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    Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia.

    Kiko
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    Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia. - Page 7 Empty Re: Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia.

    Post  Kiko Tue Sep 17, 2024 11:45 am

    Georgia Accuses US of Insulting State Institutions, by Dmitry Alexandrov from Tbilisi for VZGLYAD. 09.17.2024.

    US sanctions against Georgian citizens are “offensive,” said the executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party and leader of the parliamentary majority, Mamuka Mdinaradze, a Vzglyad correspondent reports in Tbilisi.

    "Apparently, informal influence is very strong in America, Georgia's partner country. The sanctions unite officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and leaders of (the ultra-conservative pro-Russian platform) Alt-Info. This is an insult to the police, an insult to the institution (the police) and an attempt to influence the will of the citizens of Georgia" before the parliamentary elections on October 26, he said.

    According to him, American sanctions are aimed at “interfering in elections.”

    “As the parliamentary elections approach, we expect even harsher reactions,” noted Mamuka Mdinaradze.

    The US Treasury Department sanctioned Interior Ministry officials, and the US State Department imposed visa restrictions on more than 60 Georgian citizens and their family members, whose names are not disclosed. The reason, according to Washington, is “undermining fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression.”

    The list of sanctioned persons includes the head of the Department for Special Assignments of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs Zviad Kharazishvili and his deputy Mileri Lagazauri. In addition, the list includes the leaders of the ultra-conservative pro-Russian platform Alt-Info Zurab Makharadze and Konstantin Morgoshia.

    Georgian Dream MP Irakli Zarkua called the US sanctions "comical". "We will not be intimidated by this, we are defending the interests of our country," he said.

    https://vz.ru/news/2024/9/17/1287604.html

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    Kiko
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    Post  Kiko Tue Sep 17, 2024 7:11 pm

    FYI only:

    Ivanishvili chose the wrong way to apologize to South Ossetia, by Evgeniy Krutikov for VZGLYAD. 09.17.2024.

    Georgia is seething again: this time, a number of politicians are outraged by the statement by the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, about a possible apology to South Ossetia for the aggression of 2008. Why is this idea so acutely perceived by Georgian society and what should official Tbilisi actually do to improve relations with its neighbors?

    The founder of Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, has once again blown up the public Georgian political scene. At a pre-election rally in the city of Gori, he allowed for the possibility of Tbilisi apologizing to South Ossetia for the aggression of August 2008. "We will definitely find the strength to apologize for the fact that the National Movement, which committed treason, in accordance with the instructions it received, engulfed our Ossetian brothers and sisters in flames," Ivanishvili said. The National Movement is the party of Mikheil Saakashvili, which ruled Georgia in 2008.

    The number one candidate on the Georgian Dream electoral list emphasized that immediately after the elections, all those who unleashed the war and destroyed the Georgian-Ossetian "brotherly" relations would be brought to criminal responsibility. He had already caused a stir earlier by proposing to declare the opposition "National Movement" an unconstitutional organization after the elections.

    A day later, a protest rally was held in Gori (30 km from Tskhinvali) at the memorial to the victims of the 2008 war, in which mainly radical dwarf parties of Georgia participated.

    "This is an insult to our nation, and it does not contribute to unification, but, on the contrary, is aimed at pleasing the Kremlin," said one of the leaders of the Lelo party, Badri Japaridze, at this rally. "Our military, the family members of the fallen soldiers and the population have nothing to apologize for," noted Sandro Rakviashvili, a member of parliament from the Girchi party, adding that Ivanishvili himself should apologize for his statement.

    "The Georgian Dream has dropped its masks," said Levan Bezhashvili, one of the leaders of the former ruling party, the United National Movement. According to him, Ivanishvili's statement shows that today the Georgian Dream has become a party that pursues Russia's interests.

    Over the next few days, Ivanishvili's statements were met with sharply negative and even insulting reactions from most opposition politicians, including the imprisoned Saakashvili and Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili. Various TV channels began airing videos in the spirit of "we have nothing to apologize for, it is the Ossetians who should apologize."

    The attitude towards the 2008 war in Georgian society is ambiguous. The demands for "restoration of territorial integrity" are ritualistic in nature, but are repeated, like any ritual, regularly - this is part of the political tradition.

    Only a few radical and marginal organizations, among whose leaders liberal emigrants from Russia are noted, are seriously promoting this topic. But even these exalted individuals have long since stopped organizing noisy rallies on the border with South Ossetia and bringing foreign guests there “to look at the Russian occupiers.”

    Although it is worth emphasizing that revanchism is supported through NGOs with Western participation. In general, the topics of South Ossetia and the 2008 war have not dominated the Georgian political field or even the pre-election rhetoric until recent days.

    And it is not only that with each passing year Georgia's defeat in the conflict of 08.08.08, provoked by Saakashvili's suicidal policy, began to hide behind the fog of time. It is simply that economic growth, based on the influx of Russian and Turkish money, ensured by the policy of Ivanishvili's party, shifted the vector of public attention in a different direction.

    The majority is interested in maintaining this growth, and South Ossetia and the “restoration of territorial integrity” as a fetish are not very relevant. However, as we see, the thirst for revenge in Georgian society has not disappeared.

    There was no logic in Ivanishvili drawing attention to this topic. The Georgian Dream already has serious pre-election positions; it would be enough for them to simply demonstrate economic successes and successfully fight for traditional values ​​to easily win the upcoming parliamentary elections.

    But Ivanishvili himself gave the opposition a trump card against himself and his party. Now both he and the Georgian Dream are being called "puppets of the Kremlin," and Georgian society is once again immersed in disputes over "territorial integrity."

    However, in any case, Ivanishvili's words are worth nothing. Firstly, if you carefully analyze Ivanishvili's words, he is going to apologize not on behalf of Georgia or the Georgian people, but only for the actions of one particular party and its leader Saakashvili. And this is a completely different interpretation.

    Secondly, we are talking only about the war of August 2008, while the aggression against South Ossetia began in open armed form in 1991, and in latent form – as far back as 1989.

    The autonomous region was abolished in 1990 by the Gamsakhurdia government, and no form of Ossetian statehood exists in the Georgian legal field. The law “On occupied territories” is in effect, created to isolate South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In Tbilisi, there is even an emigrant “temporary administration of the Tskhinvali region”, consisting of a small number of traitors and defectors, as well as the “government of Abkhazia in exile”.

    So here the phrase "sorry for Saakashvili", which is implied by Ivanishvili's statement, will not suffice. This phrase does not entail legal consequences, and it can be used only as pre-election rhetoric. Any negotiation process must begin differently.

    The Russian side insists at the long-term Geneva talks that the normalization of relations should begin with Georgia signing a legally binding document on the non-use of force. Tbilisi does not even agree to this.

    Many people noticed that Ivanishvili did not mention Abkhazia with a word. Most likely, this is connected with the geography of the rally, and now everyone is waiting for a new pre-election rally in Zugdidi - this city plays in relation to Abkhazia approximately the same role as Gori for South Ossetia. It is logical to mention Abkhazia there.

    It is noteworthy that the Abkhazian Foreign Ministry promptly responded to Ivanishvili's statements, calling on him to take specific actions, including the repeal of the law "On Occupied Territories". They are right: lifting the restrictions in force under this law will indeed contribute to the growth of economic ties and the normalization of relations between the two countries as a whole. The Abkhazians are reacting in kind: any ties with Georgia are prohibited and the border along the Inguri is tightly closed. And the agenda includes the restoration of rail service and the restoration of the airport in Sukhumi.

    But in South Ossetia, to which Ivanishvili personally addressed, there was no reaction to his scandalous statement as of September 17. Not a word. Most likely, what we are dealing with is not a political position, but the inertia of the RSO leadership.

    On the other hand, conspiracy theories of a marginal nature have increasingly begun to emerge in the public space of South Ossetia about the allegedly impending “surrender” of the RSO by Russia to Georgia in exchange for Georgian loyalty. In this context, the Georgian side imposes a narrative: allegedly there is no conflict between the “brotherly” Georgian and Ossetian peoples, but there is a common historical Georgian-Russian conflict. Perhaps Ivanishvili’s statement was made for the sake of promoting this narrative.

