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Sir Gary Johnson on Reforms in Georgian Defense System

Sir Gary Johnson, Chairman of the International Security Advisory Board for Georgia, spoke to the audience at the Georgian Institute for Public Affairs in a meeting organized by the Tbilisi Center for Strategic and Security Studies. Founder of the Center Revaz Adamia (former chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security) introduced Sir Gary Johnson, who spoke about the background and details of the reforms in Georgian defense and security system. Notes of the meeting follow.

Background:

Problems Related to Reforms:

Trends:

Q&A

What is the major obstacle to military reform? According to our sources, you have prepared the new package of recommendations. What is the difference between these and the previous ones?

There are number of reasons for this. Reform in anything is a difficult business. It is difficult for people psychologically to accept change. It is more difficult for organizations and institutions to accept change. It is always easy to see what should be done and make plan; difficult thing is making it happen. If you take defense, I talked with general Tevzadze two years, three years ago what should be done and there was a general agreement between him and me how defense plan would develop. But it would take a long in any country to realize it, and in the country like Georgia there should be people who are trained to understand how it should be done and what should be done, because you have come from different system. So it takes time to make changes, particularly in the security sector.  You have to grow your own people in defense.

The second reason is that there is no money. You have to pay money for reform, there is no money to build barracks, and there is no money for new equipment. This is not fault of the army; this is not the fault of the Parliament. It all comes back to internal resistance to change, lack of skill and bad economy, which can provide resources for change.

And second part of your question. I am going to discuss them [the new package of recommendations] with Mr. [Tedo] Japaridze [Secretary of the National Security Council]. It is not prepared yet. It will be done in Autumn.
 
Do you think there is enough political will for reforms in Georgia?

Yes, I do think there is political will. There is an understanding by all high officials; all understand that there has to be reform. But, I think that difficulty here in Georgia is how you express your political will. Does president make great speech? Does government come to collective decision about it? What is the government? Is it collection of ministers headed by state minister? Is it National Security Council? What part does Parliament play in it? Where is the government of Georgia to express that political will? President consistently says we are going to join Euro-Atlantic community. There must be reform. I do not believe it is up to president to do details of this reform. I think the central problem of Georgia is not a failure but lack of development in your governmental institutions, which prevents you from gripping the problem.

What kind of policy should Georgia conduct towards Russia against the background of Russia’s policy in Abkhazia?

I do not think I am qualified enough to speak in details. But still I would touch upon relations with Russia. Russia is there; it is not going away from there. There have to be working relations between Russia and Georgia. To my mind Russia has legitimate interests in security situation in the South Caucasus, because they have common border. Similarly, my country has interests in security situation, say, in France. But Russia should be more mature in its approach with South Caucasus. I think Russia is going through post-imperial pains. On the other hand, Georgia is going through newly independence growing pains. And on occasions, Georgia does not make [things] any better, in the way it responds to Russia’s bad handlings. I think if you live next to a bear and your size is of small dog, you should not bite his ankle too often. There has to be basis for bilateral understanding between Georgia and Russia that will allow them to conduct a mature relationship.


Tbilisi Center for Strategic and Security Studies is a think-tank that aims at increasing transparency of the strategic and security agendas for the general public. The first activities of the Center would include roundtable meetings with experts and officials working in these fields. The Center is established by the Atlantic Council of Georgia, Georgian Foundation of Strategic and International Studies, UN Association of Georgia, Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, Center for Civil-Military Relations and private persons, including Dr. Revaz Adamia who also serves as the Board Chairman.

Civil Georgia (www.civil.ge) is proud to provide information support to the Center’s activities.