Struggle for the Abkhazian bridgehead

PanARMENIAN.Net - But let us analyze everything in order. Tbilisi requires that the Turkish arm of Italian clothing retailer Benetton observe the Georgian law. "We are not against the activities of any commercial firm on the occupied territories, if it complies with the Georgian law on occupied territories," Grigol Vashadze, the Georgian foreign minister, told journalists on May 25, "But let them register in Georgia and obtain a Georgian tax identification code, pay taxes and act under our permission. If any company does not want it and wants to carry out its activities through violations, it will entail legal, commercial and other consequences." Moreover, Ambassador of Turkey to Georgia Ertan Tezgor was required to give official explanations in connection with the intention of the Turkish representation of Benetton to launch work in Abkhaz capital Sokhumi.

On the same day the Georgian Foreign Ministry declares it is ready to start consultations with the Russian side about opening the Zemo Larsi checkpoint on the Georgian-Russian border.
On May 25 the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia, representing the interests of RF, voices Moscow's proposal of opening the Zemo Larsi border crossing point that was closed by Russian side without notice two years ago. "Proceeding from interests of the Georgian and Russian nations, we are ready to consider this issue," said Shota Gvineria, official representative of the Georgian MFA.

Turkey and Russia have extensive plans concerning Georgia. If Turkey prioritizes economic expansion followed by political subordination, Russia gives superiority to political pressure on the present administration of Tbilisi and the retention of her presence in the Caucasus. And Abkhazia is most suitable for it. For the Black Sea fleet it is an opportunity to have a second base besides Sevastopol, for a better control over the water area, where American men-of-war sometimes enter. Turkey has her own reasons - almost one million strong Abkhazian community lives there, negatively disposed to the Georgians, and therefore any undertaking of the Turkish government against Georgia will be supported and assisted with all might.

Alas, under such distribution of real forces in the Caucasus, Tbilisi has very little chances to remain independent and build democracy "in the Georgian style". Sukhumi, and in the near future also Batumi may mark the beginning of the final division of Georgia into several still autonomous regions, which will simply join stronger and more stable states. As far as we can see, there are only two countries that can in fact change the political map of the Caucasus region; they are Russia and, no matter how sad it may be for Armenia, Turkey. By the way, it's not so bad for Armenia that Georgia is looking forward to make friends with her. Mikhail Saakashvili is now ready for any alliance, only to be able to keep power and not to lose another part of the country. The thing is that under every President of post-Soviet period Georgia has been only losing territories, acquiring instead nothing but, inconsequential statements about the support from the USA and the European Union, as well as the exercises of NATO which, in a wider sense, were necessary only to the alliance in order to demonstrate its independence from Russia. In a word, everyone is contented: Turkey obtains a valuable economic partner; Russia acquires a long-term outlook for presence in the Caucasus; Abkhazia gets protection from all sides. As usual, Saakashvili ends up losing, simply because he so unskillfully used his territories. Thus, all the events of the past 15-20 years convince the world community that the term 'failed state' is quite applicable to Georgia.

Karine Ter-Sahakyan