    However, Ivanishvili ended up creating problems for himself. There is reason to believe that Ivanishvili's statement is only the beginning of a major pre-election conflict in Tbilisi. The Georgian opposition, fueled by the West, may begin to spin the theme of "national traitors" from the "Georgian Dream" to the maximum. Which, in turn, may become a pretext for implementing the plan to organize a "Tbilisi Maidan", as the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service recently warned about.

    https://vz.ru/world/2024/9/17/1287631.html

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    Kiko
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    Post  Kiko Tue Sep 17, 2024 7:16 pm

    Georgia threatens US with revision of relations, by Dmitry Alexandrov from Tbilisi for VZGLYAD. 09.17.2024.

    Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze received US Ambassador Robin Dunnigan on Tuesday and said that Washington's sanctions against citizens of his country, including police officers, "are a cause for concern" because the American side is "approaching a critical point" with its decisions, a Vzglyad correspondent in Tbilisi reports.

    As reported by the government press service, Irakli Kobakhidze said that “in the event of another similar decision on the part of Georgia, a significant revision of its position in relations with America is possible.”

    Tbilisi believes that the introduction of sanctions is aimed at improving the opposition's chances ahead of the October 26 parliamentary elections, but "it is completely counterproductive, as it will not affect the results for the opposition and will not frighten the ruling team," the prime minister said.

    According to him, on the contrary, such decisions will increase the public’s motivation to “firmly defend Georgia’s independence and sovereignty” in the parliamentary elections on October 26.

    https://vz.ru/news/2024/9/17/1287731.html
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    Post  Kiko Tue Sep 17, 2024 7:22 pm

    Georgia names end of Ukrainian conflict as condition for resetting relations with US, by Daria Grigorenko for VZGLYAD. 09.17.2024.

    Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced plans for a “substantive reset” of relations with the United States from 2025, reports a Vzglyad correspondent in Tbilisi.

    "Starting next year, Georgian-American relations are subject to a meaningful reset," he said in Tbilisi on Tuesday. "We will do everything possible for this, no matter how counterproductive the other side's steps may be."

    According to him, “unfortunately, the Georgian public has heard more than one lie” from official American representatives.

    "Thus, the official representative of the US State Department Matthew Miller directly lied about the law "On transparency of foreign influence". We actually caught him in a lie when he said that in his country a similar law works differently," said Irakli Kobakhidze.

    "But we don't want to go back, let the injustice remain in the past, as well as the unhealthy relations. The elections (parliamentary in Georgia and presidential in the US) will be over, the war in Ukraine will be over, and we will take care of the reset," said the head of the Georgian Cabinet. "In addition, we hope for the personal positive role of the US Ambassador to Georgia Robin Dunnigan."

    Earlier on Tuesday, Irakli Kobakhidze called the US sanctions against Georgian citizens "frivolous" and "provocative." "These sanctions are absolutely counterproductive," he said.

    https://vz.ru/news/2024/9/17/1287696.html

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    Post  flamming_python Tue Sep 17, 2024 8:44 pm

    Kiko wrote:FYI only:

    Truly a marriage made in hell, the Abkhazians are egging the Georgian nationalist opposition on, and their newspapers even gave column space to some of the Soros-puppets during the riots in Tbilisi a few months ago. For they fear being sold by Russia to Georgia, and the best assurance of preventing that is for the most pro-Western and anti-Russian radicals to seize power in Tbilisi

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    Post  Broski Tue Sep 17, 2024 10:27 pm

    flamming_python wrote:
    Kiko wrote:FYI only:

    Truly a marriage made in hell, the Abkhazians are egging the Georgian nationalist opposition on, and their newspapers even gave column space to some of the Soros-puppets during the riots in Tbilisi a few months ago. For they fear being sold by Russia to Georgia, and the best assurance of preventing that is for the most pro-Western and anti-Russian radicals to seize power in Tbilisi
    Could hardly blame them (Abkhazia) for doing so, look what happened to ethnic Russians and Russian speakers living in the Ukraine. Look at how ethnic Russians are treated in some eastern european countries. Russia signing bad deals in the past for the sake of peace does not help either.

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    Post  GarryB Wed Sep 18, 2024 1:01 am

    There will be plenty in South Ossetia who want more than an apology... this BS didn't start in 2008 with the tie eater.

    But Georgia cleaning house of bad western influences who don't give a shit about Georgia or South Ossetia or even the American people, and just have hate and Russophobia in their hearts is a good thing for Georgia and they don't know it yet, but it is also good for the US to actually have normal relations with other countries like this that are based on respect rather than just the current US interest.

    Lots of stuff to sort out and it wont all be fixed next year.

    There was a youtube video about Abkhazia being upset at subsidies from Russia being removed, and a feeling of abandonment. The Russian officials, however, stated that the measures put in place to help Abkhazia were always only temporary and nothing should be read into them being changed now because they were always supposed to revert to what they are.

    Abkhazia and South Ossetia are not parts of the Russian federation so those subsidies wont remain in place... if they want government jobs to get higher pay and to pay lower energy/gas prices then they can join the Russian Federation... otherwise they pay friendly prices, but not domestic prices.

    I didn't fully understand the english translation of this video... if any Russian speakers want to clarify what is being said I would appreciate it.

    Kiko
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    Post  Kiko Wed Sep 18, 2024 8:05 am

    The West has begun to strangle Georgia for independence, by Andrey Rezchikov for VZGLYAD. 09.18.2024.

    Georgia called the new US sanctions "not serious" and "absolutely counterproductive." They were introduced because of the authorities' actions during the protests in connection with the adoption of the law on foreign agents. Tbilisi is sure that the US wants to influence the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Why did Georgia, which was getting closer to the West, end up under its sanctions? How effective will they be?

    Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the new US sanctions "not serious" and "regrettable." He said the restrictions were completely counterproductive. He added that Washington was trying to influence the country's upcoming parliamentary elections, but the White House would not be able to "return the previous regime to power."

    The head of government noted that Tbilisi had previously offered the United States "a conversation on any topic" to improve bilateral relations. He also promised to discuss the issue of imposing sanctions with representatives of the administration of US President Joe Biden.

    Let us recall that at the beginning of the week the US imposed sanctions against four Georgian citizens – the head of the Department for Special Assignments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Zviad Kharazishvili and his deputy Mileri Lagazauri, as well as the leaders of the ultra-conservative pro-Russian platform Alt-Info Zurab Makharadze and Konstantin Morgoshia.

    In addition, the State Department accused the security forces of the Caucasian republic of violently suppressing protests caused by the adoption of the law "On transparency of foreign influence." The media company Alt-Info, according to the US Treasury Department, is used to incite hatred, spread disinformation and threats. Makharadze is called in the press release of the department "one of the most ardent supporters of violence against peaceful demonstrators."

    The State Department also imposed visa restrictions on more than 60 Georgian citizens and their family members, whose names have not been released. Among them are government and municipal officials who Washington says are “complicit in undermining democracy” in the republic.

    The US Embassy's Matthew Miller said that "engagement in human rights abuses, corruption schemes and other anti-democratic actions" contradicts the standards required for EU and NATO membership. However, the US hopes that the Georgian government "will return to the path that the citizens of the country want to see."

    The first US sanctions against Tbilisi were introduced in April this year. Four members of the country's High Council of Justice, including the chairman of the Court of Appeal Valerian Tsertsvadze, were placed under visa restrictions for alleged involvement in corruption.

    The executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, leader of the parliamentary majority Mamuka Mdinaradze called the latest US sanctions "insulting". "Apparently, informal influence is very strong in America, a partner country of Georgia," the politician said, adding that this is an attempt to influence the will of citizens before the upcoming parliamentary elections.

    Mdinaradze predicts that as the elections approach, we should expect "even harsher reactions." In turn, Georgian Dream MP Irakli Zarkua called the US sanctions "comical." "We will not be intimidated by this, we are defending the interests of our country," he said.

    "The sanctions are aimed at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which dispersed mass protests during the adoption of the law on foreign agents, as well as officials and deputies who actively participated in the preparation of this initiative, which violates the sovereignty of the state," said Georgian political scientist Igor Gvritishvili. The expert noted that the West also criticized the law on the ban on LGBT propaganda and gender reassignment, which was adopted by parliament in its third and final reading on Tuesday.

