CAUCASUS NEVER BEEN AMONG MAIN PRIORITIES OF US SECURITY – GEORGIAN ANALYST

news.az
March 19 2010
Azerbaijan

Alexander Rondeli 1news.az interviews Alexander Rondeli, head of the
Georgian Fund of Strategic and International Studies and political
scientist.

What can you say about the current relations between Azerbaijan
and Georgia?

I think the relations are excellent. We are strategic partners and our
relations are based on common interests which is most important. We
are bound with economic and political interests, as well as interests
of security.

The Upper Lars checkpoint has recently opened. Azerbaijan fears the
supply of arms to Armenia via the opened border.

This is completely ruled out. There will only be the transit cargo
of economic importance, including Georgian. There will be not any
military transit.

What can you say about the current attitude of Obama’s administration
to our region?

Today Obama’s administration is accused of the attempts to present
the country as friendly to everyone. Therefore, most former opponents
accuse Obama of presenting the country as weak though the United States
are really experiencing not the best period, both in connection of
international financial problems and external ones such as the war
in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This period of uncertainty will end somehow and more realistic
approaches will prevail. Certainly, the Caucasus has never been among
the main priorities of the US Security, but under Obama our region has
become even more unimportant. I think this will change soon because no
one likes weak presidents, especially in the United States. In other
words, Washington’s strategic interests will be observed because they
have a definite interest to our region.

When new administration comes, the interests are reviewed, sometimes
old ones are recovered or updated. Thus, I think this will end soon
and we will take the due place in the list of the US priorities.

Do you think the border between Turkey and Armenia may open and how
can it affect our region?

Certainly, this change can influence the region. I suppose the
opening of border between Turkey and Armenia must be viewed in a
complex because the Karabakh conflict cannot be viewed separately.

Any move – either to better or worse, in any country or between the
countries- will immediately cause changes. In the long-term sense the
changes will be positive because it is important for the region to
be attractive for investors and be a good place for people who want
to trade. We, the three countries, will finally realize that we must
represent our region to the best advantage.

Which position will Georgia take in case of worsening of ties between
the United States and Iran?

This is a very delicate issue. In such cases small countries try to
be far from the fire, because they do not decide anything.

Nevertheless, few expect such developments-this is not the best we
can see in our region.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress