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Georgia fails to please Azerbaijan, Russia, and West
Trying to please his Muslim neighbours, Saakashvili did his best to
put the country in total dependence on Baku's energy supply.
Mikheil Saakashvili's defeat at the parliamentary elections in Georgia
can entail certain regional changes, namely, with regard to the
relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan, and further maybe between
Georgia and Turkey.
November 10, 2012
PanARMENIAN.Net - According to Azerbaijani media, the new Georgian
minister of economy Giorgi Kvirikashvili did not exclude that the
agreements signed with the Russian Inter RAO UES and Azerbaijan's
State Oil Company (SOCAR) may be reviewed. He believes it's not right
for an investor to invest funds in a country and seek profit in five
years. `Investors should not violate the rights of the consumers
through regulatory commissions,' he says. Prior to this, the new prime
minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili voiced the intention to cut
down the tariffs for the imported gas.All these unexpected statements
damage the interests of SOCAR which recently bought Itera-Georgia (the
branch of the ITERA International Energy LLC). This purchase gave
SOCAR the right to directly sell gas all over Georgia's territory,
except for capital Tbilisi. On November 3, SOCAR president Rovnag
Abdullayev commented on Kvirikashvili's statement in an interview with
an Azerbaijani TV channels saying he hoped the euphoria of Georgia's
new government will pass, and the words of their politicians will
match the reality. Such statements are in fact part of the electoral
process that just ended in Georgia, he noted.
Trying to please his Muslim neighbours, Saakashvili did his best to
put the country in total dependence on Baku's energy supply. This
resulted in Armenia's isolation from the pipelines and regional
integration. One may only guess what he had on his mind when following
the tastes of Aliyev and Erdogan. However, a person, seemingly
Christian, should not have danced to Muslims' tune.
Well, the developments of the past 10 years will weigh on
Saakashvili's conscience, provided he has one. All in all, Armenia has
nothing to do with Georgian gas supply; the potential launch of the
Abkhaz railway branch line is far more serious. Baku is already
voicing its hysterical threats.
`If railway communication with Armenia is restored (through Abkhazia),
Azerbaijan may support separatist regimes in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia,' Musa Gasymly, member of Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis declared.
Ivanishvili's statement on potential resumption of railway
communication with Armenia through Russia-led Abkhazia `raises
concerns' in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani media report.
Experts think this policy of Georgia's new PM may harm its relations
with Azerbaijan.
Gasymly believes Ivanishvili's policy cannot be perceived positively.
`Georgia must consider the allied ties with Azerbaijan. Georgia's
economic and social situation directly depends on Azerbaijan. If
pro-Armenian policy is further pursued, Azerbaijan will have to make
relevant moves,' he said. The MP thinks if Azerbaijan has to take
reciprocal steps, this will yield no positive results for Georgia.
Gasymly urges Ivanishvili to `stop his unclear statements and realize
that the damage to strategic ties between Georgia and Azerbaijan will
negatively affect Georgia, in the first place.' Meanwhile, the
notorious Azerbaijani political scientist, the governmental mouthpiece
for `Aliyev's tales' Mubariz Ahmedoglu believes that Georgia, despite
its seemingly neutral stance, tends to support Armenia in the dispute
over Nagorno Karabakh. He says Azerbaijan `should review its contracts
and agreements with Georgia'. According to Ahmedoglu, Azerbaijan is
making many concessions to Georgia by selling the gas very cheaply,
but sees `no reciprocal moves' on Georgia's part.
It will take quite a while for Georgia to settle the problems
inherited from Saakashvili, if the country really seeks to change its
image and turn from `the beacon of democracy' into a normal state.
This is a long and hard path; reconsideration of relations with one's
neighbours does not always come easy, and if threats of Azerbaijan and
Turkey suddenly become a reality, Tbilisi will have to just rely on
Moscow, however hard the Georgian leaders try to avoid it. The West
has already washed its hands off Georgia, so no aid is to be expected
here. The re-elected U.S. president Barack Obama does not at all want
to bother about Georgia; he has his own problems to tackle. Maybe, if
Romney were elected...however, the history recognizes no `ifs'. So,
Ivanishvili has to decide his further moves, though this is quite
difficult.