    “Georgia has declared that its priority is national interests.

    This does not suit the West at all, where they believe that the republic should support anti-Russian sanctions and the West’s policy not only in relation to Moscow, but also throughout the world,” the source explained.

    Political scientist Natalia Eliseeva points out that the law on foreign agents, which requires the registration of non-profit organizations and media outlets that receive over 20 percent of their funds from abroad, “made a lot of noise,” as did the protection of traditional values. “Georgia is not ceasing to be a partner of the Western bloc, but is trying to follow its own sovereign path, which is even worse and more frightening for the West,” the expert believes.

    She recalled that Tbilisi sought close cooperation with the European Union, NATO and the United States. "All this was covered up with loud slogans for freedom. If the pressure on the country continues, then conclusions will be drawn.

    Georgia is not Russia, the economy and scale are different, so if you want, you can break the republic.

    But the state is saved by playing on a huge number of fronts,” the speaker added. According to Gvritishvili, the initiators of the sanctions believe that Georgia is moving away from Western values ​​and turning its face to Moscow. “This is the main thing for which the country, which has the largest trade relations with Russia, is being punished,” the political scientist emphasized.

    The authors of the sanctions are hoping to use pressure to influence the upcoming parliamentary elections so that the opposition gets more votes than expected. "But the government will not pay any attention to these sanctions," the expert predicts.

    Eliseeva also notes that the sanctions “are aimed at influencing the vote and putting people more convenient for the West in power.”

    As for Kobakhizdze's statement that the authorities brought to Ukraine from outside twice were the reason for the destruction of this country, "the prime minister is not far from the truth." "Sober politicians understand that for the Americans and other Western partners, Ukraine is just a tool against Russia to weaken its economy and military potential," Eliseeva concluded.

    https://vz.ru/world/2024/9/18/1287707.html
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    Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia. - Page 7 Empty Re: Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia.

    Post  Kiko Wed Sep 18, 2024 11:20 am

    Will Georgia be able to turn the tables?, by Igor Karaulov poet, publicist for VZGLYAD. 09.18.2024.

    How to deal with the Georgian national trauma associated with the loss of a fifth of its territory and hundreds of thousands of refugees? Do Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have reasons and opportunities to meet Georgia halfway?

    Georgia's informal leader Bidzina Ivanishvili said that Georgia would find the strength to apologize to the Ossetians for the war unleashed in 2008 by the Saakashvili regime. In essence, this is another step that runs counter to the "rules-based order." These rules do not provide for any apologies. The United States, for example, has still not apologized for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They have not apologized to Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan. In short, guys do not apologize. Ivanishvili behaved not like a guy, but like a man. This is unexpected, but pleasant.

    However, an apology can be understood in different ways. You can apologize and go on sinning. In this case, it would be worth talking about repentance. By the way, there was once such a film, “Repentance,” by the Georgian director Abuladze. That is, the Georgian Christian people are not alien to the concept of repentance not only in the personal, but also in the political sense. Of course, we are not talking about the hypocritical and forced “pay and repent,” but about a serious and deep understanding of our modern history.

    However, Ivanishvili is a politician, and politicians are not prone to sentimentality. Obviously, he expects that Georgia will get something in return for its apology. For example, that the mincemeat that has been twisted in the region over the past decades will be rolled back. But how does he imagine this? Will the Ossetians say: "Wow, they apologized!" and rush back to the bosom of Georgian statehood out of gratitude? It is clear that this will not happen. Why should the Ossetians be a divided people? What have they done wrong to Mother History?

    Of course, Ivanishvili's gesture is also directed towards Russia. And not only because the Ossetians are part of the Russian people. With Ivanishvili's arrival in Georgian politics, Georgia gradually, step by step, began to realize what the Ukrainian authorities still deny: it is impossible to live next to Russia and be free from its geopolitical gravity. And no formal considerations can overcome this simple fact.

    In particular, the borders within which Georgia existed within the USSR and within which it left the USSR in 1991 made sense only within the framework of the political structure of that time. Both Abkhazia and South Ossetia were part of Georgia not by virtue of some “natural” right, but because Moscow once decided so. The Soviet Union collapsed, and the nations had to renegotiate the conditions of their future life. Georgia did not want this at the time. And now too much has been missed, and apologies alone will not fix the matter.

    Today's Georgia is at a dead end, and it was brought to a dead end by many years of attempts to find another structure in which it could be preserved in its previous, Soviet form. Gamsakhurdia, Shevardnadze, and Saakashvili all desperately wanted to hang the responsibilities of guarantor of Georgian statehood on the United States. They groveled before their new masters in this way and that. Even a street in Tbilisi was named after George Bush.

    And what about America? They are used to receiving honors from various natives. Americans, it seems, still haven't figured out why a tiny country on the other side of the globe has the same name as their glorious state of Georgia.

    Meanwhile, over the years of Western illusions, Georgia has become so saturated with Russophobia that Bidzina Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream party had great difficulty bending public opinion towards reality. And the reality is very simple: if a country is friends with Russia, then it will have industry, science, and culture. But if a country is friends with the US, then it can only count on NATO military bases, prostitution and drugs in clubs for foreigners, gay parades, and other joys of the "free world."

    Today, Russian-Georgian relations are in a schizophrenic and, therefore, unstable state. There are no diplomatic relations between us, and at the same time, Georgia flatly refuses to impose sanctions against our country. Various foreign agents and candidates for foreign agents, dissatisfied with our "regime", have rushed to Tbilisi from Russia, and meanwhile the West has become angry at the law on foreign agents adopted by the Georgian parliament. Formally, Georgia still strives to become a member of the EU, but there is not a single EU country in its top five largest trading partners, while trade turnover with Russia and China is growing by tens of percent per year.

    In short, we need to decide: there or here. Ivanishvili's statement, made on the eve of the October parliamentary elections, speaks of his confidence that the voter, despite all prejudices, is still inclined to support the path "here". And this gives hope for further rapprochement between our peoples.

    But what about the Georgian national trauma associated with the loss of a fifth of its territory and hundreds of thousands of refugees? Do Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have reasons and opportunities to accommodate Georgia?

    It seems to me that the main reason could be the needs of the economy. For example, in Abkhazia, whose population has been reduced by more than half in the process of gaining independence, there is a desperate shortage of people for full-fledged development. This fertile land lives by the principle of a dog in the manger: "I don't eat it myself and I won't let others have it." The return of Georgian refugees could give it a new life. But this requires reconciliation of the warring nations. And only Russia could be the guarantor of this reconciliation.

    Of course, we may be talking not only about the return of the separated republics to Georgia, but also about a formal confederation that restores the former "Georgian world". But the entry of Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia into a union state with Russia according to the Russian-Belarusian model could be an option in which no one would feel disadvantaged. Especially since Ivanishvili and his associates will very soon cause the same rejection in the West as Alexander Lukashenko.

    One way or another, the historical traumas suffered by the peoples as a result of the collapse of the USSR will have to be healed. They cannot be cherished endlessly, much less built on them for national identity. Perpetuating these traumas is only beneficial to those external forces that stood behind the Georgian military adventure in 2008 and today stand behind the nationalist regime in Kyiv.

    https://vz.ru/opinions/2024/9/18/1287587.html
    Kiko
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    Post  Kiko Wed Sep 18, 2024 4:06 pm

    Political scientist calls Western threats to Georgia over its policies a hot air, 09.18.2024.

    Political scientist Andreev: the West's threats to Georgia because of its policies are just hot air.

    Georgia's economy is not so dependent on the US and the European Union (EU) that threats from Western politicians would have a significant impact on Tbilisi. This was reported to Izvestia on September 18 by Ruslan Andreev, an expert at the Politologist Consulting Group.

    Earlier in the day, EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said that the law adopted in Georgia , which concerns the ban on LGBT propaganda (the movement is banned in the Russian Federation, the organization’s activities are recognized as extremist) and gender reassignment, “further takes the country” away from joining the union .

