“RECENT EVENTS WILL NOT AFFECT THE FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN TBILISI AND YEREVAN.”
September 26 2013
According to Georgia’s presidential candidate Levan Chachua, joining CU
or initialing the EU Association Agreement is the sovereign decision
of RA authorities – On October 27, the presidential elections will be
held in Georgia. Georgia’s Central Election Commission has completed
the registration of presidential candidates, it is known that 23
candidates had a chance to fight for the post of the president of the
country. Mr. Chachua, what does the pre-election atmosphere look like
in Georgia? – Let me start with the fact that energy transformation
is awakening in Georgian society, the desire to get out of the pit
they were thrown into. Will the people be allowed to come out of this
ongoing political crisis, will the people have power to come out to a
new orbit, these are the questions that are of interest to the Georgian
public. After the parliamentary elections, the “Georgian Dream”
coalition, during the tough regime of Saakashvili, has failed within
a year to address the moral offenses caused to people. Unfortunately,
the “United National Movement” and the “Georgian Dream” merged in
cohabitation, coexistence. The society requires a fair punishment
for those causing misfortune to them, and, in return, they offer an
“elective cohabitation”, which means co-operation with the former and
current authorities, completely ignoring the interests of the society,
at large, and other political forces. I would like to emphasize
that not all presidential candidates have equal conditions with
regard to using free airtime. Based on today’s CEC statement, free
airtime it given to seven entities, which are the “Georgian Dream”,
“United National Movement” and their satellite parties candidates. –
How do you feel about Bidzina Ivanishvili’s intention to leave
the power, did he fulfilled his mission, and in your opinion, who
will take his place, are the names of prime minister’s candidates in
circulation? – Ivanishvili fulfilled his basic and important mission,
to win Saakashvili regime. As for his leaving from politics, it is his
personal choice. Although I think that the decision, to put it mildly,
will not benefit to preservation of stability in the management of
the state. As far the candidates of the new prime minister, it is
difficult to judge. Although based on the statement of Ivanishvili
to leave the office, he has moved to the public sector, he changes
the form of his participation in the politics, and choose a position
where, as he assures, may be more effective in influencing on the
government. As a result, the transition system, which is formed after
the 2012 elections, will be subjected to natural and quite serious
transformation not only by Bidzina Ivanishvili. It will depend on every
citizen of Georgia as to what extent this process will bring us closer
to the creation of a democratic and fair state. – After Serzh Sargsyan,
during his visit to Moscow, stated that Armenia is ready to join the
Customs Union, opinions were voiced that it was a loss not only for
Armenia, but also for Georgia. Armenia is not alone in getting ready
to initial the EU Association Agreement; among regional countries,
we are in the same boat with Georgia. Mr. Chachua, what developments
are expected in Armenian-Georgian relations? – I think the recent
events will not affect the friendly relations between Tbilisi and
Yerevan in any way.
Joining the Customs Union, or initialing the EU Association Agreement
is the sovereign decision of Armenia’s authorities. Now, much more
unites us rather than divide, and I do not think and I am strongly
against the viewpoints that Armenia’s joining the Customs Union
may have a negative impact on relations with Georgia, and that our
relationship will suffer from it. No. One does not bother the other.
As for the fact that Georgia can not initial the Association Agreement
without Armenia, it depends on the decision of the Georgian authorities
and the Georgian people, so, I can not say as to what may happen
tomorrow-the day after tomorrow. Let’s wait. – “Georgia will not be
in Eurasia, Georgia will be in Europe,” recently said the President
Saakashvili, presenting the difference between the directions of
the Eurasian Union and that of the European. He so described the
Eurasian society, pressures against minorities, prosecutions against
political opponents, corruption, oligarchy, and so on. Saakashvili
is sure that the policy of current government of Georgia towards the
RF brings harm to Georgia. On the other hand, a positive dynamics
is observed in relations between Russia and Georgia, and recently,
as a result, it was announced during the meeting with the Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Grigory Karasin and Ivanishvili’s
personal representative on Russia Zurab Abashidze. What is the level
of Russian-Georgian relations, today? – Recently, something has been
changed in relations between Russia and Georgia.
First of all, this is due to the fact that parliamentary elections were
held in Georgia, and a new government was formed, the main objective
thereof became the incompatibility with the political legacy left
by the previous government. Both sides specify the issues around
which they can not reach an agreement. One of these important issues
is the status of Abkhazia and Ossetia. Since the times of the USSR,
the confidence that we know each other very well caused a lot of harm
to us. Being in one state over a long period of time really created
commonalities. But the fact how our states started developing after
the collapse of the Soviet Union, this trajectory remained outside
the attention of analysts. To understand each other, of course, is
possible. In many ways it is contributed by the commonalities around
understanding about belief and value system, and even the social
order. But, there are very serious issues that divide us. To be
repeated, the most important issue is Georgia’s territorial integrity.
As for the Eurasian Union, the issue does not receive much attention
in Georgia.
Emma GABRIELYAN
Read more at:
http://en.aravot.am/2013/09/26/161785/