Category: News

Armenia does not Seek to Join NATO
The Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 20 2004
Armenian Defense Minister: “Accession to NATO isn’t on current agenda
of Armenia”
JTW Staff, 20 December 2004
The accession to NATO is not on the current foreign political agenda
of Armenia, Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said at Friday debates
organized by the Public Dialog and Development Center, Russian News
Agency Itar-Tass reported.
“At the same time, Armenia is realistic about regional security. It
does not make premature statements but develops cooperation with
the North Atlantic Alliance step by step. In this light relations
with NATO have a serious role in the provision of Armenian security”
added Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan.
Armenia mainly based its security on co-operation with Russian
Federation while Georgia and Azerbaijan develop close relations
with the United States and Europe. Armenia also has serious border
problems with Azerbaijan and NATO member Turkey. About 20 percent
of Azerbaijani territories is under Armenian invasion occupation,
and international organizations ask Armenia to withdraw its forces
from the occupied territories.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Messenger, Georgia
Dec 20 2004
Language and economy: two links to reintegrating Georgian regions
NGOs, European specialists and government officials team up to
improve integration in Javakheti region
By Keti Sikharulidze
ECMI’s John Wright, Tom Trier, Mikael Hertoft.
The European Center for Minority Issues (ECMI) has announced it will
start an economic development program in the Samtskhe-Javakheti
region beginning next year.
The project seeks to enhance the ability of the Georgian government
officials to develop policy regarding regions populated by ethnic
minorities.
The Javakheti region is populated mainly by ethnic Armenians, though
there are other ethnic groups as well: Greeks, Russians and
Georgians.
Due to impoverished conditions including damaged roads, electricity
shortages, poor communications and faulty railway system, the region
is badly integrated with the rest of Georgia.
Speaking at the press conference on December 17, the project manager
of ECMI Michael Hertoft stated that they would work mainly on two
fields: cultural and language issues as well as on the region’s
economic development.
“It is very well known that people are starving and they are very
poor and dissatisfaction will grow. But if the economic situation
gets better then they will actually cooperate economically with the
rest of Georgia,” Hertoft told The Messenger.
Hertoft also stressed that part of the problem that makes Javakheti
region distanced from the rest of Georgia is the population’s lack of
knowledge of the Georgian language.
“There is an information vacuum in the region as the majority of the
population does not speak Georgian, although they do have a desire to
learn Georgian language and to participate in the country’s political
process. But at the same time they demand to keep the Russian
language, which is most common in the region,” stated Hertoft.
The Georgian government adopted a new draft law on elementary
education in September that called for increased teaching of Georgian
in regions where it is a second language. However, as Hertoft stated,
some tensions have emerged in the Javakheti region because the new
law called on the Armenian and Russian language schools to change
their language of instruction.
“But the representatives from the Ministry of Education assured the
local population that the school council could choose which language
to teach at school. And this made all the tension and fear in the
region calm down,” stated Hertoft.
The majoriatarian deputy of Akhalkalaki region Hamlet Movsesian
stated on Friday that the problems regarding the language problems
began as early as Soviet times, since then it was common that a
teacher of Georgian language in non-Georgian schools did not know
Georgian themselves.
“Since then these problems have accumulated and the only way to solve
language problems is to start learning it by and by. The government
should work out special programs that would make it easier to learn
Georgian language in such regions as Javakheti,” stated Movsesian.
Movsesian also stated that the international organizations should
develop programs that could bring employment to the region. Moveseian
also stated that the central government intends to solve the road
problems in the region through a Tbilisi-Tsalka-Ninotsminda highway
next year. “The start of building this road is the beginning of the
integration of our region in Georgia,” stated Movsesian.
The deputy minister of education Bela Tsipuria told The Messenger
that the Ministry of Educations plans “serious activities” to teach
the state language in the region. Projects, such as the educational
project ‘Future begins today,’ have been launched in the region.
“From 2005 we start the civil integration program of Georgian
language. We also work on a OSCE project regarding the methods of how
to teach Georgian language in non-Georgian schools,” Tsipuria said.
“We fully realize the importance of this problem and try to solve it
by taking active steps.”
The political advisor of ECMI John Wright stated at the Friday
conference that they intend to working with the central government
and local government in order to better understand how to integrate
and develop the region through economic means.