Karine Ter-Sahakian
Trying to please his Muslim neighbours, Saakashvili did his best to
put the country in total dependence on Baku's energy supply.
Mikheil Saakashvili's defeat at the parliamentary elections in Georgia
can entail certain regional changes, namely, with regard to the
relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan, and further maybe between
Georgia and Turkey.
November 10, 2012
PanARMENIAN.Net - According to Azerbaijani media, the new Georgian
minister of economy Giorgi Kvirikashvili did not exclude that the
agreements signed with the Russian Inter RAO UES and Azerbaijan's
State Oil Company (SOCAR) may be reviewed. He believes it's not right
for an investor to invest funds in a country and seek profit in five
years. `Investors should not violate the rights of the consumers
through regulatory commissions,' he says. Prior to this, the new prime
minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili voiced the intention to cut
down the tariffs for the imported gas.All these unexpected statements
damage the interests of SOCAR which recently bought Itera-Georgia (the
branch of the ITERA International Energy LLC). This purchase gave
SOCAR the right to directly sell gas all over Georgia's territory,
except for capital Tbilisi. On November 3, SOCAR president Rovnag
Abdullayev commented on Kvirikashvili's statement in an interview with
an Azerbaijani TV channels saying he hoped the euphoria of Georgia's
new government will pass, and the words of their politicians will
match the reality. Such statements are in fact part of the electoral
process that just ended in Georgia, he noted.
Trying to please his Muslim neighbours, Saakashvili did his best to
put the country in total dependence on Baku's energy supply. This
resulted in Armenia's isolation from the pipelines and regional
integration. One may only guess what he had on his mind when following
the tastes of Aliyev and Erdogan. However, a person, seemingly
Christian, should not have danced to Muslims' tune.
Well, the developments of the past 10 years will weigh on
Saakashvili's conscience, provided he has one. All in all, Armenia has
nothing to do with Georgian gas supply; the potential launch of the
Abkhaz railway branch line is far more serious. Baku is already
voicing its hysterical threats.
`If railway communication with Armenia is restored (through Abkhazia),
Azerbaijan may support separatist regimes in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia,' Musa Gasymly, member of Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis declared.
Ivanishvili's statement on potential resumption of railway
communication with Armenia through Russia-led Abkhazia `raises
concerns' in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani media report.
Experts think this policy of Georgia's new PM may harm its relations
with Azerbaijan.
Gasymly believes Ivanishvili's policy cannot be perceived positively.
`Georgia must consider the allied ties with Azerbaijan. Georgia's
economic and social situation directly depends on Azerbaijan. If
pro-Armenian policy is further pursued, Azerbaijan will have to make
relevant moves,' he said. The MP thinks if Azerbaijan has to take
reciprocal steps, this will yield no positive results for Georgia.
Gasymly urges Ivanishvili to `stop his unclear statements and realize
that the damage to strategic ties between Georgia and Azerbaijan will
negatively affect Georgia, in the first place.' Meanwhile, the
notorious Azerbaijani political scientist, the governmental mouthpiece
for `Aliyev's tales' Mubariz Ahmedoglu believes that Georgia, despite
its seemingly neutral stance, tends to support Armenia in the dispute
over Nagorno Karabakh. He says Azerbaijan `should review its contracts
and agreements with Georgia'. According to Ahmedoglu, Azerbaijan is
making many concessions to Georgia by selling the gas very cheaply,
but sees `no reciprocal moves' on Georgia's part.
It will take quite a while for Georgia to settle the problems
inherited from Saakashvili, if the country really seeks to change its
image and turn from `the beacon of democracy' into a normal state.
This is a long and hard path; reconsideration of relations with one's
neighbours does not always come easy, and if threats of Azerbaijan and
Turkey suddenly become a reality, Tbilisi will have to just rely on
Moscow, however hard the Georgian leaders try to avoid it. The West
has already washed its hands off Georgia, so no aid is to be expected
here. The re-elected U.S. president Barack Obama does not at all want
to bother about Georgia; he has his own problems to tackle. Maybe, if
Romney were elected...however, the history recognizes no `ifs'. So,
Ivanishvili has to decide his further moves, though this is quite
difficult.
Karine Ter-Sahakian