    Commenting on this, Andreev recalled that by adopting the "foreign agent law", Georgia received American sanctions and rhetorical "warnings" in response. The same situation is happening now, he summed up.

    "The European bureaucracy, represented by Borrell today or other officials tomorrow, will put pressure on Tbilisi or other countries that are, let's say, moving away from the "right course". <...> As for Georgia specifically, its economy is not completely dependent on its European or American partners, so such statements are just empty air," the political scientist added.

    In addition, he believes that it is high time for observers to recognize that the choice of a pro-Western course in the country's policy is not just a guideline for the state's economic model, but the need to renounce some part of sovereignty and adopt a corresponding value agenda. At the same time, Georgia has been demonstrating rapid movement toward its own independence in recent months, which is reflected both in public statements by politicians and in real political decisions, the publication's interlocutor noted.

    Georgia's relations with the US and the EU worsened after the adoption of the law on foreign agents on May 14. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili vetoed it , but MPs later overrode it by a majority vote. The law came into force on June 3. Borrell then said that its adoption would negatively affect Georgia's integration into the EU.

    Following this, the US imposed visa sanctions on dozens of Georgian citizens and expressed readiness to expand the restrictions. Commenting on this, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said that no one in the country was afraid of American sanctions . Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called them insulting.

    https://iz.ru/1761271/2024-09-18/politolog-nazval-sotriasaniem-vozdukha-ugrozy-zapada-gruzii-iz-za-ee-politiki

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    Post  Kiko Wed Sep 18, 2024 7:19 pm

    All that was secret became clear. The Kremlin came to the aid of an old enemy, 09.18.2024.

    Caucasus expert Atayev: All that is missing for a coup in Georgia is a bright leader.

    MOSCOW, 18 Sep — RIA Novosti, Mikhail Katkov. Western media and Russian intelligence are warning Tbilisi about the possibility of a coup d'etat. However, they cite different reasons: "election fraud" and "foreign interference." What is happening in Georgia — in the RIA Novosti article.

    Peace at any cost

    In recent days, the entire Transcaucasian republic has been discussing the words of the founder of the Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, who proposed asking the Ossetians for forgiveness for the 2008 war. Sixteen years ago, Tbilisi attacked Tskhinvali at the behest of foreign forces, he said. He did not mention Russia's role in those events.

    "Today we understand very well that the August war was not the desire of either the Georgian or Ossetian people. Therefore, when we expose the culprits of the bloody conflict between the brothers and bring the perpetrators to legal responsibility for this monstrous crime, the issue of restoring relations will definitely be on the agenda. I promise you that the Georgian Nuremberg Trials (i.e. the trial of the opponents of the Georgian Dream) will take place very soon, which will definitely become a prerequisite for our reconciliation," Ivanishvili emphasized.

    The opposition saw this as treason. In social networks, widows and children of soldiers killed in the August war wrote that they do not intend to apologize to anyone, and the authorities disgraced the memory of their loved ones. Protests took place in Tbilisi and other cities, but not very numerous. Apparently, the opposition decided to focus on the parliamentary elections, after which they will still have opportunities to undermine the ruling regime.

    "They talk about dead heroes, but they would be alive if not for the dirty politics, the treacherous actions they committed against the country and the Georgian people in 2008. They carried out the task given from outside, lost territories, and we lost our heroic soldiers. The civilian population, tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes. This was their treacherous policy, for which, I assure you and promise, they will definitely have to answer," said Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze.

    Invasion of the West

    Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze is confident that the vote scheduled for October 26 will take place under conditions of unprecedented external interference. But Moscow has nothing to do with it. There are no pro-Russian parties or media outlets in Georgia.

    "Russia does not have the resources to exert significant pressure on the electoral process. <…> You heard threats, blackmail - and all because we did not open a second front," he noted.

    And he added: the opposition is actually conducting its election campaign abroad - because the opponents of the ruling Georgian Dream have nothing to say to the people.

    Kobakhidze did not name those who interfere, but made it clear that it was the US and the EU. The party is confident that if the West abandons such a policy, the opposition may not overcome the five percent barrier at all.

    "Georgian Dream" is counting on a constitutional majority and is going to ban organizations of "national traitors".

    Tbilisi Maidan

    Georgia will face a severe political crisis after the elections, the Financial Times believes. And they explain this by the "desire of local authorities for dictatorship." "If the ruling party loses, but does not admit it, Georgians will turn their attention to the West. Then the actions of Western governments may prove decisive," the newspaper claims.

    It is noteworthy that the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) also predicts unrest in the Transcaucasian republic. But for other reasons. According to the SVR, the US will try to prevent the "Georgian Dream" from winning and will use the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) for this purpose.

    "It is envisaged that the OSCE/ODIHR will publish an interim report 10-20 days before the vote, concluding that there are no conditions in the country for holding free and fair elections. After the first results of the vote are announced, a conclusion will be presented on the non-compliance of the electoral process with democratic standards," the SVR communiqué says. This should form the basis for mass protests, with the help of which the opposition will try to seize power.

    At the end of August, the SVR reported that after the elections, the opposition would provoke law enforcement agencies into street clashes, and the Americans were already developing options for a "merciless" political and economic response to the "excessive" use of force by the authorities. The head of Russian intelligence, Sergei Naryshkin, spoke of the desire to make "his contribution to preventing a color revolution."

    Past Future

    Shota Apkhaidze, an expert at the Financial University under the Government of Russia, assessed the probability of a coup as very high. The opposition is already forming a coalition for this.

    "Opponents of the Georgian Dream are convincing Western audiences that the elections will definitely be falsified. In addition, those dissatisfied with the socio-economic situation in the country may join the protests. With Western support, including financial and political, the protests may become a serious challenge to the ruling party," he noted in an interview with RIA Novosti.

    But he made a reservation that it is too early to judge the opposition's capabilities. The expert believes in the ability of the Georgian Dream to maintain control over the state.
    Caucasus expert Artur Atayev pointed to the merciless information war between the authorities and the opposition. According to him, as a rule, in Georgia such things end with an attempt at a coup d'etat. "Most likely, nothing will work out in October, but overall the position of the ruling elite will remain precarious. The only thing the opponents of the Georgian Dream lack for success is a popular leader, like Mikhail Saakashvili once was. As soon as such a person appears, the situation will quickly change," he believes.

    All experts are recording the government's attempts to discredit the opposition as much as possible. At the same time, they skillfully use the fact that many of them are somehow connected to Saakashvili. And he has not been popular in Georgia for a long time.

    https://ria.ru/20240918/gruziya-1973022822.html

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    Post  Kiko Wed Sep 18, 2024 7:30 pm

    Georgia Accuses US of Ruining Relations, by Dmitry Alexandrov from Tbilisi for VZGLYAD. 09.18.2024.

    The American side is destroying relations with the Georgian side by sanctions against its citizens, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said. This was reported by a correspondent of the Vzglyad newspaper in Tbilisi.

    "Such an attitude towards us from a strategic partner is fundamentally unacceptable. The US decision to impose sanctions is aimed at destroying Georgian-American relations," Kobakhidze said.

    According to the head of the Georgian Cabinet, such actions do not contribute to a reset. Kobakhidze noted that relations between the two countries have deteriorated over the past four years. "The difficulties are mainly caused by the actions of the former US Ambassador" Kelly Degnan, the prime minister said.

    He said that this is why he advocates a reset, “which requires healthy and fair approaches, and sanctions do not contribute to this.” Kobakhidze noted that among those sanctioned in Georgia are two high-ranking police officers who “fought in August 2008.”

    "This is very insulting to our state and fundamentally unacceptable," he said. Kobakhidze confirmed that he had told US Ambassador Robin Dunnigan the day before that continued steps by the US would lead to a discussion of "reconsidering certain positions" on the part of Tbilisi.

    The Prime Minister called on the American side to act “rationally and fairly for the benefit of bilateral relations.”

    https://vz.ru/news/2024/9/18/1287934.html

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    Post  Kiko Thu Sep 19, 2024 6:01 pm

    Georgian Parliament Announces US Attack, 09.19.2024.

    Georgian Parliament Speaker Papuashvili Compares US Sanctions to Attack on Country.

