WHAT’S THE POINT OF PRETENDING
THAT EVERYONE AROUND YOU ARE IDIOTS?
Georgian authorities concerned of improving its image in Abkhazia and South Ossetia

After 18 years of the most active period of Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflict, government of Georgia decided to pretend that it "changed its mind" and allegedly found the way to correct everything and "reintegrate these territories and people into the constitutional area of Georgia by peaceful means". Perhaps, if Georgia didn’t choose the path of war prior to that and if such policy was implemented at least 5 years ago, its effectiveness would be unquestionable. Now it’s impossible to find any sense of presenting such document.

Intricate way of Saakashvili’s thinking gave birth to the new original strategy called "Involvement via cooperation". According to the original idea that was stated in English, this strategy will result in the restoration of trust between Georgians, Abkhazians and Ossetes. At the same time official Tbilisi is not going to deny the concept of considering Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be the Georgian territory. Georgian authorities call Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be the "territories occupied by Russia" and seemingly are unwilling to change this term.

So, how is it possible to approach the republics that separated from Georgia due to the genocide committed by the country? It turns out, that Georgian help in social, cultural and economic spheres would be enough. For example, it is planned to create joint ventures (that are specialized on agricultural goods processing) and special economic zones at the border territories. Also, Georgian authorities promise to help the promotion of Abkhazian and Ossetic commodities’ sales abroad and to take care of the employment of Abkhazian and South Ossetian residents.

Another issue is the restoration of transport communication between Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, restoration of water and gas supply at the border territories.

In fact, after 18 years of the most active period of Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflict, government of Georgia decided to pretend that it "changed its mind" and allegedly found the way to correct everything and "reintegrate these territories and people into the constitutional area of Georgia by peaceful means". Perhaps, if Georgia didn’t choose the path of war prior to that and if such policy was implemented at least 5 years ago, its effectiveness would be unquestionable. Now it’s impossible to find any sense of presenting such document. Observes gave it a very accurate name — "absurdity".

Pandukht, one of the bloggers majoring in the Ossetian and Abkhazian problem, commented the text of "Involvement via cooperation" in the following way: "Being deep in a process of reading I had a feeling like there was no Georgian aggression against South Ossetia and Abkhazia of 1991-92 and latter defeat of the aggressor. There was no mutiny of "The Forest Brothers" in 1998 and Gelayev’ raid in 2001, no artillery fire of Tskhinvali in 2004. There were no 16 years of mass revanchist hysteria, muscles build-up, no NATO sabre-rattling during the preparations for the new aggression act. There was no assault of Tskhinvali in August of 2008 and puppy delight of Georgian society expecting their cherished dream to come true — dream of exiling the peaceful population from the rebellious area. There was no latter defeat of Georgian army by 58th army of the Russian Federation and recognition of independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. There was only slight and unfortunate rupture of economic relations between the entities of economic contacts".

Here’s the excerpt of the discussed document: "Authorities of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region of South Ossetia are just the puppet governments, created and supported by the occupants at our territory". Then, the logical question arises — how Georgia is going to start a bus connection or to help with the bathhouse construction (these are the real intentions that are announced in the strategy) without recognition of Eduard Kokoity and Sergei Bagapsh’ legitimacy? Temur Yakobashvili, Georgian State Minister for Reintegration tried to answer this question: "We can’t call them Presidents, but if we want to deal with them, we either can’t call them "You, puppet!" We have to be politically correct".

Minding all that, Georgian provocations at the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the collapse of the Soviet Union were dubbed the "mistakes of both side" (!), and, according to the authors, the Russian Federation has been "a permanent backset" for the conflict settlement.

"Total absence of penitence for what is done — this is how Pandukht characterize the environment of Mikheil Saakashvili. — And here is the same revanchist hysteria of remaining aggressor. Predator spite, who is deterred only by fear of inevitable Russian vengeance, is clearly seen behind the documentary declaration of good will and willingness to reconcile. Besides that, the expectations of generous financial injection of the Western donors are quite noticeable here — they appear to be the ones, this document was made for. Moreover, there would be a possibility to complain to the Western friends that the "puppet regimes" didn’t understand and appreciate absolutely peaceful initiatives of the kind Georgian democrats as its true value again".

Expert assumption considering the West turned out to be true: right after the publication of the news about this strategy, Spain — being a representative of the EU due to its chairmanship — made a statement. According to the European politicians, "Involvement via cooperation" is a constructive step aimed at direct work with Abkhazian and Tskhinvali region’ inhabitants (by the way, Tskhinvali region is the exact name of South Ossetia that Tbilisi insists on — this very fact is eloquently speaking of the impossibility of peaceful neighborhood).

And here are some opinions of the Georgian bloggers regarding the authorities’ initiative: "In another situation I could’ve considered such document to be rather positive one, giving the grounds to think that the government is anxious about the living conditions of its citizens. I can say that this program is aimed to improve the current state of affairs and contribute to the preservation of national and cultural identity of people. But there’s a feeling that the document drafters have just landed after long period of living on the moon — in space their consciousness became so pure and their minds became so enlightened, that they’ve finally realized the simple truth".

"There were absolutely no words of regret, sorrow, repentance or even thinly veiled swipe that the those guilty of people’ deaths would be punished, — bloggers write. — How can we trust them in such case?! It’s really hard to forget the joyful faces of people in the early morning hours of 8th of August, when Tskhinvali was fired at. What was it? Was it the mass madness or just cynical urge to win by any means... but win over whom? Wouldn’t it be the victory over its own nation, if it is considered to be such? And how long can they pretend that everyone around you is idiot and it’s enough to write a paper so everybody would understand what a great government we have!"

Saakashvili’s PR-trick seemingly was in vain, having failed to get the expected enthusiastic welcome — surprise effect didn’t work out here. And his generous help to the people of Abkhazia and South Ossetia wouldn’t be necessary — Russia has been doing for the last several years without sounded declarations and new strategies.

By Maxim Nemov