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INTERVIEW: BRZEZINSKI: 'US WILL NOT RECOGNIZE FRAUDULENT INDEPENDENCE'
Daily Georgian Times
March 25 2008
Georgia
Exclusive interview with former US National Security Advisor
"My style is to be brief in my responses, for that mitigates the
possibility of misunderstandings. I look forward to the interview and
thus to communicating with the people of Georgia," Zbigniew Brzezinski
noted in an e-mail interview with The Georgian Times.
Brzezinski, a former National Security Advisor during the Jimmy Carter
administration, is currently a professor of American foreign policy at
John Hopkins University's school of Advances International Studies,
a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies,
and a member of various boards and councils.
Besides his scientific activity, Brzezinski has stayed actively
involved in politics. According to foreign media, he currently acts
as a foreign policy advisor for US presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Q: For the past decade, the US has remained dominant but it is now
facing rivalry from the EU, Russia, China and India. How would you
assess the emerging new poles on the world map?
A: The U.S. is still dominant and will remain so for quite awhile.
Obviously, China, Japan, Indian, and perhaps Russia are going to
be playing important roles on the world scene, though in several
of the foregoing cases, that role will be very much influenced by
the ability of the respective countries to deal with their internal
problems. Nonetheless, I do not envisage any fundamental confrontation.
Q: What role does the Caucasus (particularly Georgia) play against
this background?
A: The region of the Caucasus is a region of instability and of
potential local conflicts. This is why the international community
has to be very sensitive to the security problems of the countries in
the region, and they should also promote actively in the resolution
of territorial or ethnic conflicts
Q: What are Barack Obama's chances of victory versus Clinton, and
later McCain if he becomes the candidate?
A: I think Obama's chances of getting the nomination are better
than Clinton's, his chances of winning the presidency are better
than McCain's
Q: If Barack Obama wins the presidential race, will anything change
in the US foreign policy towards Georgia?
A: I doubt very much that there would be any significant change.
Q: What would you say about Kosovo independence claims? Does it not
hold the danger of still serving as a precedent and opening a new
front in Eastern Europe?
A: The desire of the people of Kosovo for independence was approved
by the European Union, and the European Union has a right to make
that judgment, especially since it was convinced that the desire
for independence was the free and democratic choice of the people
of Kosovo.
Q: How will the Kosovo case impact the "New Eurasian Balkans",
if we consider the explosive situation in Abkhazia, South Ossetia,
Karabagh and North Caucasus?
A: I do not believe that the issue of Kosovo sets any precedents for
the cases that you have mentioned, because every one of them is quite
different from the case of Kosovo.
Q: How would the US react, if Russia recognizes the independence of
Georgia's separatist republics (Abkhazia and South Ossetia)?
A: The United States will not recognize fraudulent independence.
Q: Venezuela is emerging as a flagman of the anti-American coalition
and is becoming a kind of successor to Cuba. It has even poised to
establish an anti-American military alliance. How is the US going to
deal with this new challenge?
A: Where Venezuela is causing problems, it is doubtful that it can
establish any "anti-American military alliance." The issue should be
approached with patience and historical understanding
Q: Your opponents often claim that you are not positive about the
Orthodox Church. In your opinion, what role does religion plays in
politics and how would you assess the role of the Orthodox Church?
A: I have no view one way or another of the Orthodox Church, but I
respect it as a major component of the religious mosaic of the world
Q: Georgia's incumbent government has an overtly pro-US line. Is
there any danger that such an excessive pro-American sentiment will
backlash to enkindle anti-American attitudes?
A: That is a question for the Georgians themselves to decide
Q: Do you follow the developments in Georgia? How would you assess the
November standoff, and the follow-up events? What can you say about
Georgia's presidential elections? The opposition is still contesting
its results saying they were not fair and democratic...
A: I was not an observer at the elections, but I have read the reports
by electoral monitors, and they concluded that the elections were
essentially fair.
Q: Do you think the colored revolutions in the post Soviet republics
(cases of Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan) were a successful
project? What would you say about Armenia's post-election crisis in
these terms? What forces are struggling in Armenia?
A: I think the multi-colored revolutions in Georgia, Ukraine, and
Kyrgyzstan were spontaneous and a genuine expression of political
will. That does not mean that democracy flowers immediately thereafter,
but the will of the people was nonetheless quite clear.
The struggle in Armenia seems to me to be unnecessarily violent.