    MOSCOW, September 19 — RIA Novosti. Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili compared US sanctions to an attack on the country, his words are quoted by Sputnik Georgia on its Telegram channel .

    "To reset relations, we must stop the false accusations that are being made against Georgia and the Georgian people. Part of the false accusations is the introduction of sanctions, especially against police officers. In any country, a police officer is the face of the state and its representative. Therefore, any attack on a police officer is an attack on the state," he said.

    This is how the politician commented on the introduction of Western sanctions.

    State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on June 6 that the United States was imposing visa restrictions on dozens of Georgian citizens. Miller specified that this concerns two to three dozen individuals who will not be notified by Washington of the decision, but are prohibited from entering the United States.

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on July 31 that the United States was suspending its financial aid program to Georgia due to the country's adoption of a law on foreign agents. The EU had previously suspended funding for the Georgian Defense Ministry for the same reason.

    In addition, the Pentagon announced that the United States had indefinitely postponed joint military exercises with Georgia in connection with a review of bilateral relations. The exercises were planned for July 25 - August 6. The Georgian authorities have repeatedly stated the need to reset relations between the countries.

    https://ria.ru/20240919/gruziya-1973679605.html

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    Post  GarryB Thu Sep 19, 2024 11:15 pm

    Does Georgia really think that HATO or EU membership will stop the sanctions and control and bullying...

    As General Melchet said, a university education... being able to sing the school song really loud and take a hot crumpet from behind without blubbing... the upper class of the UK for you.

    Brussels is no better.

    Perhaps Georgia should really think about what it actually wants... nice people don't impose sanctions on you to bully you to conform to their rules that are very much not in your interests at all.

    Just say no now.

    The west is going to paint itself into a corner and sooner or later is going to realise that its hard core strict demands on other countries means it wont be able to trade with all these rich new countries and they will start to stagnate... especially when countries start using a BRICS based SWIFT substitute and create new international markets for food and metals and energy and other products.

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    Post  Kiko Fri Sep 20, 2024 9:02 pm

    Tbilisi urged the EU not to blackmail Georgia with the visa-free issue, by Dmitry Alexandrov from Tbilisi for VZGLYAD.

    The Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on European Integration, Maka Bochorishvili, called on the EU not to blackmail her country with the topic of a possible cancellation of the liberal visa regime in effect since 2017 as punishment for an alleged retreat from democracy, a Vzglyad correspondent reports in Tbilisi.

    As reported by Public TV – Channel One, Bochorishvili stated that there was “speculation on this issue in order to influence the parliamentary elections on October 26.”

    "Certain forces are using this topic as an attempt to influence the election results, speaking to us in the language of blackmail," the deputy said. According to her, "there is no reason to make such dramatic assessments" about possible unfree elections with subsequent sanctions.

    On Friday, the EU Permanent Representative to Georgia, Pawel Hercinski, said that the issue of temporarily suspending the visa-free regime could be considered if the elections are not free.

    Earlier, Georgia criticized the United States for imposing visa sanctions.

    https://vz.ru/news/2024/9/20/1288334.html

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    Post  Kiko Tue Sep 24, 2024 7:09 pm

    Georgia denounces foreign interference in the electoral process, 09.24.2024.

    TBILISI (Sputnik) — Other countries are actively interfering in the electoral process on the eve of the parliamentary elections in Georgia, according to the speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili.

    "As the failure of the opposition becomes more and more evident, the frequency and intensity of external interference in the electoral process is increasing," Papuashvili told a briefing.

    The objective of this "propaganda" that comes from abroad, he denounced, is "to create an agenda for the opposition."

    According to the head of the Parliament, about 90 cases of dissemination of articles, TV programs and statements aimed at criticizing the ruling Georgian Dream party were detected abroad in the last 21 days.

    Parliamentary elections in Georgia are scheduled for October 26.

    Yandex Translate from Spanish.

    https://noticiaslatam.lat/20240924/georgia-denuncia-injerencia-extranjera-en-el-proceso-electoral-1157738943.html

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    Post  GarryB Wed Sep 25, 2024 3:03 am

    This is the gang you want to join Georgia... yet you continue to suck up to them and think they are wonderful....

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    Post  Kiko Wed Sep 25, 2024 11:14 am

    Biden declined to receive Georgian Prime Minister, by Dmitry Alexandrov from Tbilisi for VZGLYAD. 09.25.2024.

    The US administration has withdrawn an invitation to a reception on the occasion of the UN General Assembly for Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, explaining that Tbilisi is allegedly retreating from democracy, said Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, a Vzglyad correspondent in Tbilisi reports.

    "First they sent an invitation, and then they withdrew it. This is insulting to America itself and the people of this country. Our strategic partners could at least learn hospitality from us," he said.

    According to him, such behavior by the United States is “very frivolous.”

    Shalva Papuashvili stated that the White House administration is trying to help the Georgian opposition with its actions before the parliamentary elections on October 26.

    At the same time, he called the situation of the Georgian opposition “extremely bad” and the actions of the United States “interference in Georgia’s internal affairs.”

    The West has recently been sharply criticizing Georgia; Tbilisi's relations with Washington and Brussels have become extremely strained due to Georgia's reluctance to open a "second front" against Russia and, in general, to pursue an independent foreign policy.

    https://vz.ru/news/2024/9/25/1289044.html

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    Post  Kiko Wed Sep 25, 2024 2:26 pm

    The law on foreign agents is just a pretext for the West to put pressure on Georgia. And here's why, 09.25.2024.

    US imposes sanctions on Georgia over foreign agent law.

    The West continues to apply sanctions against Georgia after the adoption of the law on foreign agents. Restrictions on entry into the United States have been imposed against its developers, and the European Union has threatened to cancel the visa-free regime. At the same time, legislation against foreign influence is spreading around the world; countries such as the United States and France already have it. Why these laws were adopted and what this situation says about Western double standards - in the analysis of Izvestia.

    How the West Restricts Georgia

    • The US State Department has imposed sanctions on senior Georgian government and municipal officials in connection with the country's adoption of a law on foreign agents. Visa restrictions have been imposed on dozens of people, although the officials themselves will not be notified of the decision.

    • The European Commission has allowed for the abolition of the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens. Since 2017, residents of the country can spend up to three months a year in the Schengen zone. The decision to abolish the visa-free regime may be initiated by the European Commission, so it will not require the unanimous support of all EU member states.

    • Earlier, the US suspended the financial aid program for Georgia , and the European Union stopped funding the Georgian Ministry of Defense. In both cases, the reason for the restrictions was the adoption of the law on foreign agents.

    Why Condemning the West Is Unfair

    • It is important for the West to have its own agents of influence on Georgia's domestic politics, which are non-profit organizations that receive funds from abroad . The new law limits this influence. It was opposed only in Tbilisi, where there is a high concentration of employees of such organizations.

    • The situation is aggravated by the proximity of parliamentary elections in Georgia , scheduled for October 26. By raising the issue of the law on foreign agents, the West wants to remove the current government , which is pursuing an independent course, through the elections and put pro-Western forces in power, similar to those that were in power during the reign of Mikheil Saakashvili. The sanctions actions of the West are aimed at exchanging the lifting of restrictions for a change of power.

    • Even before the law was passed, the US and the EU were unhappy that Georgia had not joined the sanctions against Russia and had not “opened a second front” in support of Ukraine . Previously, the instrument of influence on the republic was membership in the EU , from which Georgia was pushed away under various pretexts, limiting the funds allocated. Brussels used the same methods in relation to Poland and Hungary, influencing their domestic policies.

    • Simultaneously with the adoption of the law on foreign agents in Georgia, similar legislation was adopted in France . However, this did not cause a sharp reaction from the United States and other countries, which had already adopted such a law long ago.

    Georgian law on foreign agents

    • The Georgian Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence was adopted in 2024. The first attempt to approve it was made in 2023, but after mass protests the bill was amended.

    • The law determines that the main condition for assigning the status of a foreign agent to an NPO or media outlet is the receipt by a “foreign force” of more than 20% of income from abroad during a calendar year . A foreign force is understood to mean a subject of the state system of a foreign state; individuals who are not citizens of Georgia; legal entities created not under Georgian law.

