involved, but also because the [aid] programs will be
prepared in much closer cooperation with Georgian authorities. This
almost never happened in the past.”

EU officials have stressed that the aid will be conditioned on the
continuation of Georgian reforms. Zhvania indicated that the Georgian
government’s determination to press ahead with economic and political
changes – in particular a far-reaching anti-corruption initiative –
was unwavering. “We want to become full-fledged members of the
European Union,” Zhvania said in comments broadcast by Imedi TV on
June 16.

The New Neighborhood Initiative should help Georgia become more
EU-compatible. The initiative, unveiled by EU enlargement
Commissioner Gùnther Verheugen in May, offers a blueprint for the
strengthening of economic and political ties between the EU and
neighboring states in southern and eastern Europe. During the
conceptual stage, EU officials did not envision the three South
Caucasus as falling under the initiative, but that thinking changed
following the dramatic turn of events in Georgia, touched off by the
Rose Revolution in November. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. The initiative awaits formal ratification during the EU
summit in Brussels.

According to Heather Grabbe of the Centre for European Reform, a
UK-based think tank, the rise of the Saakashvili administration to
power in Tbilisi was seen as a “fantastic opportunity” to extend the
New Neighborhood Initiative to the South Caucasus. Experts stress,
however, that the EU move in no way indicates that Georgia has been
put on a fast track towards membership. Georgia’s reform effort still
has a long way to go before the issue of EU accession can be
seriously discussed.

The recent overtures cannot entirely conceal potential bumps on
Georgia’s road towards European integration. From the EU’s
perspective, concerns linger about some aspects of the new Georgian
government’s foreign policy. Memories of the spat between Georgia and
the Council of Europe in May still linger in the minds of EU
decision-makers. During the dispute, Saakashvili assailed Council of
Europe Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer, calling him “a well-paid
bureaucrat.” [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight
archive].

Most Georgians proudly consider themselves Europeans by virtue of
their history and culture, and the post-Soviet period has seen a
revival of the notion of Georgia’s inherent Western orientation. Such
a mood is entrenched within the Saakashvili administration. The
Georgian president himself has repeatedly spoken about his European
identity, as well as his country’s right to eventually join the
European Union.

During a visit to Brussels in April, Saakashvili confidently stated –
to the surprise of his host, EU Commission President Romano Prodi –
that in the near-future Georgia would be ready for EU membership.
Such assertive rhetoric is likely to raise eyebrows in an EU that is
still uncomfortable with its newly enlarged self, and Georgia’s
enthusiastic push for full membership has been met with a decidedly
less eager response. Indeed, Verheugen, when introducing his New
Neighborhood Initiative, emphasized that “membership is not on our
agenda for these countries.” This view repeatedly confirmed by other
EU officials, as well as by member states.

Ioseb Nanobashvili, counselor of the mission of Georgia to the EU,
viewed Georgia’s inclusion in the New Neighborhood Initiative as
affirmation of his country’s integration plan, and an important step
towards full EU membership. Nanobashvili specifically pointed out
that the New Neighborhood Initiative does not preclude full
membership, and that the EU’s draft constitution explicitly permits
all European countries to apply. He expressed his hope that preparing
for EU membership would have the same positive effect on Georgia’s
reform process as it had on Central European states. Ultimately,
Georgia’s accession would help the EU complete its mission of
promoting European integration, Nanobashvili argued. “The founding
fathers of Europe would have thought so as well,” Nanobashvili added.

Editor’s Note: Almut Rochowanski is an expert on Georgian development
issues. She formerly worked for the UNDP in Georgia.