“We have a plan that the project will continue during the coming year
and hopefully by the end of 2005, the government will have a very
clear idea of how this region can integrate and how to develop this
region,” stated Wright. He added that as a result the government will
know what steps to take and “what it wants the business community to
do and what it wants the international community to do.”
In addition to language teaching programs, ECMI has granted support
for other projects including a cultural integration project-regional
television programs about integration and an internet site for the
region with information about nongovernmental as well as governmental
organizations.
According to the project manager Tom Trier, ECMI intends to develop
the same program in Tskhinvali region from the coming year.

NewRatings.com
Dec 20 2004
Dr Leonid Roshal, the Russian Paediatrician who was Chief Negotiator
During the Beslan Siege, is Named Reader’s Digest ‘
Monday, December 20, 2004 7:01:00 PM ET
PRNewswire
LONDON, December 20 /PRNewswire/ —
Russian paediatrician Dr Leonid Roshal, who acted as an intermediary
during the Beslan school siege last September, is to receive the
Reader’s Digest European of the Year Award 2005 for his tireless and
dedicated work helping children who have been injured in disasters
and conflicts around the world.
Dr Roshal was chosen by the Editors-in-Chief of the 18 European
editions of Reader’s Digest magazine, which reach 4.2 million
subscribers. The Reader’s Digest European of the Year is awarded to
the person who in the Editors’ opinion best embodies the contemporary
expression of Europe’s values and traditions. The award will be
presented to Dr Roshal at a ceremony in Moscow on 19 January 2005.
Dr Roshal, 71, is head of the Moscow Scientific Research Institute
for Emergency Children’s Surgery and Traumatology and founder of an
international aid organisation which aims to rescue children in
trouble. Over the last two decades, thousands of young people with
horrific injuries have benefited from his specialised emergency care.
He has also become a hero in his own country. When terrorists seized
School Number One in Beslan in September, they asked for Dr Roshal to
act as mediator. This wasn’t the first time he had been called on as
an intermediary. Dr Roshal had gained international renown in 2002
for the crucial role he played when the Dubrovka theatre in Moscow
was seized by Chechen terrorists and he managed to negotiate freedom
for some of the hostages.
Within 30 minutes of arriving in Beslan he was speaking to the
terrorists and implored them, in vain, to allow in food, water and
medicines. Over the next two days he served as main negotiator and
alerted nearby hospitals for possible casualties. On the third day a
powerful explosion inside the school triggered a savage gun battle
with the special forces outside. According to official figures 379
people died, including 171 children and 30 terrorists. A further 700
hostages were injured, but thanks to Dr Roshal’s and his colleagues’
meticulous medical preparation all received medical attention within
two hours.
Dr Roshal’s international aid work started in 1988 when he and 34
doctors from Moscow’s hospitals volunteered to help the relief effort
following the devastating 1988 earthquake in Armenia.
Since then his work has taken him to more than two dozen major
incidents on four continents, including the first Gulf War, Romania,
former Yugoslavia, Nagorno Karabakh, the US, Egypt, Japan,
Afghanistan, Turkey, India and Algeria.
The full story of Dr Roshal’s remarkable achievements, written by
contributing editor Brian Eads, is published simultaneously in all
European editions of Reader’s Digest in January.
Dr Roshal is the tenth winner of the Reader’s Digest European of the
Year award, worth EUR5,000.
A high resolution photograph to accompany this release is available
to the media free of charge at (+44-207-608-1000)
Reader’s Digest

Zaman, Turkey
Dec 19 2004
EU’s Changing Strategic Reflex
While Turkey was experiencing an enthusiasm mixed with anxiety at the
result of the historic December 17th European Union (EU) summit, we
were in Waterloo, 20 minutes from Brussels, the site of the big war
that paved the way for a new order in Europe.
The decision of December 17th which reached through diplomacy the
European ideal of integration that Napoleon could not achieve through
war, seems to be the harbinger of a new order just like Waterloo once
was. Ordinary Europeans, coming here to experience their historical
heritage, expressed their pleasure regarding the decision on Turkey,
which promotes the idea of a multicultural Europe. A Swiss man
offered congratulations when he learned that I was a Turk.