Malkhaz Gulashvili , Kethevan Khachidze 2008.03.25 12:29
Daily Georgian Times
March 25 2008
Georgia
Exclusive interview with former US National Security Advisor
"My style is to be brief in my responses, for that mitigates the
possibility of misunderstandings. I look forward to the interview and
thus to communicating with the people of Georgia," Zbigniew Brzezinski
noted in an e-mail interview with The Georgian Times.
Brzezinski, a former National Security Advisor during the Jimmy Carter
administration, is currently a professor of American foreign policy at
John Hopkins University's school of Advances International Studies,
a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies,
and a member of various boards and councils.
Besides his scientific activity, Brzezinski has stayed actively
involved in politics. According to foreign media, he currently acts
as a foreign policy advisor for US presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Q: For the past decade, the US has remained dominant but it is now
facing rivalry from the EU, Russia, China and India. How would you
assess the emerging new poles on the world map?
A: The U.S. is still dominant and will remain so for quite awhile.
Obviously, China, Japan, Indian, and perhaps Russia are going to
be playing important roles on the world scene, though in several
of the foregoing cases, that role will be very much influenced by
the ability of the respective countries to deal with their internal
problems. Nonetheless, I do not envisage any fundamental confrontation.
Q: What role does the Caucasus (particularly Georgia) play against
this background?
A: The region of the Caucasus is a region of instability and of
potential local conflicts. This is why the international community
has to be very sensitive to the security problems of the countries in
the region, and they should also promote actively in the resolution
of territorial or ethnic conflicts
Q: What are Barack Obama's chances of victory versus Clinton, and
later McCain if he becomes the candidate?
A: I think Obama's chances of getting the nomination are better
than Clinton's, his chances of winning the presidency are better
than McCain's
Q: If Barack Obama wins the presidential race, will anything change
in the US foreign policy towards Georgia?
A: I doubt very much that there would be any significant change.
Q: What would you say about Kosovo independence claims? Does it not
hold the danger of still serving as a precedent and opening a new
front in Eastern Europe?
A: The desire of the people of Kosovo for independence was approved
by the European Union, and the European Union has a right to make
that judgment, especially since it was convinced that the desire
for independence was the free and democratic choice of the people
of Kosovo.
Q: How will the Kosovo case impact the "New Eurasian Balkans",
if we consider the explosive situation in Abkhazia, South Ossetia,
Karabagh and North Caucasus?
A: I do not believe that the issue of Kosovo sets any precedents for
the cases that you have mentioned, because every one of them is quite
different from the case of Kosovo.
Q: How would the US react, if Russia recognizes the independence of
Georgia's separatist republics (Abkhazia and South Ossetia)?
A: The United States will not recognize fraudulent independence.
Q: Venezuela is emerging as a flagman of the anti-American coalition
and is becoming a kind of successor to Cuba. It has even poised to
establish an anti-American military alliance. How is the US going to
deal with this new challenge?
A: Where Venezuela is causing problems, it is doubtful that it can
establish any "anti-American military alliance." The issue should be
approached with patience and historical understanding
Q: Your opponents often claim that you are not positive about the
Orthodox Church. In your opinion, what role does religion plays in
politics and how would you assess the role of the Orthodox Church?
A: I have no view one way or another of the Orthodox Church, but I
respect it as a major component of the religious mosaic of the world
Q: Georgia's incumbent government has an overtly pro-US line. Is
there any danger that such an excessive pro-American sentiment will
backlash to enkindle anti-American attitudes?
A: That is a question for the Georgians themselves to decide
Q: Do you follow the developments in Georgia? How would you assess the
November standoff, and the follow-up events? What can you say about
Georgia's presidential elections? The opposition is still contesting
its results saying they were not fair and democratic...
A: I was not an observer at the elections, but I have read the reports
by electoral monitors, and they concluded that the elections were
essentially fair.
Q: Do you think the colored revolutions in the post Soviet republics
(cases of Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan) were a successful
project? What would you say about Armenia's post-election crisis in
these terms? What forces are struggling in Armenia?
A: I think the multi-colored revolutions in Georgia, Ukraine, and
Kyrgyzstan were spontaneous and a genuine expression of political
will. That does not mean that democracy flowers immediately thereafter,
but the will of the people was nonetheless quite clear.
The struggle in Armenia seems to me to be unnecessarily violent.
Malkhaz Gulashvili , Kethevan Khachidze 2008.03.25 12:29