    • Organizations and media outlets covered by the law must register with the Ministry of Justice . Failure to comply with the requirement is punishable by a fine of up to $9,400. There is no criminal liability for violation and no requirement to label materials.

    What does the persecution of Georgia mean?

    • The Georgian law on foreign agents contains more lenient formulations and does not imply criminal liability for its violation, while Western analogues are more stringent . In this regard, the measures taken by the West against Tbilisi indicate an attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.

    • The fact that the current Georgian government regularly faces Western pressure amid targeted attempts to improve relations with Russia suggests that the fight against the foreign agent law in Georgia is part of a broader anti-Russian confrontation, in which the interests of third countries are no longer taken into account by the West.

    While preparing this material, Izvestia spoke with:
    - political scientist and international relations specialist Evgeny Minchenko
    - political scientist Yuri Svetov.


    https://iz.ru/1763610/2024-09-25/zakon-ob-inoagentakh-lish-predlog-dlia-davleniia-zapada-na-gruziiu-i-vot-pochemu

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    Post  Kiko Thu Sep 26, 2024 9:22 am

    Georgian Prime Minister speaks about independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, 09.26.2024.

    Georgian Prime Minister Calls on Abkhazia and South Ossetia to Live in a Single Country.

    MOSCOW, September 26 — RIA Novosti. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, during his speech at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, called on Abkhazia and South Ossetia to live with her in a single country.

    The politician said he would like to take the opportunity to appeal to the peoples of the two republics to "restore the destroyed bridges."

    "All our steps are aimed at helping our people and so that one day we, together with our children, can live together in a happy, united and developed Georgia," he said.

    Two weeks ago, the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, said that after winning the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26, the Georgian authorities would find the strength to apologize for the fact that former President Mikheil Saakashvili 's National Movement "enveloped Ossetian sisters and brothers in flames" in 2008.

    On the night of August 8, 2008, Georgia fired Grad multiple rocket launchers at South Ossetia. Georgian troops attacked the republic and heavily damaged its capital, Tskhinvali . Russia , defending the residents of South Ossetia, many of whom had accepted Russian citizenship, sent troops into the republic and drove the Georgian military out after five days of fighting. On August 26 of that year, Moscow recognized the sovereignty of South Ossetia and another former Georgian autonomous region, Abkhazia.

    https://ria.ru/20240926/gruziya-1974807513.html

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    Post  flamming_python Thu Sep 26, 2024 12:11 pm

    I think they're rushing things a bit with their rhetoric

    One day they started to talk about apologizing to the Ossetians for the first time

    And the next day they're already talking about living in Georgia again

    Delboy's expeditious reconciliation & reunification ltd., for those who remember Only Fools & Horses Smile

    It's going to take a lot of work, a lot of time and there are no assurances.
    They started talking about an apology for the 2008 war, so then they should adopt some sort of position on that before anything else. And then they can start talking about wartime refugees and what can be done for them.

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    Post  Kiko Thu Sep 26, 2024 1:08 pm

    Georgian PM calls Biden administration's behavior "unserious", by Dmitry Alexandrov from Tbilisi for VZGLYAD. 09.26.2024.

    Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the behavior of the American administration, which withdrew his invitation to a reception on the occasion of the UN General Assembly, “not serious,” citing an alleged “retreat from democracy,” a Vzglyad correspondent reports in Tbilisi.

    "I can't really comment on this. It's not serious. First they sent an invitation, and then they cancelled it," the head of the Georgian government told Georgian journalists.

    "It was a kind of humanitarian act in favor of the Georgian opposition" before the October 26 parliamentary elections, he said.

    At the same time, according to Irakli Kobakhidze, this “humanitarian act” “will not have any practical effect for the opposition.”

    In turn, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili stated that Tbilisi is always ready for frank dialogue with Washington on accumulated problems.

    https://vz.ru/news/2024/9/26/1289221.html

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    Post  Kiko Thu Sep 26, 2024 1:54 pm

    MGIMO expert: “The situation in Georgia and Armenia is not just geopolitics”, 09.26.2024.

    Leading research fellow at the MGIMO Institute of International Relations and editor-in-chief of the journal International Analytics Sergei Markedonov explained in an interview with RBC what the rhetoric of the Georgian and Armenian authorities means and what the strategy of Russia and the West is in the South Caucasus.

    Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, appealed to Abkhazia and South Ossetia to restore Georgia's integrity through mutual forgiveness. "All our steps are aimed at helping our people so that one day we, together with our children, can live together in a happy, united and developed Georgia. On this side of the occupation line, we will always welcome you with an open heart. We must restore all the destroyed bridges in our country," he said (quoted by the Georgian Channel One). This is not the first time that the Georgian leadership has called on Sukhumi and Tskhinvali to reconcile - the honorary chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream and its founder Bidzina Ivanishvili said the same at a pre-election rally in Gori.

    RBC discussed how the situation in the South Caucasus is changing with Sergei Markedonov, leading research fellow at the MGIMO Institute of International Studies and editor-in-chief of the journal International Analytics.

    Ivanishvili recently stated that the main goal of his party is to restore relations with South Ossetia, "to return not only territories," but "our Ossetian brothers and sisters." He also said that the 2008 war was provoked from outside by the hands of Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement and that after the elections Georgia will face its own Nuremberg Trials, which will become a prerequisite for reconciliation between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali, after which Georgia will be ready to apologize to South Ossetia. But, as far as I understand, Georgian Dream is not talking about recognizing the republic's independence.

    There is a political consensus in Georgia on the issue of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Even marginal Eurosceptics who advocate neutrality and are against NATO membership say that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are parts of Georgia.

    Now about Ivanishvili's words. The pre-election statements of politicians should be divided by at least 50. Will Ivanishvili be ready to apologize and are his voters ready for this, not to mention the opposition? Our politicians often buy into the statements of top officials. But the country is not only the top official. In Georgia, among the supporters of the "Georgian Dream" there are many who advocate for the country to join NATO and the EU. Have you noticed that the West does not criticize Ivanishvili much? He talks about individual excesses, about the West making decisions that are not fully thought out. So I would definitely not perceive Ivanishvili's statements as pro-Russian.

    Here is an important point: the situation in Georgia and Armenia is not only geopolitics, Pashinyan or Ivanishvili. It is Uncle Rafik, Uncle Dato, Aunt Sofiko and Aunt Granush. Unfortunately, they are often not seen from Moscow. And in vain. So the situation in Georgia is far from clear-cut.

    Of course, normalization of relations with Georgia is necessary. Georgia is the center of the Caucasus. It is no coincidence that in Soviet times the headquarters of the Transcaucasian Military District was in Tbilisi, and in imperial times the Russian governor was in Tiflis. But we must first of all think about our interests and conduct a dialogue with Georgia so that they understand Russia's red lines and that friendship with the West has not helped them much so far. Russia's task in the Caucasus is to pursue a policy so that there is no shooting in our near abroad. And it is desirable that the peace that is ensured there has a Russian residence permit, because any peace has an author. This presupposes certain compromises and concessions.

    The Georgian Dream uses rhetoric that is in tune with Russia — the same Ivanishvili talks about protecting family values ​​and Orthodoxy. The parliament under its control adopts laws similar to Russian ones — on foreign agents , on the ban on LGBT . Moreover, Tbilisi does not criticize Moscow as fiercely as before, and Russia makes statements in defense of the Dream’s initiatives and criticizes the West when it imposes sanctions against Georgia. All this taken together looks like an argument in favor of the pro-Russian nature of the Georgian authorities.

    As for the lack of criticism of Moscow, you are wrong. Look at the statements of the Georgian Foreign Ministry on the occasion of the anniversary of the five-day war , where it is said that Russia is occupying and developing territories without Georgia's consent, and so on. This is not the focus of attention, which does not mean that it does not exist.