We’ve seen that the EU could not help in the Bosnian tragedy,
remained passive during the Kardak crisis, which brought its member
Greece and Turkey to the brink of war, split into two over the war in
Iraq, and lacks both a global strategic vision and the instruments to
put it into practice. How, then, could a strategically short-sighted
EU take such a brave and globally significant step like opening its
doors to Turkey’s 70-million Muslims? Was the decision of the
Brussels summit the ideal? Certainly not. Does it have problems? It
certainly does. Is it less than what Turkey deserves? It certainly
is.
However, while we evaluate the result, we should not forget that it
is the outcome of a European compromise including radicals like the
former French President Valery Giscard D’estaing, who views Turkey’s
membership as the end of the EU, and German politician Angela Merkel,
who calls for only a “privileged partnership” with Turkey, as well as
common antipathy of public opinion.
Among the Turks who went to Brussels for the historic summit, I think
only those who know that the EU could not risk breaking off the
process were sure that Europe has finally reached a strategic
decision on Turkey. Awareness of this strategic decision was what lay
behind Turkey’s threat to leave the table. It would be wrong to
understand the “strategic decision of the EU” as a joint decision of
the EU with 25 members, many of them ineffective in world politics.
What lies behind this decision seems like the signature of
French-German axis, which has reviewed the phenomena of September
11th and the Iraq war and given the Europe its soul. Although we do
not know whether or not the state has such a secret strategy
document, French President Jacques Chirac gave hints for this
throughout his speech on December 16th. Chirac clearly noted these as
a leader in a context where besides 65 percent of the citizens, even
his own party rejects Turkey’s membership. Two points need to be
underlined: firstly, that Turkey is a large market and a strong
economy. It should not be against them but working with them as
rejecting it could cause instability and security risks on EU
boarders. Secondly, Europe is a small compared to great powers like
China, India and the US, but it can increase its power with Turkey’s
membership.
Faced with this clear position, the anchorman of the French TF-1
television asked one by one all challenging questions he can: “Are
Turks culturally European? Do French people want Turks? Is not
privileged partnership enough? Should not the Armenian genocide be
recognized? Could Europe be a neighbor to Iran and Iraq? Will the
French reject Turkey’s becoming powerful in the EU?” His efforts were
futile; Chirac did not step backward.
Hence, although the EU complied with blackmail from the Greek
Cypriots and caused trouble for Turkey, it made a conscious
preference to become a “global actor”. Despite another 10 or 15 years
before full membership and the possibility of future European leaders
to have opposing attitudes, this decision has begun to raise
potential outcomes for Turkey, the Islamic world, Europe, and the
whole world. Moreover, this step is the most hopeful development in
international relations since September 11th, 2001. The important
thing for Turkey, at this point, is to benefit as much as possible
from this change of strategic vision in Europe and to quickly abandon
European romanticism; therefore, get prepared to become an active
member of the club in world politics.
12.19.2004
ABDULHAMIT BILICI
BRUSSELS
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Chanticleer offers tonic for the soul
By Richard Scheinin
San Jose Mercury News , CA
Dec 20 2004
CENTURIES OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC CELEBRATED
Going to hear Chanticleer is a ritual at this time of year. You go
to slow down, to be still, to luxuriate in the purity of the sound
of the 12-member men’s choral group from San Francisco.
Friday night’s “A Chanticleer Christmas” at Mission Santa Clara was
musical shiatsu, deep spiritual massage. From the ensemble’s entrance,
one man at a time, each holding a candle in the darkened church,
singing 15th-century plainsong from a French abbey, to its final
medley of African-American gospel and spiritual Christmas tunes,
this was a time to let out a sigh, enjoy, shake off all stress.
Quite a gift.
Despite numerous cast changes over the past year or two, Chanticleer,
under the direction of Joseph Jennings, just doesn’t falter. Its
delivery of the most complex polyphony is at once buttery smooth
and deeply felt. There were many moments in Friday’s program —
also performed last week in Petaluma, where it was recorded for
broadcast on National Public Radio — when Chanticleer sounded like
12 supplicant Beach Boys, singing the equivalent of “Help Me, God,”
instead of “Help Me, Rhonda.”
This was a seamless program, perfect for radio: “The telling of the
Christmas story through a thousand years of music,” is how alto Jesse
Antin described it at the first of two concerts at the Mission.
