Zaman, Turkey
May 11 2005
Bush in Georgia
FIKRET ERTAN
The capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, whose streets have been re-arranged,
buildings in the city center repainted and decorated with flowers as
well as other environmental arrangements, will host a very special
and important guest today; and will welcome him with merriment and
enthusiasm, such as Tbilisi had never witnessed before.
This guest is certainly US President George W. Bush. After showing
off in Moscow during ceremonies to mark the 60th anniversary of the
end of World War II, Bush is realizing a “first” in Tbilisi today, by
becoming the first US president to visit Georgia officially.
Having prepared for this visit in many ways for days, the people of
Tbilisi will see Bush at Independence Square today; listen with
enthusiasm to the speech he will make at the square, with emphasis on
democracy and freedom; hail him with a flood of applause; and hence,
Bush will try to strengthen, develop and diversify relations between
his country and Georgia, which has been developing and diversifying
for almost a decade. In short, he will try to bring the two countries
closer.
As a matter of fact, US-Georgian relations have been developing and
diversifying in three main dimensions for years: These are the
military, economic, political dimensions and directions. Among these,
the military dimension, in particular, takes the lead and exerts
influence, relatively.
With two important military education programs it has been carrying
out in Georgia recently, the US is trying to form the nucleus of a
strong and modern Georgian army. Within the framework of the first
military education program, which began in 2002 with a budget of $65
million, the US Army has sent about 100 military instructors to
Georgia and they have trained four battalions of Georgian special
forces, formed and trained one mechanized division within a period of
three years. The first program ended in March 2004 but the US Army
started a second military education program again in April 2004.
Under the context of this second program, US instructors, with a
budget of $50 million, will train about 2000 Georgian soldiers and
are scheduled to complete the program by April 2006.
According to Georgian officials, this program is crucially important.
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaydeli once said at the beginning of
the program: “…Thanks to this program, the Georgian military forces’
ability and readiness for combat have increased a great deal. With
the help of this program, Georgia will show that it is both a taker
and giver country. Soldiers trained under this program will be
assigned to many countries, including Iraq, as peacekeeping forces.”
As it is known, Georgia is currently in Iraq under the auspices of
the coalition forces, with approximately 850 military personnel on
duty, and this undoubtedly, affects the US approach and assistance in
a positive way.
This tight and strong military cooperation between the two countries,
that we are referring to here, was in fact consolidated with the
Defense Cooperation Agreement signed exactly two years ago. This
agreement, which I had discussed in detail in this column before, had
given the US a kind of “carte blanche,” in other words, a blank check
for its military activities in Georgia.
While military relations between the US and Georgia are developing
and getting stronger on such a powerful basis, the US has rolled up
the sleeves for some new opportunities in the Georgian economy as
well. Under the framework of a newly approved general assistance
program, called the “Millennium Challenge Account,” the US
administration is getting ready to give Georgia $200 million within
the next five years for infrastructural investments. This assistance
really has important qualities and dimensions for both Georgia and
neighboring countries. For instance, with this aid, the construction
of new highways is being planned in the Georgian region of Ahilkelek,
where the Armenians population is dense; hence, by enhancing
development with these new roads, in this less developed region,
Ahilkelek will be integrated with the other regions in Georgia, and
with Turkey, through commerce and transportation. In short, with this
new aid program, the US will increase the $100 million assistance
being given to Georgia over the last decade, and hence will win over
the local population.
The political support the US gives to Georgia is already obvious. The
US strongly keeps supporting Georgia through both official and civil
society organizations.
The visit of the US president is taking place in the context I have
mentioned, and Georgia, as the US “Admiral Ship” in the Caucasus, is
fast becoming the closest, the most intimate friend and ally.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress