FOR GEORGIA NATO INTEGRATION IS A TOOL FOR RESOLUTION OF ITS TERRITORIAL ISSUES
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.03.2008 GMT+04:00
The Georgian government intends to take Russia to the European Court
of Human Rights in Strasbourg already in summer and demand compensation
of $20 milliard.
The declaration of independence of Kosovo and the further development
of the situation in Europe became one of the main topics in the
world. No matter how hard the EU and the USA insist on the fact,
that Kosovo is a unique opportunity, since the independence is
granted on the bases of ethnical belonging and their arguments do
not seem very convincing. The declaration of independence immediately
found its response in the post-Soviet area, and first of all in the
unrecognized republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria and
Nagorno-Karabakh. The case with Nagorno-Karabakh is indeed a unique
case; it doesn’t depend on Russia’s position at all, which can’t be
said about the other above mentioned regions.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The two autonomies of Abkhazia and Suoth Ossetia have
started to actively act towards gaining international recognition of
their sovereignty after the majority of countries of the EU, as well
as the USA approved the separation of Kosovo from Serbia.
Last week Russia disabled the sanctions in the self-proclaimed Republic
of Abkhazia, causing the indignation of the Georgian authorities,
who accused Moscow of encouragement of separatism.
Today the Georgian Parliament started its session with the discussion
of this issue which has caused so much tension in the country. The
main issue on the agenda was the preparation of the declaration
in answer to Russia’s action (disabling the economic sanctions in
Abkhazia). Of course the problem was initiated by the relations between
the opposition and the current authorities. Earlier the deputies
from opposition having boycotted the session of the parliament have
followed Burjanadze’s call and were already in the Parliament by the
beginning of the session. However, in their speeches they tried to
join two key problems: the answer to the Russian initiative regarding
Abkhazia and. the revision of the majority system of elections.
The speaker expressing bewilderment about the way the question was put,
provoked a storm of emotions.
Particularly the opposition announced that the government only
must be accused of the crisis in Abkhazia. Naturally the deputies
from the ruling party didn’t like these announcements and this
led to a huge scandal. Only thanks to Burjanadze the session was
continued. However, whether the sanctions will be disabled in Abkhazia
in such controversial approaches, still remains uncertain.
The Georgian government intends to take Russia to the European Court of
Human Rights in Strasbourg already in summer and demand compensation
of $20 milliard. As the Chairman of the Commission on territorial
integrity Shota Malashkhia informed the "News Time", $5 milliard is
a compensation for the loss of the private property of the refugees
and the other $15 is for the loss of the State of Georgia.
Meanwhile, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States
spoke for the territorial integrity of Georgia and confirmed the
readiness to continue the course of developing the relations with
Tbilisi. "We are concerned about the situation in Georgia, because
the Russian Federation and the CIS countries have decided to draw
parallels with Kosovo," announced the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Slovenia Dimitry Rupel who is in the chair in the EU.
In his turn, the President of Academy of Geopolitical Problems Leonid
Ivashov thinks, that the recognition of the independence of Kosovo is
the beginning of the end of the integration processes in Europe. "This
also concerns Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, and Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Then the disastrous epidemic of destabilization and
separatism is going to spread all over Europe. In the person of the so
called independent State of Kosovo Europe will have to face a number
of troubles, since a huge unemployment is observed in the region,
besides the Serbian population of Kosovo will suffer a genocide and
discrimination," he said.
According to Sergey Markedonov, the deputy head of the department of
the issues of international relations of the Institute of political
and military study, for Georgia NATO integration is a tool for the
resolution of its territorial issues. Tbilisi definitely hopes that
the Alliance may "prevent" Russia from recognizing Abkhazia or South
Ossetia. "It is necessary to mention, that NATO is quite aware of
Georgia’s intention. The NATO officials have never been very happy
about Georgia becoming one of the members of the Alliance. Their
statements have always been in the mood of "healthy constructivism" and
"careful optimism". Moreover, none of the official representatives of
the Alliance has been very keen on resolving the territorial issues
of Georgia, taking out the Russian troops from the conflict zone,"
said Markedonov. It is quite possible that at the hearings on the
issue of unrecognized states which are to be held on March 13 in RF
State Duma, a decision will be made, which will not be of favor to
Georgia at all. But another outcome is also possible; Tbilisi may
come to an agreement with Moscow, like the President of Moldova did,
practically giving up GUAM and the idea of integration in NATO to
save Transnistria.