The Black Sea Peacebuilding Network
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BULLETIN # 12 www.bspn.gfsis.org DECEMBER 2013 BSPN THE BLACK SEA PEACEBUILDING NETWORK CONTENTS MEETINGS & EVENTS Black Sea Peacebuilding Net- P. 1 work Georgian experts meeting OPINION PAPERS Vasil Sikharulidze P. 2 Recommendations on Foreign and security Policy of Georgia BLACK SEA PEACEBUILDING NETWORK GEORGIAN Prospects of cooperation in the EXPERTS MEETING Black Sea Region On July 23, 2013 a meeting of experts of the Black Sea Peacebuilding Alexander Rusetski Network was held at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and Inter- P. 3 Economic Dimensions of Con- national Studies. The meeting was attended by experts of the BSPN, flicts and Peace Processes the team working on the project, and representatives of the civil so- ciety. Ivlian Haindrava At the meeting reports were presented by Vasil Sikharulidze, Georgian P. 7 Theory of Attitude and Set Council on Foreign Relations and Alexander Rusetski, South Cauca- sus Center for International and Regional Security. Vasil Sikharuli- dze’s report was Recommendations on Foreign and security Policy Nino Samvelidze of Georgia Prospects of cooperation in the Black Sea Region. Al- P. 9 Perspectives of Separatist Re- exander Rusetski had a report on Economic Dimensions of Conflicts gions’ Participation in DCFTA and Peace Processes. On October 15, 2013 Georgian Foundation for Strategic and Interna- tional Studies hosted another meeting of experts of the BSPN - Fore- sight for Conflict Prevention in the Black Sea Region - Recommenda- SPECIAL ADDITION tions Workshop. The Workshop was held by Mikheil Mirziashvili, Senior Project Manager, Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) and Erno Miettinen, Project Officer, Crisis Management Initia- Ivlian Haindrava tive (CMI). The meeting was opened by Kakha Gogolashvili. P. 11 SOCHI-2014: BEFORE AND AFTER BULLETIN # 12 2 DECEMBER 2013 RECOMMENDATIONS ON FOREIGN AND elaborated by the government should be avoided. Such ap- SECURITY POLICY OF GEORGIA PROSPECTS OF proaches, on the one hand, will weaken the opportunities COOPERATION IN THE BLACK SEA REGION of Georgia’s foreign policy and, on the other, will make Vasil Sikharulidze seriousness of the Georgian government questionable and undermine confidence towards it on the international arena. Georgia’s Council on Foreign Relations is working on a Relations with Russia. Weakening the rhetoric of the Geor- document dealing with general possibilities, challenges, gian side and adding a new format of negotiations will not and risks of Georgia’s foreign and national safety policy in bring about any changes to Russia’s position regarding short and middle term per- Vasil Sikharulidze - Georgian Georgia’s occupied territories and to Russia’s attitude to- diplomat and politician. Chairman spective and recommenda- wards the European and Euro-Atlantic course of our coun- of Atlantic Council tions concerning responses try. There is likelihood, that Russia will continue its pres- of Georgia, 1996- to them. Here are some of sure on Georgia with the view to receiving as much com- 2000 he worked for the theses that will be pre- promise as possible. At the same time, it will encourage the Parliament of sented in this document. some of the radical groups in order to promote marginal Georgia as a leading specialist on defense Elections of 1 October tendencies in the internal politics of Georgia. It will also and security issues, 2000 to 2002 - and the change of power continue making efforts to persuade the third countries to headed the NATO division at the in a constitutional way recognize independence of the occupied territories. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Geor- made the image of Geor- Absence of a well-formulated safety and foreign strategy, gia from and served as a deputy head gian democratic state even of the Georgian Mission of NATO illusions of certain communities with regard to changes stronger. Change of power in relations with Russia and inadequate expectations, the in Brussels. 2004-2005 - Deputy through elections is posi- Minister of Defense, 2005-2008 - process of reorganization of the institutes coordinating na- the Ambassador Extraordinary and tively reflected on Geor- tional security policy generates the risk of weakening of Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the gia’s international posi- Georgia’s foreign political activity in international organi- United States, Canada and Mexico. tions and allows Georgia zations and bilateral relations. It especially concerns pur- 2008-2010 - foreign affairs advisor to continue its foreign po- poseful and consistent activities in the field of de-occupa- to the President of Georgia, 2009 litical course towards Eu- tion and reintegration of Georgia’s occupied territories as - Georgia’s Minister of