Georgia

Per Gahrton

Description

The 2008 Ossetia War underlined the fact that Georgia is caught in a political struggle between East and West. Per Gahrton analyses American and Russian policy towards the country and provides a firsthand account of the Rose Revolution of 2003, its origin and aftermath.



The book traces the increasing US involvement in Georgia and the Russian reaction of anger, sanctions and, eventually, invasion. Gahrton's analysis is based on interviews with key politicians and his experience as the rapporteur of the European Parliament on South Caucasus. At centre stage is the growing opposition against authoritarian aspects of President Mikheil Saakashvili's regime and the mysterious death of Prime Minister Zhvania in 2005. The book also asks if the Rose Revolution was a conspiracy or a genuine popular uprising.



This truly authoritative account of Georgia is a must for students studying international relations in the aftermath of The Cold War.
List of Photos

List of Acronyms

Preface

Map of Georgia

1. The geopolitical setting -- a renewed Great Game

2. Puppet Or buffer?

3. A history of failed independence

4. The dissolution of the Soviet Union -- blessing or disaster?

5. The break-away regions -- Russian stooges or freedom seekers?

6. Gamsakhurdia -- the tactical fanatic

7. Shevardnadze – the failed saviour

8. Kmara – enough! The Rose Revolution.

9. The revolutionary honeymoon

10. The death of Zhvania – the revolution loses its brain

11. Saakashvili – the failed liberator

12. The Ossetia War 2008 – a conspiracy, but by whom?

13. After The War – renewed political clashes

14. Georgia And Russia – the prodigal son and the Big Brother

15. Georgia’s future – Caucasian, European and nonaligned

Appendix I: List of prominent figures

Appendix II: Acronyms and Abbreviations

Bibliography

Index

Sujets

• International Relations
• Political Science
• Georgia

Informations

• Publié par: Pluto Press
• Date de parution: 09 avril 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781849644440
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

GEORGIA

Georgia Pawn in the New Great Game

Per Gahrton

First published 2010 by Pluto Press 345 Archway Road, London N6 5AA and 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010

Distributed in the United States of America exclusively by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of St. Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010

www.plutobooks.com

Copyright © Per Gahrton 2010

The right of Per Gahrton to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN ISBN

978 0 7453 2860 7 978 0 7453 2859 1

Hardback Paperback

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data applied for

This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufactur ing processes are expected to conform to the environmental standards of the country of origin.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Designed and produced for Pluto Press by Curran Publishing Services, Norwich

Printed and bound in the European Union by CPI Antony Rowe, Chippenham and Eastbourne

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List of photos List of acronyms Preface Map of Georgia

CONTENTS

The geopolitical setting – a renewed Great Game A troubled area The new Silk Road The Western offensive A regional alternative? Russia’s comeback Chechnya – all about oil? New Russian strategy Will Obama make a difference? Notes

Puppet or buffer? Paradoxes National or private religion? Georgianization Javakheti – far from Tbilisi A transit country Puppet or buffer? Notes

A history of failed independence Long before Christ Georgievsk 1783 – occupation or protection? The first modern independence Soviet Georgia = occupied territory? Notes

The dissolution of the Soviet Union – blessing or disaster? Perestroika Social collapse, political pluralism

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C ONT E NT S

On the brink of civil war Western indifference to Russian suffering Notes

The breakaway regions – Russian stooges or freedom seekers? South Ossetia  Abolishing the autonomy  Years of relative calm  Attempts at reconquest Abkhazia  Countdown towards war  The fall of Sukhumi, and Georgian mass flight  Russia – culprit or scapegoat?  Renewed tension  Peace efforts Waiting for a Georgian de Gaulle Notes

Gamsakhurdia, the tactical fanatic April 9, 1989 Good liberator, poor administrator Dark legacy Notes

Shevardnadze, the failed saviour Contradicting moods Shevardnadze’s comeback Shevardnadze’s first ‘realistic’ phase 2000: cracks in the wall Shevardnadze turns to the West Escalation Preparing for Shevardnadze’s exit Back to Russia? Notes

Kmara – enough! The Rose Revolution Did the opposition win? Fear of Abashidze Peaceful takeover Was it a CIAled coup? Notes

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C ONT E NT S

The revolutionary honeymoon Successes and failures The presidential election of 2004 The brain of the revolution Towards oneparty democracy? Reconciliation with Russia? Deteriorating relations with Russia The end of the honeymoon Notes

10 The death of Zhvania – the revolution loses its brain  A Green realist  Zurab as political psychotherapist  Was Zhvania assassinated?  Repercussions of the death of Zhvania  A great loss  Notes

11 Saakashvili, the failed liberator  Minister, mayor, president  The November crisis, 2007  The presidential election of 2008  The parliamentary election of 2008  Good for business, not for the poor  Notes

12 The Ossetia War 2008 – a conspiracy, but by whom?  The final escalation  ‘Operation Clear Field’  Ceasefire  The aftermath  Contradictory conspiracy theories  A struggle about democracy?  Countermoves against Russian reemergence?  Dissident voices  The European Union blames Georgia most, which  embarrasses the EU presidency  Notes

13 After the war: renewed political clashes  Attempted coup – or fake?  Repressive tolerance  Notes

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C ONT E NT S

14 Georgia and Russia, the prodigal son and the Big Brother 204  Russia’s whiplashes 205  Escalation 207  No antiRussian feelings 210  Russians against antiGeorgian policy 212  Is a Russian carrot impossible? 213  Notes 215

15 Georgia’s future: Caucasian, European and nonaligned  NATO: no solution  Why not a Finnish option?  Cyprus repeated in the Caucasus?  What carrot for Russia?  Russian neocolonialism – or just globalization?  Options for Georgia  The need for alternative policy  Notes

Bibliography Index

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PHOTOS 1 The author with vice premier Gia Baramidze, former Green activist, who considers the strategic partnership agreement concluded with the United States in January 2009 as almost equivalent to a Membership Action Plan and an important step towards NATO membership for Georgia 2 The heritage of Stalin is a complicated aspect for many Georgians. There is still a huge statue of him in his town of birth, Gori 3 The author with Edward Shevardnadze in 2000 (in the middle is the head of the EU delegation in Tbilisi) 4 Shalva Natelashvili (here on an election poster 2008), the leader of Labour, the only major party with a genuinely alternative programme, could have achieved a strategic position after the 2003 elections had there not been the Rose Revolution 5 Zurab Zhvania founded the Green Party, then became Shevardnadze’s designated successor, but he changed parties in 2001 and was one of the leaders of the Rose Revolution in 2003. Here with the author and other Green MEPs in 2000 6 A poster used by the opposition during the election campaign of May 2008, saying: ‘Zhvania is dead, everything is possible’. Most Georgians believe that the premature and mysterious death of Zhvania has had negative repercussions for their country 7 The new presidential palace overlooking Tbilisi, constructed on the model of the White House in Washington DC. The Italian architect was granted Georgian citizenship as a reward for his work 8 Saakashvili addressing an election rally. He was elected in the first round, which according to the opposition was a result of fraud. This started a campaign which is still ongoing demanding the resignation of the president 9 During three months, from April to July 2009, mock

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