Georgia and Sochi Olympic games

Just a few days ago, the Russian President Medvedev talked of the possible threats to the Winter Olympic Games to be held in Sochi, Russia in 2014. Immediately, the Georgian President responded to the allegations, declaring publicly that there is zero threat to the Olympic games from Georgian side as any such threat to the Olympic games are not within Georgia's plans and capacity. It is likely, however, that Russian allegations against Georgia will not be limited only to these remarks and that this could become one more issue to aggravate further the situation between the two countries. On February 18 at the session of Russian Security Council, which was held in Sochi, President Medvedev spoke about the 2014 Olympic Games and the possible threats and, in this context, he mentioned Georgia. He mentioned that preventive measures should be taken to hinder all the possible threats to the event.

If we consider the current relations between the two countries and the situation in the northern Caucasus, the Russian president’s remarks could carry serious threats to Georgia. Any kind of obstacle determined by Russia’s clumsiness in organizing the Sochi Olympics and any kind of failure to conduct this event in a normal way could be blamed on Georgia. Since Russia's moves are unpredictable it could be anything which comes to your imagination.

The Russian President’s appearance was followed by a statement of the Russian federation high ranking official Alexander Torshin who accused the Georgian leadership of masterminding and organizing terrorist attack on Moscow Domodedovo airport. “In my opinion, the terrorist attack was organized by Georgia and its ruling regime,” stated Torshin. It is not the first time that Georgia has been blamed for terrorist attacks in Russia. President Saakashvili of Georgia immediately responded to the allegations reminding Moscow that they themselves had carried out ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population, not very far from Sochi, in Abkhazia. Saakashvili also excluded the possibility of new military aggression of Moscow against Tbilisi. According to him, Russia is not ready ‘physically’ for such a step. However “this is my logic, it is difficult to judge from their position so we are paying close attention,” stated Saakashvili.

As it is known Georgia also campaigned to hold 2014 winter Olympic Games in Borjomi and Bakuriani but when Georgia was denied, the Georgian president in February 2007 stated that Georgia supports Russia in holding the 2014 winter Olympic Games in Sochi, that according to Saakashvili, would have facilitated the peace process in the region. He added that these games could have become an additional stimulus for regional cooperation.

But after the invasion of Georgia in 2008 by Russian military forces, some Georgian politicians as well as analysts and the population, have been demanding, from the international community and Olympic committee, that the games should not be held near the conflict zone.

It should be noted in this regard that when the Olympic games were held in ancient Greece, there was a moratorium declared on any kind of military activities during the games. Remember that on 08/08/08 when the Russian tanks were entering Georgian territory and shooting and killing the Georgian civil population, the Beijing Olympic summer games were opening in China.

The Kremlin can do everything.