    Regarding the law on foreign agents. Why are we repeating the theses of Western propaganda that this is a Russian law? Who said that foreign agents are exclusively Russian know-how? Such a document exists in the States, in Australia, for example. The problem is that in Russia, foreign agency has become widely interpreted and has moved to broad law enforcement practice. But in many countries, indicating the source of funding is the norm. Secondly, why do we think that the law on foreign agents is beneficial to Russia? It was adopted primarily so that Ivanishvili could retain power. He understands that he has been in power for quite a long time, for 12 years already. It is clear that in the event of a defeat in the elections, not only Ivanishvili, but also the establishment of the Georgian Dream will face criminal prosecution, as was the case with Saakashvili's team when it lost to the "dreamers". You don't have to be Cassandra to understand what the consequences will be in the event of revenge. Therefore, now it is important for the Georgian Dream to take a constitutional majority, elect a government, a prime minister, and then elect “its” president in order to achieve homogenization of power, and for this it will use all available means.

    The problem is that we are trying to explain all processes in the binary format of "West - Russia". But Moldova, Georgia and Armenia have their own specifics, which often cannot be reduced to this structure. Russia and the West are simply playing out this situation for themselves. There are many parties in Georgia, but in fact there is a struggle between two forces - the collective Ivanishvili and the collective Saakashvili. If the West had not assessed the "Georgian Dream" as a hand of Moscow, it could have reached a pragmatic format of relations, which it has with Azerbaijan, and everything would have been wonderful. But the West decided to "show character", now objectively it is advantageous for Russia...

    Regarding conservatism. Please tell me, which EU country has a conservative approach to both LGBT and abortion? The answer is Poland. It is clearly not a pro-Russian country. Let's look at the Trumpists in the US, what an off-the-charts level of conspiracy theories there is - but does that make the rednecks who vote for Trump our allies? It doesn't all boil down to a simplified two-color picture. The fact that they don't like LGBT there doesn't make them supporters of Russian approaches.

    How do you assess the chances of the Georgian Dream to gain a majority in parliament? How predictable is the outcome of these elections?

    Elections in Georgia have a certain variability. Now the key task for the ruling party is to take a constitutional majority. There are problems with this — they are simply tired of the Georgian Dream. When Ivanishvili came to power, there was the same tiredness of Saakashvili. The question is how third parties that are not connected with either Ivanishvili or Saakashvili will perform in these elections. If they gain enough votes, they will be able to enter into an alliance with the United National Movement and not allow the Georgian Dream to turn around.

    We can accurately predict that, whatever the outcome, Georgia will see mass protests – partly internal, partly external. There have been many of them in the last two years, and rallies took place after the elections four years ago. The question is whether the internal protest will be enough for the external one to help it – if the internal protest is weak, its external support is unlikely to play a decisive role.

    What does the recent aggravation between Russia and Abkhazia mean — how critical is it? And what is the fundamental difference in relations between Russia and Abkhazia and Russia and South Ossetia?

    Problems in relations with Abkhazia have arisen before — let's recall at least the elections of 2004-2005. This is not something that happens for the first time, and the current scale is smaller than the previous one. Where is it more difficult? Probably, with Abkhazia it is more difficult in the sense that South Ossetia is, after all, an entity that aims to unite with North Ossetia under the auspices of Russia. Abkhazia strives to build its own statehood and is doing so with an obvious deficit of resources, its own capabilities and limited external legitimization. The Abkhazians strive precisely for independence. Yes, with Russian security guarantees, economic support. The problem is that these intentions of independent statehood are not complemented by economic and social opportunities. Plus, Abkhazia is a republic that has experienced a very serious demographic crisis. The consequences of the 1992-1993 war were that approximately 3% of the Abkhazian population died.

    Abkhazia perceives any external pressure, external assistance with caution. They are afraid, for example, that Russians will come to them, buy everything up and they will be in the minority. These fears do not take into account the fact that in the conditions of limited international recognition for Abkhazia, Russia is, by and large, the only channel of globalization. That is, without Russian investments, educational programs, without interaction in the sphere of law enforcement, it is impossible to move forward.

    The same law on apartments - Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhania proposes not to transfer land to private ownership, but to lease it out for a long time, so that people with money come to Abkhazia and the republic moves from a protracted post-conflict transit to development. Moscow sometimes wants to speed up this process. And there, many people, especially behind the scenes, will say: "We are already supporting Abkhazia, helping, why are they showing off, roughly speaking." But we must understand the peculiarity of their history. Here, tact and accuracy are extremely important. Russian business projects should be promoted so that Abkhazian representatives feel part of them and can also benefit. Yes, this will take time, it is difficult, but there are big stakes at stake.

    Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan periodically makes accusations against the CSTO — and each time they sound harsher. The other day, he said that the organization poses threats to the security, existence, and sovereignty of Armenia. Yerevan has frozen its participation in the CSTO, but has not withdrawn from the organization. In your opinion, what goals does Pashinyan pursue with these statements? Why does Armenia not leave the CSTO if the organization threatens it? Will it eventually leave the CSTO and, if so, when?

    Here we should start with the characteristics of Nikol Pashinyan as a politician. Today, we hear a lot about him being a pro-Western figure, and the 2018 “velvet revolution” [as a result of which Pashinyan came to power] was originally conceived in this capacity. I think that this assessment requires some adjustment. Indeed, against the backdrop of Armenian politics, Pashinyan stood out even before 2018 with his extravagant statements about the need for closer ties with the West. But let’s not forget that, having become prime minister, he did a lot to correct this image. He often visited Russia, made many complimentary statements about it, about President Vladimir Putin, and even called the 2018 revolution velvet, not color, drawing a strict dividing line: color — in favor of the West, velvet — in favor of internal transformations and democratization in Armenia.

    Then, in 2020, the second Karabakh war happened, and in 2023, the third. And here it is important to record the thesis that Armenia and Russia have an asymmetrical perception of the situation. Moscow balanced between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus, pursuing a line on a mutually beneficial settlement of their conflict. Yerevan perceived cooperation with Moscow as a reliable barrier against any intentions of Azerbaijan and Turkey. At the same time, public perception in Armenia differs significantly from the political one: the Armenian leadership understood perfectly well that compromises had to be made, especially when it came to territorial concessions, but public opinion has entrenched that Russia is the guarantor that Armenia's maximalist geopolitical demands will last forever. In short, "Artsakh is ours, period." When 2020 and 2023 happened, public negativity towards Russia intensified.

    And here we return to Pashinyan’s political portrait: he is a populist politician, whose tactical considerations outpace strategic ones. He declared the CSTO as a threat on the anniversary of the third Karabakh war, after which the entire Armenian population left Karabakh, which in Armenia is perceived not only as a military defeat, but also as a national trauma.

    September marks another anniversary: ​​in 2022, a sharp escalation occurred not in Karabakh, but on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan beyond its borders, when the Armenian resort town of Jermuk came under fire. The CSTO's reaction to these events has become an important tool for shifting attention. At the same time, it is not only Pashinyan's team that speaks of disappointment in the CSTO and Russia: the first Prime Minister of independent Armenia, its Minister of Defense during the victorious first Karabakh war for Yerevan, Vazgen Manukyan, who after 2020 tried to become the leader of the united Armenian opposition, said that Moscow did not behave in the best way. These sentiments exist in Armenia, and Pashinyan is promoting them in a certain way, although he could minimize them. But he is trying to "be one of our guys" instead of complex and unpleasant explanations with his fellow citizens. In the second case, he would have to justify his mistakes, but the prime minister clearly does not want this.

    Why does Armenia not leave the CSTO? Because symbolically, the CSTO is in many ways equal to Russia. Leaving the organization can be perceived as an unambiguous negative towards Moscow, and Pashinyan is not ready for a complete break with it. At the same time, he is turning to the West - we see regular contacts with France, increasing contacts with NATO and the United States.

    Against this background, how strong is the cooperation between Armenia and the European Union and the United States? And what is the West’s interest in Armenia?

    These contacts exist, but so far neither the United States nor the European Union have provided any security guarantees to Armenia. Yes, France has supplied some equipment. And I would like to ask, if there is some aggravation from the Azerbaijani side or, say, from the Turkish side, how will France or the United States help Armenia? The United States and France are very sad about Armenia, they talk about how bad Russia is, but they do not offer any security guarantees. Russian guarantees, although not what they were before 2020, are there in the form of the same border guards (although their presence is decreasing right before our eyes) and the military base in Gyumri. When some Armenian observers say that Russia is doing nothing in Armenia, I would like to ask why they think that without the Russian presence the situation would be limited to Karabakh, and not, in fact, to Armenian territories.