Defence ropean and Euro-Atlantic well as Euro-Atlantic integration. (2008-2009). integration and towards de-occupation of the occu- Recommendations pied territories more efficiently. The country’s foreign-political strategy should be worked In the given situation taking pro-active and right steps out with the emphasis on main directions and priorities. It is makes it possible to achieve substantial and practical prog- equally necessary for the government to submit two strate- ress in the direction of Georgia’s European and Euro-At- gic documents: one about de-occupation and reintegration, lantic integration in a short period of time. Furthermore, and another - about the strategy of the country’s integra- it is possible to make certain progress with regard to the tion in the NATO. Both documents should be based on the occupied regions and to reinforce the country’s positions national safety conception. It is important that strategies of for the future success of de-occupation policy. Euro-Atlantic integration as well as those of de-occupation and the integration of the occupied regions should be clear- Georgia faces certain hazards, challenges and risks. It is ly demarcated. There should not be the impression that any necessary to understand these and to react on them ade- of these strategies depend on the other, or that there is a quately. Declaration of strategic goals is just the first step. clear consecutiveness in their accomplishment. It is essential that there is the government’s clearly formu- lated strategy and policy towards the declared goals and It is essential that the action plan of the activities to be tasks – European and Euro-Atlantic integration, peaceful implemented by the government in the period before the de-occupation of the occupied territories and their reinte- NATO summit of 2014 are worked out. It will involve gration. It does not necessarily have to be a new strategy; plans for intensive bilateral consultations with international it may concur with the already existing one or may make academic communities aimed at consolidating supporters some modifications to it. However, no departments, except and intensifying dialogues with sceptics. The action plan for the Defense Ministry, neither the government on the should also include concrete steps to be taken in the direc- whole have submitted any document of this kind. There tion of carrying out internal reforms before the summit of exist only fragmented, in some cases even inter-conflicting 2014, which should make allies more confident about the statements on strategic issues. loyalty of Georgian government to the course of democrat- ic development of the country. Declaration of a new policy, new approaches or politi- cal initiatives without being properly conceptualized and In the process of elaborating the strategies and making de- BULLETIN # 12 3 DECEMBER 2013 cisions on important international issues it is necessary to ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS OF CONFLICTS AND conduct more intensive consultations with basic allies. It is PEACE PROCESSES appropriate to create a standing consultation format with basic partners where issues of foreign and safety policies Alexander Rusetski will be discussed. It is particularly important to create such a format with Germany. Main objective of this article is to draw public’s attention to the fact that one of the important components of con- The recently declared policy of ‘arranging’ relations with tinuous unsettled state of existing conflicts and inefficiency Russia is unlikely to lead to any result with regard to solving of peace processes is ig- Alexander Rusetski - Psycholo- strategically significant problems for Georgia. It is obvious noring economic interests gist, political scientist, Director of that Russia does not intend to fulfill its obligations under and motivations of conflict the Caucasus ceasefire agreement; neither does it intend toconstructively sides and participants of Institute of Re- engage itself in the Geneva negotiations. It is also unlikely peace processes or overes- gional Security (2002-2012), that Russia will lead any firm and stable economic relations timation of the importance Director of with Georgia and that it will not employ these relations for of this factor. Economic Innovations political pressure and a mechanism of manipulation. Rus- dimension of the conflict and Strategic sia has already started using these bilateral activities in the is an extremely important Development field of economics and culture for making the issue of oc- multi-component system Department of Caucasus cupation of Georgian territories weaker on the international which is actually impos- International arena. In this situation, in order to carry out efficient foreign sible to describe in just one University (since 2012). For years policy, Georgia should take pro-active