Russia continues bullying policy

On April 25-26, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited and recognized the so called ‘independent states’ of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. His arrival on the occupied territories has already presented a challenge to Georgia and the rest of the world. So this visit as well as the statements made by Lavrov gives us ground to consider that Moscow is not only ignoring the possibility of regulating relations with Georgia but it thinks that matters should be regulated according only to Russian conditions.

The Kremlin stubbornly demands that its puppet regimes in Sokhumi and Tskhinvali should be recognized by Georgia and the rest of the world, meanwhile the world community and international organizations repeatedly ask Moscow to give up its claims and to recall the recognition of these separatist regimes' independence and return its armed forces to their pre war positions. This would merely be adhering to international law as well as its commitments. This would be the only solution to come out of the deadlock which has been the result of a “hasty, emotional and stupid decision,” as Georgia’s FM Grigol Vashadze stated.

Meanwhile the Russian leadership is ignoring the demands of the world community and its Foreign Minister Lavrov states with serious face that his country is going to do everything to prevent further Georgian aggression! These are the words of the FM of an aggressor and an occupier. The Kremlin stubbornly repeats that it wants Georgia to sign an agreement with Sokhumi and Tskhinvali regimes on the document of non use of military force. Thus it wants Georgia to indirectly recognize these puppet regimes as equal judicial entities. The Georgian leadership has several times made a public statement at different levels on the non use of force, spreading similar documents worldwide and expressed its readiness to sign a similar type of document with Moscow which completely ruled out the possibility. As a result of Moscow's bullish position, Georgian-Russian dialogue in Geneva, as well as negotiations on Russia’s accession into WTO, is dormant.

On the other hand, the policy of the Georgian leadership towards Russia looks very strange. There are steps being taken in Georgia to suppress the usage of Russian language in the country. There are statements made warning that Russia will again use aggression against Georgia. Georgia asks the west to provide defensive arms against Russia. Against this background, the Russian capital enters Georgia in unrestricted manner. Logically, the openness of Tbilisi towards the Russian capital should bring the same benefit to representatives of the Georgian capital entering Russia. However, this is of course not the case at present.

As for the dialogue on political issues, Russia’s “triumphant” victory over Georgia and recognition of separatist regimes after the August war put Moscow in a very awkward and stupid situation because whoever comes to power in Georgia after Saakashvili’s term expires, he/she will still list territorial integrity of the country as a top priority.