The 15th-century plainsong, sung by four members of the chorus,
blossomed into the simultaneous singing, by three “quartets” within the
group, of three celebratory Christmas works spanning eight centuries —
a gorgeous tangling and untangling web of voices.
Next came “Bazmutyunq,” an early 20th-century reflection on Jesus
by Komitas, the Armenian monk and musician who composed in his
country’s “true” liturgical style. His work was rooted in a drone,
with melismatic adornments hovering, then many voices circling and
interweaving; Chanticleer’s sound was a physical presence in the
still-dark church.
The lights came on for 16th-century works from Prague and then Spain,
richly contrapuntal, and a 15th-century “Nowell” from England, grittier
and chant-like. The tour continued with joyous mutterings of Estonian
Arvo Part; a long, shimmering work by the Russian Cesar Antonovich Cui;
and more glorious supplications from Britain’s Benjamin Britten.
Saved for last were carols and the gospel and spiritual numbers, which
gave soloists a chance to embellish and “preach.” Everyone resounded,
but two singers deserved special praise: Soprano Dylan Hostetter, a
new member, has a voice that poured through the church like balm all
evening, and veteran bass Eric Alatorre sang with driving precision,
buzzing like a boombox and rooting the whole ensemble.

Russia-Armenia ties won’t aid Karabakh settlement – Aliyev
Interfax
Dec 20 2004
Baku. (Interfax-Azerbaijan) – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said
that close cooperation between Russia and Armenia will not help end
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“The Russian State Duma speaker [Boris Gryzlov] said during his visit
to Armenia a few days ago that Armenia is Russia’s outpost in the
South Caucasus. We have always believed that Armenia is a state. But
it appears to be an outpost,” Aliyev told journalists on Friday.
“Who do we have to hold talks with – the outpost or the owner of the
outpost? If Armenia sorts out this issue, a more favorable environment
for successful negotiations on [Nagorno-Karabakh] will be created,”
the president said.
The so-called “Paris talks” between the Azerbaijani and Armenian
foreign ministers envision a step-by-step settlement process in
Nagorno- Karabakh, which meets the interests of Baku, Aliyev said.
“The position of Azerbaijan on this issue is clear, and I am very glad
that all the forces in charge of the [Nagorno-Karabakh settlement]
issue are moving closer to this position. A step-by-step settlement
is key to resolving this issue, and the future talks should be guided
by these principles,” the president said.
“My opinion is that if these negotiations are constructive, Armenia
will not abandon its agreements, as it did previously, and we will
be able to reach a certain agreement,” he said.

Azerbaijan to end cargo transit to Armenia – president
Interfax
Dec 20 2004
Baku. (Interfax) – Baku intends to put an end to cargo transit across
Azerbaijan and Georgia to Armenia, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
told reporters on Friday.
“All the problems on the Azerbaijani – Georgian border will disappear
when it is clear that not a gram of cargo will reach Armenia,” he said.
The Azerbaijani State-run Railroad on December 8 suspended the crossing
of the Azerbaijani – Georgian border by cargo when it turned out that
some of the cars were to move on to Azerbaijan.
Baku believes that economic cooperation with Armenia is impossible
as long as that country occupies Azerbaijani land.
Georgians sympathize with Baku’s position, Aliyev said.
“There are certain groups and we know what they are who want
Azerbaijani – Georgian relations to deteriorate. Unfortunately, some
of these people are inside Azerbaijan but most of them are outside
the country,” he said.
Baku’s official view is that Armenia seized Nagorno-Karabakh and
seven adjacent districts of Azerbaijan in a bloody conflict in 1990s.

France to ‘grill’ Turkey on all issues for EU bid
Expatica
Dec 20 2004
PARIS, Dec 20 (AFP) – France will put all issues to Turkey during
negotiations over it joining the European Union, “including that of the
Armenian genocide,” French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said Monday.
“What has to be done now is start membership negotiations which are
going to be very long, very difficult, during which we will put all
issues on the table, including that of the Armenian genocide, with
the hope of obtaining a response from Turkey before membership,”
he told French radio station RTL.
The 1915-1917 massacre of Armenians during the end of the Ottoman
Empire has been a sensitive subject for Turkey, which has railed
against other countries accepting the Armenians’ account of the
bloodshed as a “genocide”.
