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Topic: Georgia on my Mind. It is in the nature of bullies... (Read 2143 times) |
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Hermit
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Georgia on my Mind. It is in the nature of bullies...
« on: 2006-11-29 19:20:37 » |
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It is in the nature of bullies, when they are defeated or shown up in one place, to instead go elsewhere and bully someone else.
Georgia has a bear on their doorstep, which is after all, in the bear's backyard. Georgia also has, as last winter's fuel shut-offs showed, the wolf's nose stuck in their door.
No matter how the US pushes Georgia into a certain plan of action, the reality of oil and gas dependency means that if push comes to shove, NATO cannot afford to antagonize Russia by responding forcefully no matter what Russia does to Georgia (including a take-over), and as I mentioned elsewhere, the US has been shown to be, even if bad tempered, toothless. Thus Georgia needs to be extremely cautious about toeing too closely to American suggestions, and even more so, to be seen as aligning itself too closely with American policy. Policy which may run to bullying, but doesn't seem to have been translated into anything concrete to keep Georgia from freezing this winter.
That said, if Georgia is to retain any independence of action it needs fuel independence from Russia now, and sales for her products in the future. Iran offers Georgia this route. America does not. No matter how much America may choose to attempt to bully Georgia, Georgia will do better to deal with Iran and preserve its ability to act independently of America. America should realize this before making yet another massive strategic error at the expense of others.
US ambassador warns Georgia against Iran gas deal
Source: Associated Press
Authors: Not Credited (AP)
Dated: 2006-11-27
A US diplomat warned Georgia against signing a long-term contract for natural gas supplies with Iran, saying in an interview published Monday that such a deal would be "unacceptable" for the United States.[/url]
The weekly newspaper Kviris Palitra reported US Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft said the persistent energy problems that the poor, ex-Soviet republic has endured in recent years - most recently last winter when an explosion on Russian gas pipeline cut supplies for the country.
[color=red]"In these ... circumstances Georgia had to purchase a certain amount of gas from Iran. The US met the fact with understanding, but long-term strategic partnership between Iran and Georgia in that sphere is unacceptable for us," Tefft was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The US diplomat cited as reasons the recent UN Security Council resolutions regarding Iran's nuclear programs and Washington's support of a gas pipeline from an Azerbaijani oil field, that will allow new supplies to Georgia beginning next year.
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With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. - Steven Weinberg, 1999
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Hermit
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Re:Georgia on my Mind. It is in the nature of bullies...
« Reply #1 on: 2006-12-15 10:25:28 » |
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Georgian PM says has US support against Russia
[Hermit: Perhaps Nogaideli should talk to other friends of America (not that many on this list are still available) before walking to far down this path. Maliki, Hussein, Taliban, Noriega, Hussein, Pahlavi, Pinochet, Suharto, Markos, Batista, etc, etc..]
Source: AFP
Authors: Stephen Collinson
Dated: 2006-12-14
Georgia's Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli says he is confident he has enlisted full US support in the event of future diplomatic showdowns between the former Soviet republic and Russia.
Nogaideli also dismissed the idea Washington compromised backing for his government in October when it signed on to a UN resolution critical of Georgia, in what was seen as a bid to enlist Moscow's support on North Korea.
He expressed satisfaction after talks on energy issues and regional security with Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
"I do hope there is no further disagreements with Russia, there are already too many, but I am absolutely confident that we will have US support in all the issues we have discussed," Nogaideli told AFP in an interview Wednesday.
The United States has strongly backed the Georgian leadership of President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is determined to take his nation into NATO, despite fierce Russian opposition.
Washington was also supportive during a diplomatic row ignited when Georgia arrested four Russian soldiers in September and accused them of spying.
Moscow ordered the near total rupture of ties with its tiny neighbor, spelling trouble for Georgian businessmen and workers in Russia, and further straining Georgia's impoverished economy.
But some observers believed Washington sacrificed Georgia's interests for Russian support in the drive to end North Korea's nuclear weapons program, when Washington backed a UN Security Council resolution in October urging Tblisi to remove forces from Kodori Gorge in the separatist, Russia-backed province of Abkhazia.
"To talk of a betrayal is totally senseless," Nogaideli said earlier, in a speech at the School of Advanced International Studies here.
The Prime Minister, who also met World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz and top US trade officials during a four-day visit to Washington, also refuted [Hermit: Again with this "refuted" when what they mean is rejected or even objected.] claims Georgia faced a winter energy crunch following a Russian tariff hike.
He said the government would secure gas contracts in the next few weeks which could completely wean Georgia of its 100 percent reliance on Russian gas, to 20 percent or even zero percent of imports.
Azerbaijan is expected to be a major supplier along with Iran. Nogaideli rejected suggestions Washington was leaning on Georgia to avoid cooperating with its Islamic Republic foe.
"The Iran gas issue will be discussed with Iran (not) here in this town," he said.
Nogaideli also signalled his country would not abandon its drive for membership of NATO, despite a warning by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of "colossal geopolitical upheaval" if Georgia and Ukraine are accepted.
"First of all, if they are worried about Georgia's NATO membership, we should sit down and discuss it," said Nogaideli in the interview.
"They need to tell us what colossal shift is this.
"We have chosen our path, we are not going to give up on this, we are going to get this job done."
President George W. Bush said at the NATO summit last month in Riga, Latvia that the door to membership of the Western alliance remained open for both Georgia and Ukraine.
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With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. - Steven Weinberg, 1999
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