Georgian Foreign Minister: U.S.–Georgia Strategic Partnership on Democracy and Security

NATO membership is Georgia’s top foreign policy priority, and the Georgian government is working to fulfill the criteria of membership, said Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze at Carnegie on June 23.  Restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity is perhaps the most problematic requirement to meet, and U.S. support for Georgia as it works through this process will be critical.

In a discussion moderated by Ambassador James Collins, director of Carnegie’s Russia-Eurasia program, Vashadze asserted that Russia continues to pose an existential threat to Georgia, by claiming a right to interfere in what it calls zones of privileged interest. Given the imbalance in geographic size and military power between the two countries, an international security mechanism—whether an international monitoring force or NATO security guarantees—is necessary to uphold Georgia’s security.

Vashadze emphasized other key Georgian priorities, including:

• Consolidating Georgia’s democracy through continued political reforms to ensure that opposition parties and a free press can thrive.
• Pursuing continued economic reform to foster a favorable environment for foreign investment.
• Regaining control of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, breakaway provinces that Russia recognized as independent in the wake of the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war.
• Maintaining a reliable energy corridor to Europe. The Caucasus is a critical transit route for oil and gas from Central Asia, and Vashadze argued that Russia is attempting to destabilize the region to maintain a monopoly on the region’s energy resources.
• Improving regional cooperation and relations with Georgia’s neighbors. A railway under construction that will connect Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia is one important step toward greater regional exchange. Georgia is also working to improve relations with Armenia, which have been somewhat strained in due to Armenia’s close relationship with Russia.
• Advancing the U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership, which covers democracy promotion and security issues.

Vashadze concluded:

“To pursue our goal of building a strong, enduring and democratic state that is at peace with its neighbors, Georgia is actively cooperating with international institutions that share our vision. Integration into NATO is a natural process for Georgia—it is critical to our security and also serves the interests of our allies, who seek security and stability throughout Europe.”