Although the French parliament passed a 2001 law applying the word
“genocide” to the killings, the French government avoided using
the term until December 14 – just three days before Turkey and the
European Union agreed to start membership talks. Barnier talked of the
“Armenian genocide” in parliament.
French President Jacques Chirac supports Turkey joining the European
Union, but he faces deep opposition from his own ruling party and
the majority of voters.
To add the Armenian issue to a list of others – most notably Ankara’s
recognition of the Greek Cypriot government – is seen as a bargaining
chip in the membership negotiations that are to begin in October next
year, and a way of showing the French public that Turkey is being
made to heed Paris’s voice.
Barnier said that Chirac, in supporting Turkey, “is expressing a
vision, expressing where the interest of our country, our continent,
lies for him.”
The French president has promised that the final decision on whether
Turkey gets to join the European Union or not, as far as French
voters are concerned, will come in a referendum at the end of the
negotiations.

“Georgian President Saakashvili’s Campaign Against Corruption”
The Power and Interest News Report
Dec 20 2004
Corruption has plagued Georgia — as well as its neighbors Armenia
and Azerbaijan — for generations. While it was a problem even
during the Soviet regime, ever since the former republics gained
their independence in the early 1990s, the degree of corruption has
crippled economic development and stifled attempts at reform. The
new government in Georgia, which won power on a reformist platform,
is widely viewed in the country as Georgia’s last chance to defeat
the spread of corruption and create a stable economy and law-abiding
society.
Before the peaceful revolution of November 2003, Georgian President
Eduard Shevardnadze had been unsuccessful in curbing the rapid growth
of corruption throughout Georgian society and the political process.
Corruption in Georgia under the leadership of Shevardnadze was so
widespread it affected life on nearly every level. Despite very
strong laws against corruption, little was done to enforce them.
Blatant vote rigging and fraud led to his government’s demise last
fall, shortly replaced by younger politicians on a reform platform.
Even as Georgians rejoiced Mikhail Saakashvili’s victory, activists
stated that the new government would have to prove it was better at
fighting corruption than the former president, otherwise Saakashvili
would share his fate.
Corruption among the Georgian authorities is so widespread that it
consistently affects foreign investments. Investors originally saw
Georgia as a land of opportunity as the country is strategically
located between Europe and Asia. Plans for new oil and gas pipelines
created an economic boom for Azerbaijan in the early 1990s and
observers fully expected Georgia to receive part of that wealth. But
corrupt officials, coupled with unclear laws and tax policies,
continue to frustrate investors.
The foreign investment community was further antagonized by high-level
kidnappings and threats for ransom and bribes. The American electricity
provider, AES, which took over electricity distribution in Georgia in
the late 1990s, was repeatedly taken to court and threatened. In August
of 2002, the company’s C.F.O., Nika Lominadze, was murdered. Other
high profile cases include the kidnapping of the Welsh banker
Peter Shaw in July 2002. Although no ransom was reportedly paid,
Shaw escaped his captors after four months of imprisonment. While
the Georgian government ascertained Shaw escaped due to a special
military operation, speculation continued after Shaw’s release that
members of the government were involved in the kidnapping business.
A Turn of the Tide
While the 2003 parliament election might have started like business as
usual, protestors and politicians quickly assembled in front of the
parliament to protest the voting results. After weeks of protests,
Shevardnadze resigned on November 23. Mikhail Saakashvili, a former
justice minister in Shevardnadze’s government from 2000-2001, was voted
into office January 4, 2004 with 96 percent of the vote. Originally
seen as Shevardnadze’s groomed pupil, Saakashvili left his position
as the justice minister, citing that he believed it was “immoral” to
remain a part of the corrupt government. He became one of the loudest
voices of the opposition in the years leading up to his election,
and one of the country’s most popular politicians. He was a visible
face during the protests and led the charge into parliament the day
before Shevardnadze resigned.
Saakashvili started out his presidency with strong words. “We
need to introduce in the parliament very drastic anti-corruption
legislation that would give vast powers to a new elite, small, honest
investigative unit that would really tackle high-level corruption,”
he said in January 2004. During his inauguration speech, he pressed,
“We must root out corruption. As far as I am concerned, every corrupt
official is a traitor who betrays the national interest.” Many hoped
the difference would be Saakashvili’s young age, 36, and the Western
influence brought through his education in the United States.