    This is an open question in fact. And here we have a situation where, if we play for an escalation with Russia, a certain hour "X" may arise when the situation in the Caucasus will not be in Armenia's favor and Russia will do nothing at all. Then there will be hope for the West, but this West, in fact, is neither in the economy nor in security.

    However, the US is sending its military advisers and conducting joint exercises with Armenia...

    Let me remind you that Georgian military personnel have been trained under the American Train-and-equip program since 2002. Did it help much in 2008? The Americans trained all sorts of military personnel. Let's remember Afghanistan…

    Before the special operation began in 2022, the United States, the European Union and France calmly accepted the fact that Russia was the exclusive moderator in the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement. Not because they loved it more then and love it less now, but for pragmatic reasons: let Russia take responsibility for the disengagement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It requires compromises that could provoke discontent with Moscow in both Yerevan and Baku. If before 2022 it was accepted that Moscow and the West cooperated on some issues, competed on others, and even were at odds with others, then after that everything became much more categorical. Russia is sensitive to any Western presence in the Caucasus, even an ineffective one. For example, the EU observation mission in Armenia - did it prevent anything, did it give any unambiguous assessment of the shootings on the border? No. But there is a European flag in Armenia, and Moscow finds this dangerous.

    The West's interest in the Caucasus is to show that Russia is a dying breed there, that it has already played out its role by getting stuck in Ukraine. At the same time, we do not see any real help for Armenia - three tanks or three symbolic programs do not change the situation. Some time ago, Pashinyan had a meeting with Ursula von der Leyen and Anthony Blinken, many words were said there, but no serious sums or large projects were proposed.

    Around the same time that Pashinyan called the CSTO a threat, the Armenian Investigative Committee reported that a coup had been prevented in the country and that those who could have been involved in it were trained in Russia. How significant are these reports given the current state of Russian-Armenian relations? And is Russia interested in a change of power in Armenia?

    Let's start with the fact that in 2018, Russia did not say anything critical after the "velvet revolution" took place in Armenia. Moscow said then that it was Armenia's internal affair. In 2021, after the second Karabakh war, early parliamentary elections were held in Armenia. The first of the leaders of the Minsk Group co-chairs to congratulate Pashinyan on his re-election was the Russian president. Moscow perceived Pashinyan as a leader who signed a series of trilateral statements on the settlement and took responsibility for it. But the situation changed, and with the escalation in September 2022, Pashinyan began to rely on reorientation - primarily towards the West.

    As a Russian, I have a thousand questions for Russia, not everything can and should be discussed today. But Russia is the country that in the current conditions can give Armenia at least a minimum, while the West cannot give anything. At the same time, I will make a reservation: I understand the feelings of ordinary Armenians, their certain disappointment. They had the idea that Russia would always help out, and it somehow helped out, from their point of view, not very much. But politics, if we talk about the strategic perspective, is not done on emotions.

    There is talk in Armenia about the possibility of joining the European Union. To what extent does the idea of ​​European integration enjoy public support?

    In 2015, there was the so-called “Electro Maidan” (mass protests against rising electricity tariffs) in Armenia — then a well-known Armenian public and political figure Paruyr Hayrikyan came to the rally with the EU flag. He was simply asked to leave the rally. Now the situation has changed a lot. There are certain thoughts and sentiments in favor of European integration, but I cannot say that this idea enjoys overwhelming support. I will say it more carefully, I cannot yet. Many countries that were enthusiasts of the European agenda have not achieved great results. Look at Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia.

    They are candidates now.

    Excellent. How long will they be candidates? And even if they become members, will they achieve prosperity on the level of Germany and France? The European Union is not a social security agency. It is a rather strict structure with its quotas, rules, high level of regulation, certain value approaches and agendas.

    Does membership in the European Union solve Armenia's security problems? Unlikely. Even if Armenia declares that the idea of ​​a referendum or an initiative for rapprochement will gain a majority, this does not mean that the European Union will immediately accept Armenia. This is a two-way process.

    How would you characterize Russia’s position and its strategy in the South Caucasus?

    Russia's relations with various countries of the Caucasus have always been changeable — in the 1990s, the biggest problems were with Azerbaijan, but since 2001, relations have begun to level out; at that time, relations with Georgia began to deteriorate. Now we see certain prerequisites for normalization in this direction as well.

    In the case of Armenia, there are several factors at work. First, the asymmetry of perception, which I have already mentioned. Second, with the start of the NWO, the role of Turkey and Azerbaijan in Russia's foreign policy has grown in terms of access to the outside world, the creation of infrastructure hubs, and the minimization of pressure from the West. Five to ten years ago, the positions of Baku and Ankara were not taken so seriously, but today they have become important parts of this equation.

    https://www.rbc.ru/politics/26/09/2024/66edafbf9a7947f67ad01b88

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    Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia. - Page 7 Empty Re: Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia.

    Post  Kiko Fri Sep 27, 2024 10:13 am

    Diplomatic etiquette thrown aside: Why the Georgian PM was not allowed to have dinner with Biden, by Yuri Kogalov for Rossiyskaia Gazeta. 09.27.2024.

    By revoking the invitation to Kobakhidze, Washington attempted to encourage the Georgian opposition.

    The US President traditionally holds a reception for world leaders during the annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York. This year it took place on September 25 at the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel. However, in organizing this event, the American side committed a gross violation of diplomatic etiquette. The White House administration first sent an invitation to Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, and then withdrew it.

    This became known on the day of the reception. Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili told journalists that "the invitation was sent and then withdrawn." In his opinion, "such actions are not serious." Papushalvli suggested that Washington was thus trying to encourage the Georgian opposition before the upcoming parliamentary elections in October. "The opposition's situation is so deplorable that the US administration is trying to give it something to talk about through unconventional actions," the speaker of parliament noted.

    According to local media, citing the US Embassy in Tbilisi, the decision to revoke Kobakhidze's invitation was made because of "anti-democratic actions, disinformation and negative rhetoric" voiced by the government of the republic towards America and Western partners. This was a subtle hint at the law adopted earlier this year, which obliges all non-governmental organizations receiving funding from abroad to register in a special registry and file an annual income declaration. The US and the EU have dramatically changed their attitude towards the republic because of this law on foreign agents.

    Kobakhidze himself called the cancellation of the invitation to the reception "not serious." "It was a kind of humanitarian act in favor of the Georgian opposition, but there will be no practical effect from it for the opposition," the prime minister noted.

    Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, for his part, pointed out that these actions by Washington do not serve the benefit of bilateral relations. At the same time, he emphasized Georgia's readiness for "open and sincere conversation" with strategic partners, including on issues on which they have different views.

    Meanwhile, the executive secretary of the ruling party "Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia" Mamuka Mdinaradze reported that the US authorities, at the request of the Georgian opposition, were considering the possibility of not allowing Kobakhidze into the country to participate in the UN General Assembly session. According to him, the Americans were also planning to cancel the Georgian Prime Minister's speech at the General Assembly.

    https://rg.ru/2024/09/27/otzyvom-priglasheniia-kobahidze-vashington-popytalsia-pooshchrit-gruzinskuiu-oppoziciiu.html
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    Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia. - Page 7 Empty Re: Georgia's possible rapprochement with Russia.

    Post  Kiko Sat Sep 28, 2024 8:39 am

    Georgian President Calls Russia "Abnormal Country", by Dmitry Alexandrov from Tbilisi for VZGLYAD. 09.28.2024.

    Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili called Russia an "abnormal country," a Vzglyad newspaper correspondent in Tbilisi reports

    "Russia must understand that it has borders and respect its neighbors. This is the only way for Russia to develop and become a normal country," she said.

    According to her, “Russia is the only country that constantly opens new fronts against its neighbors.”

    "Europe cannot live next to an abnormal country," said Salome Zurabishvili, who is in opposition to the Georgian Dream government. "This is unacceptable if we want peace, prosperity and development."

    She said that "Ukraine's fight with weapons, supported by Europe and the United States, cannot end in defeat."

    https://vz.ru/news/2024/9/28/1289616.html

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