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Serious Geopolitical Prospect for Javakhk
Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 16 August 2014, 16:59
Georgia is building a military base in Akhalkalak, in the place of the
Russian military base which was withdrawn in 2007 by Saakashvili's
effort. At that time the greater part of the population of Javakhk was
disappointed with Georgia's decision because the military base
provided direct and indirect employment for part of the Armenians of
Javakhk. And now, 7 years later, Georgia starts building a big
military base.
Georgia's initiative overlaps with an interesting period when the
West-Russia confrontation has escalated, and the South Caucasus
aspires to becoming one of its key points. Georgia has signed the
Association Agreement with the EU, which indicates a new stage for
security cooperation in the West. In this respect, it is important
whether NATO may have any presence in the new military base in the
course of time.
This is an important issue indeed, and it is not accidental that 7
years after the withdrawal of the Russian base Georgia builds a
Georgian military base in the place of the Russian base in this exact
geopolitical stage. One of the issues on the agenda of the NATO summit
in Wales in September will be the new level of relations between NATO
and Eastern Europe, including Georgia. There is little possibility
that Georgia's membership will come true but a serious discussion on a
new level of cooperation with this country in the general geopolitical
context is possible.
NATO may empower itself with new tools of cooperation with non-member
countries for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. And it may mean that the
North Atlantic Alliance will receive a possibility or prospect for
being present in Georgia though the latter is not a member. In this
respect the Georgian military base in Akhalkalak has a strategic
importance because it is close to the Russian base in Armenia, is
located in a place where Russian provocations against Georgia are
probable, close to the conflict area of Artsakh which is one of the
probable places of destabilization of the region.
NATO's presence in Georgia may act as a factor of restoring the broken
balance in the region. The balance has been broken by the shortsighted
policy of the Armenian government, surrender of the country's
sovereignty to Russia, abdication of foreign policy and sovereign
interests by Armenia.
>From this point of view, the presence of NATO in the region stems from
the state interest of Armenia. On the one hand, the dominance of the
Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance over the issue of division of the
Caucasus through a military scheme will be reduced. On the other hand,
such presence may act as a factor of balance in protecting the
Armenian-Georgian relations from the Russian provocation which Moscow
will certainly try to do or at least consider doing against Georgia
which has associated with the EU.
At the same time, the presence of the Georgian military base, if it
becomes a lodgment for NATO's presence, stems from the interests of
Javakhk, acting as a factor of security against the
Turkish-Azerbaijani expansion a strong wave of which is observed in
Georgia and Javakhk is certainly one of the targets.
The presence of NATO in this region may change essentially the
geopolitical importance and regional role of Javakhk. Javakhk may
assume a regional role in international projects of Turkey's
containment.
It would be interesting to observe the reactions of Russia, Javakhk
and Armenia to the Georgian military base, who will torpedo this
process full of prospects for regional balance for the sake of the
security of Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk, and what the foci will be.
- See more at: http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/32848#sthash.vvB6HBrn.dpuf
Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 16 August 2014, 16:59
Georgia is building a military base in Akhalkalak, in the place of the
Russian military base which was withdrawn in 2007 by Saakashvili's
effort. At that time the greater part of the population of Javakhk was
disappointed with Georgia's decision because the military base
provided direct and indirect employment for part of the Armenians of
Javakhk. And now, 7 years later, Georgia starts building a big
military base.
Georgia's initiative overlaps with an interesting period when the
West-Russia confrontation has escalated, and the South Caucasus
aspires to becoming one of its key points. Georgia has signed the
Association Agreement with the EU, which indicates a new stage for
security cooperation in the West. In this respect, it is important
whether NATO may have any presence in the new military base in the
course of time.
This is an important issue indeed, and it is not accidental that 7
years after the withdrawal of the Russian base Georgia builds a
Georgian military base in the place of the Russian base in this exact
geopolitical stage. One of the issues on the agenda of the NATO summit
in Wales in September will be the new level of relations between NATO
and Eastern Europe, including Georgia. There is little possibility
that Georgia's membership will come true but a serious discussion on a
new level of cooperation with this country in the general geopolitical
context is possible.
NATO may empower itself with new tools of cooperation with non-member
countries for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. And it may mean that the
North Atlantic Alliance will receive a possibility or prospect for
being present in Georgia though the latter is not a member. In this
respect the Georgian military base in Akhalkalak has a strategic
importance because it is close to the Russian base in Armenia, is
located in a place where Russian provocations against Georgia are
probable, close to the conflict area of Artsakh which is one of the
probable places of destabilization of the region.
NATO's presence in Georgia may act as a factor of restoring the broken
balance in the region. The balance has been broken by the shortsighted
policy of the Armenian government, surrender of the country's
sovereignty to Russia, abdication of foreign policy and sovereign
interests by Armenia.
>From this point of view, the presence of NATO in the region stems from
the state interest of Armenia. On the one hand, the dominance of the
Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance over the issue of division of the
Caucasus through a military scheme will be reduced. On the other hand,
such presence may act as a factor of balance in protecting the
Armenian-Georgian relations from the Russian provocation which Moscow
will certainly try to do or at least consider doing against Georgia
which has associated with the EU.
At the same time, the presence of the Georgian military base, if it
becomes a lodgment for NATO's presence, stems from the interests of
Javakhk, acting as a factor of security against the
Turkish-Azerbaijani expansion a strong wave of which is observed in
Georgia and Javakhk is certainly one of the targets.
The presence of NATO in this region may change essentially the
geopolitical importance and regional role of Javakhk. Javakhk may
assume a regional role in international projects of Turkey's
containment.
It would be interesting to observe the reactions of Russia, Javakhk
and Armenia to the Georgian military base, who will torpedo this
process full of prospects for regional balance for the sake of the
security of Armenia, Artsakh and Javakhk, and what the foci will be.
- See more at: http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/32848#sthash.vvB6HBrn.dpuf