With a high popularity rating — and no real opposition — Saakashvili
was free to implement any reforms or laws he felt fit. Many supporters
were alarmed when one of his first acts, in addition to the high
profile arrests of infamous businessmen like Gia Jokhtaberidze,
Shevardnadze’s son-in-law, included constitutional amendments to
consolidate his power. While the overall response to reforms from the
business sector has been positive, Badri Patarkatsishvili, who is the
president of the Georgian Federation of Businessmen, has repeatedly
stated that businessmen in Georgia should feel secure and know that
their rights will be honored. In an interview with the B.B.C. in
January 2003, Saakashvili stated that one of his top priorities for
Georgia was creating a stable and safe climate for investors.
As early as February, the new government was warned by the Visiting
Council of Europe Secretary-General Walter Schwimmer that the country’s
fight against corruption should not abuse the law. Critics of the
new government also began citing media intimidation and accusing the
government of arresting political enemies without adhering to the
due process required by law.
Although criticism of the new government continued, culminating in an
open letter to the president by prominent civil leaders in Georgia,
the new president has not backed down from his system of arrests
and has not made any open efforts to compromise with the growing
opposition. The open letter, published widely in Georgia, spoke of a
growing concern that Saakashvili was actively squashing public debate
with nationalist rhetoric, as well as failing to come to terms with his
power in a “post-revolution” society. Nevertheless, during his first
year in office, Saakashvili has made progress encouraging foreign
investment in his country. Georgia was included in the E.U.’s New
Neighborhood Initiative and received one billion dollars in pledges
to help finance reforms.
Neighboring States Concerned Over the Georgian Example
Neighboring countries throughout the Caucasus and Central Asia are
threatened by Saakashvili’s November rise to power and his rhetoric
against corruption. A November 25, 2003 emergency meeting of foreign
ministers from the Commonwealth of Independent States in Kiev
highlighted the fear of neighboring governments that Georgia’s new
crusader against corruption would also adversely affect the status
quo in their countries.
In both Armenia and Azerbaijan, opposition parties celebrated the
resignation of Shevardnadze. Although both Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Robert Kocharian were not openly
supportive of Saakashvili in November, the overriding element in their
relationship revolves around commerce and trade. Both presidents
have conducted high profile trips to Georgia in the past year, and
Saakashvili has warmly welcomed them both as “brothers.”
Georgian election observers, however, were not welcome in Ukraine.
Despite the chilly official reception, Georgians traveled to Kiev and
participated in the protests following the November run-off election.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry issued statements on November 28
supporting the call for a Ukrainian revote. Georgian Prime Minister
Zurab Zhvania also supported the protestors, wishing Ukraine a
“victory of justice and democracy”
Georgia’s relationship with Russia was strained during Shevardnadze’s
presidency. Despite a positive beginning, that relationship has
rapidly deteriorated under Saakashvili. During the protests calling
for Shevardnadze’s resignation, it was widely feared in the country
that Russia would strongly back Shevardnadze. However, after some
initial support, then Russian Foreign Minister Ivan Ivanov flew to
Tbilisi November 22 to help ease tensions, and he has been given
credit for helping the country avoid violence.
Warm relations between the countries continued through the summer,
highlighted when a large group of potential Russian investors came
to Tbilisi in May to discuss joint business projects between the
countries. During the convention, Russian businessmen repeatedly
emphasized the need for a stable, safe investment climate and
tax reforms. Talk of business investment was overshadowed by the
growing violence in South Ossetia, however, and Russian involvement
in Abkhazia.
Currently, the administration in Georgia is dealing with Moscow’s
accusations of anti-Russian militants hiding in the country, near
the border between Chechnya and Georgia, and the likelihood that
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe border patrols will
not continue after the mandate expires later this month. Furthermore,
an ongoing point of contention between the two governments is the
existence of two Russian army bases that still exist within Georgian
territory. The Russians use the bases to potentially influence Georgian
affairs, explaining why Tbilisi wants them removed. No real progress
has been made on this issue.
