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RUSSIA ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT TURKEY
Messenger
Sept 23 2009
Georgia
Since the August 2008 invasion of Georgia the Russian media, which is
almost entirely State controlled, has been campaigning to discredit
Turkey in the eyes of Georgians. By doing this Russia is trying to
weaken the Turkish presence in the South Caucasus and at the same
time strengthen its own position.
During the first decade of the post-Soviet era in the South Caucasus
very stable, solid and promising connections were made between Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan. These have yielded some energy projects
of global significance: the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline,
the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum natural gas pipeline. Construction of the
Akhalkalaki (Georgia) to Kars (Turkey) railway is currently on the
agenda, and the next step will be implementing the NABUCCO project
in order to provide an alternative supply of natural gas to Europe
which bypasses Russia.
However it is clear that all these projects, which have so far being
successful, are creating irritation and jealousy in Moscow and are
hindering the creation of the Russian "energy empire". Under this
doctrine the Kremlin will regain its influence over the post-Soviet
space and Europe will become greatly dependent on energy supplied to
it by Russia. The successful implementation of the South Caucasus
projects to date has been mainly based on good, friendly, and
neighbourly relations between Georgia and Turkey, which Russia does
not want to see. When Russia's first modern aggression in the 90s
of the last century blocked Georgia's original land connection with
Europe, as Moscow intended, Turkey became the only land connection
to Europe available to Georgia. If during the Soviet period Turkey
was seen by Georgia as a continual threat things have now changed
completely. Turkey has become the closest friend of Georgia while
Russia has distanced itself and eventually become the number one
enemy of Georgia.
The Russian occupation of Georgia's territories has created the
situation which prevents constructive cooperation between Tbilisi
and Moscow. Meanwhile the Kremlin continues to foment wicked plans
to destroy Georgia's statehood. The Kremlin wants to encourage
neighbouring States such as Armenia or others to make territorial
claims against Georgia and the Russian media is currently speculating
about Turkey recognising Abkhazia as an independent state in return
for Russia doing the same in Northern Cyprus. The Russian media
is also speculating that Turkish might make a claim for Adjara and
Armenia might replace Georgia as a transit country, in particular
as a stakeholder in NABUCCO. We consider these are just desperate
attempts by Russian imperialists to create problems between Ankara
and Tbilisi, but what else might follow? How difficult is it for
someone to try and gain personal profit by acting on these reports,
and creating problems for the sake of it to do so?
Of course the Georgian public and politicians realise that such
propaganda is purely designed to discredit Turkey in Georgia, as
it bears little relation to reality. They will not rise to Russian
provocations, nor allow any external actor to disrupt the friendly
relations between Georgia and Turkey and other countries as well.
Messenger
Sept 23 2009
Georgia
Since the August 2008 invasion of Georgia the Russian media, which is
almost entirely State controlled, has been campaigning to discredit
Turkey in the eyes of Georgians. By doing this Russia is trying to
weaken the Turkish presence in the South Caucasus and at the same
time strengthen its own position.
During the first decade of the post-Soviet era in the South Caucasus
very stable, solid and promising connections were made between Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan. These have yielded some energy projects
of global significance: the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline,
the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum natural gas pipeline. Construction of the
Akhalkalaki (Georgia) to Kars (Turkey) railway is currently on the
agenda, and the next step will be implementing the NABUCCO project
in order to provide an alternative supply of natural gas to Europe
which bypasses Russia.
However it is clear that all these projects, which have so far being
successful, are creating irritation and jealousy in Moscow and are
hindering the creation of the Russian "energy empire". Under this
doctrine the Kremlin will regain its influence over the post-Soviet
space and Europe will become greatly dependent on energy supplied to
it by Russia. The successful implementation of the South Caucasus
projects to date has been mainly based on good, friendly, and
neighbourly relations between Georgia and Turkey, which Russia does
not want to see. When Russia's first modern aggression in the 90s
of the last century blocked Georgia's original land connection with
Europe, as Moscow intended, Turkey became the only land connection
to Europe available to Georgia. If during the Soviet period Turkey
was seen by Georgia as a continual threat things have now changed
completely. Turkey has become the closest friend of Georgia while
Russia has distanced itself and eventually become the number one
enemy of Georgia.
The Russian occupation of Georgia's territories has created the
situation which prevents constructive cooperation between Tbilisi
and Moscow. Meanwhile the Kremlin continues to foment wicked plans
to destroy Georgia's statehood. The Kremlin wants to encourage
neighbouring States such as Armenia or others to make territorial
claims against Georgia and the Russian media is currently speculating
about Turkey recognising Abkhazia as an independent state in return
for Russia doing the same in Northern Cyprus. The Russian media
is also speculating that Turkish might make a claim for Adjara and
Armenia might replace Georgia as a transit country, in particular
as a stakeholder in NABUCCO. We consider these are just desperate
attempts by Russian imperialists to create problems between Ankara
and Tbilisi, but what else might follow? How difficult is it for
someone to try and gain personal profit by acting on these reports,
and creating problems for the sake of it to do so?
Of course the Georgian public and politicians realise that such
propaganda is purely designed to discredit Turkey in Georgia, as
it bears little relation to reality. They will not rise to Russian
provocations, nor allow any external actor to disrupt the friendly
relations between Georgia and Turkey and other countries as well.