news.am, Armenia
Jan 4 2009
Gia Khukhashvili: Attempted Armenian-Turkish reconciliation major
event in South Caucasus in 2009
12:00 / 01/04/2010The most significant change in the South Caucasus
last year was that Europe stopped viewing Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Turkey as one geopolitical axis with a common security system, which
plays an energy partner’s role, Gia Khukhashvili, Board Chairman,
Public Projects Center NGO (Georgia), told NEWS.am. `At the end of
this year this configuration can be said to be changing, pendulums may
swing in different directions. So great changes may take place in the
region,’ he said.
In this context Khukhashvili said that the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a key to `regional modernization.’ `If
the sides find a solution to the problem, a long-term one, Armenia may
become the strongest and worthiest regional player,’ he said.
The attempted Armenian-Turkish reconciliation can be considered the
most important event in the South Caucasus in 2009. Khukhashvili said
that it can not only be considered `an event of the year,’ but also
the most serious change in the region over the last decade. If this
process proves a success, it may radically change the regional
configuration and security system. `Armenia, which has actually been
cut off from the regional processes, can now be fully involved in
them. Moreover, it may become an independent player ` both for the
region and for the entire world,’ Khukhashvili said.
The expert pointed out that Armenia, which used to be fully dependent
on its main strategic apply, Russia, now has a chance to play an
independent role, `looking in other directions and forming relations
with new partners.’ Khukhashvili does not rule out a new military
conflict or resumption of old ones next year. `Everything is possible
in the present situation, when large players’ interests are decisive
throughout the world. The situation is rather strained not only in our
region ` global economy is sustaining huge losses. Such situations are
always fraught with both political and military risks. Some social
problems have to be coped with, and military conflicts are more
probable,’ Khukhashvili said.
As regards the situation inside Georgia, he pointed out that, unlike
Armenia, Georgia is actually `on the decline.’ `We are losing our
geopolitical role day after day, while Turkey is enhancing its role,’
he said. Commenting on the domestic political situation in Georgia,
the expert pointed out that no real political development can be seen
in the country, and the public does not trust either the authorities
or the Opposition. As to the Opposition’s claims about a wave of
protests and a change of power expected next year, Khukhashvili
stressed that `rhetoric is yet too far from real actions.’ `The
Georgian society is mainly showing nihilistic attitudes to political
processes. People do not trust either the authorities or the
Opposition and have actually remained without a leader,’ the expert
said. Khukhashvili said that the situation can radically change toward
next spring. `Things are known to be rapidly changing in Georgia,’ he
concluded.
T.P.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