Georgia’s relationship with the United States has improved under
Saakashvili. Although accusations of heavy-handed policies have grown
against the current administration, the United States has been a
steadfast supporter of Saakashvili and his reforms. In light of the
current reforms taking place in the military, the U.S. government
has pledged over $15 million to help modernize the Georgian army and
Saakashvili has already sent over 150 soldiers to Iraq. Georgian
soldiers are involved in peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan as
well, and Saakashvili has promised that over Georgian 800 soldiers
will eventually be dispatched. While Western powers initially faced
a quandary supporting the overthrow of an elected president, once the
degree of civil outrage toward the election became obvious, the U.S.
issued a strong rebuke against Shevardnadze and his handling of
the election.
Conclusion
President Mikhail Saakashvili has had some success fighting corruption
through tax reform and large scale arrests that include politicians
from the former regime and powerful businessmen. His peaceful
acquisition of the semi-autonomous Adjarian republic has given the
central government a great opportunity to reform invasive corruption
throughout the republic, especially in tax collection. The new tax
code, scheduled to begin February 2005, should help the government
receive lost revenue as well as prove to potential investors that
the new regime is serious about reform.
Criticism of Saakashvili’s policies is not unfounded. By refusing to
follow due process, his program of arrests could backfire by turning
the accused into victims in the eyes of the public. To date, the
arrests have largely been centered on high profile politicians and
business leaders. In order to fully eradicate corruption, citizens
and low-level civil servants involved in bribery and the black market
will also need to be arrested. Once the government starts interfering
with the status quo of people’s daily lives, Saakashvili’s popularity
might drop and the public could quickly lose taste for strong reforms.
While he has hired supporters of democracy into his government, he
has distanced himself from civil leaders outside of his government.
Prominent civil leaders in Georgia are giving Saakashvili some leeway
as he gains experience in office. However, his success will depend
on his ability to compromise heady rhetoric with reasonable public
policy to lead his country through difficult and painful reforms.
Report Drafted By: Molly Corso

Greek Cypriots bitter over EU’s talks with Turkey
By Andrew Borowiec
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
December 20, 2004
NICOSIA, Cyprus — Frustrated and bitter, Greek Cypriots saw the
outcome of last week’s European Union summit as a blow to their
aspirations and a major boost to the European ambitions of their
archenemy Turkey.
Some politicians described the situation as a “complete catastrophe,”
and editorials predicted other setbacks for the Greek-Cypriot majority
of this divided Mediterranean island.
The EU summit approved the start in October of membership negotiations
with Turkey, a process that will require at least 10 years and involve
numerous hurdles. As a new EU member, Cyprus could have vetoed the
decision, but did not, despite the urging of some 60 percent of
Greek Cypriots.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hailed on his return
home from Brussels as “the conqueror of the EU” and “the new star of
the EU,” commented the Cyprus Mail. But the Greek-Cypriot delegation
returned to Nicosia “glum-faced and mumbling words of unconvincing
satisfaction.”
“For weeks, the president’s lieutenants waxed lyrical about our power
of veto,” the newspaper wrote, referring to Greek-Cypriot President
Tassos Papadopoulos. “We could still have vetoed, but we didn’t,
proving that while we have the right of veto, to exercise it is not
as easy in the face of the full force of power politics.”
“The summit has starkly exposed the realities of our position,”
the newspaper concluded.
According to some diplomats, the summit’s decision implied growing
international sympathy for Turkey and a lack of interest in Greek
Cypriots’ long-standing demand that the island be reunited on their
terms.
The Cyprus issue — and Turkey’s refusal to recognize the
Greek-Cypriot administration on the island — had threatened to
capsize the summit. Under a carefully crafted compromise formula,
Turkey agreed to sign a customs union protocol with the 10 recently
admitted EU members, including Cyprus.
But Mr. Erdogan said bluntly that such a gesture did not imply
recognition.
Cyprus was forced to accept the uncomfortable formula.
Turkey, which has some 35,000 troops on the island, is the only backer
of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which governs 37
percent of the territory.
According to Greek-Cypriot parliament member Marios Matsakis, the EU
decision means that there will be “no recognition, no withdrawal of
Turkish troops, no recognition of the Armenian genocide.”
Turkey successfully opposed the inclusion in the summit agenda of
the Cyprus problem or of the World War I massacres of Armenians by
the Ottoman Empire, which some countries wanted to use to prevent
Turkey from being admitted to the EU accession process.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress