Alex Rondeli: Russia Should Try to Generate Some Trust

Civil Georgia talked with the President of the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies Mr. Alexander Rondeli about ongoing anti-criminal operation in Pankisi gorge and current Georgian-Russian relations, which became extremely tense over of the situation in Georgia’s troubled gorge. The expert believes that the Georgian law enforcers’ operation in Pankisi is the positive event. 

Q: Before launching anti-criminal operation in Pankisi, President Shevardnadze called upon male Chechens on the Georgian territory to leave the country. This had controversial response both within the country and from abroad. How appropriate it was to make such an address?

A: Each country decides how to conduct the military operations according to what it regards to be the most optimal fashion, against the background of the current state of affairs in and around this country. Of course it is not common to warn everyone on timing of the anti-criminal operation. But if the President does so, he has enough reasons for this. In this country the President has highest responsibility. Apparently, he believes that such step was the most appropriate one for the national security of Georgia, at present moment.

Q: What impact will the anti-criminal operation have on Georgian-Russian relations?

A: Georgian citizens shall think of what is in the best interest of our country on the first place. Of course, relations between Georgia and Russia are very important, but since the operation is being conducted on the Georgian territory, first of all we should think of what will this operation bring to the country and what consequences it might have for Georgia’s territorial integrity, stability and the future political and economic development.

The Pankisi problem exists not only due to objective circumstance, but also because of some subjective reasons as well. We should admit that our ‘power ministries’ have further aggravated the problem to the scale of an incurable disease. Some people, who should have been responsible for this, still feel quite comfortable in these ministries.

The locals did not benefit from what has been going on in the gorge. They were as negatively affected, and in the same difficult conditions as they used to before. Those who escaped the Chechen war share the same problems.

Things that are happening today are positive events. We all believed that Pankisi problem is incurable. But it appeared that the situation is not that bad if you really want to do something with it. And we already want to, because internal and external factors are also ripe.

First of all, Pankisi already became a big problem within the country and people’s discontent has been increasing. At the same time, the leadership of the ‘power ministries’ has changed as well. Besides, international pressure kept increasing too. And I would not put Russia’s pressure on the last place, although it definitely played a significant role.

And there is one more thing we should pay attention to: the situation has changed in Northern Caucasus. Criminals here could not count on support from the North any more.

The American Train and Equip Program has started in the same period. All these factors allowed our government to make the decisive step that everyone was waiting for.

Not everybody had the similar reaction [to this] in Russia. Some people have expressed support, but the majority is very unhappy. From now on they will not be able to blame everything on Pankisi. It will be difficult to claim that Chechen resistance is fed from Pankisi.

Q: What is the reason of tensions between Georgia and Russia? What is the future of relations between these countries?

A: Currently, none of these two is a fully established state. That is why Russia does not really respect Georgia’s sovereignty. For instance, their Foreign Ministry’s ‘export good’ is a statement that Russia is respecting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. At the same time, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dispatches Deputy Minister of Finance to Abkhazia with so-called “humanitarian mission,” but in reality he was sent to develop economic ties with the separatist regime.

President Putin, whose government, as everyone believes, is quite centralized, declares that Abkhazia is inseparable part of Georgia. But the very next day one Russian general, who is supposed to implement the state policy, stands up saying that Abkhazia always was and will be Russian land.

Therefore it is not proper to ask Georgia to find common language with Russia. It is very hard to find common language with country which is much bigger and stronger and which has assisted two secessionist parts of your territory with military force, has given citizenship to people who live there, did nothing to restore Georgia’s territorial integrity, aggravated Tbilisi’s relations with the regions and keeps applying pressure on Georgia.

It is also very hard to say that Georgia has to make some steps, when there is such an asymmetry of power.

What steps is Georgia supposed to make? Do we have to accept all Russian demands? First of all, we do not know all of these demands and conditions. We still do not know what exactly Russia wants from us. We only see continuous pressure over us for the past 10 years. In such asymmetry, it is difficult to blame small and weak country, which tries to escape the influence of its strong neighbor.

Some people say that worsened relations with Georgia are a failure of the Russian diplomats. Some may believe this is a failure of the Georgian diplomacy as well. I would say that this is a failure of both sides. But against the background of what Russia has done in Caucasus, Georgia appears much less guilty.

I think Russia should make steps, which would invoke some trust in its actions and motives. It is natural that a small and weak country is very doubtful about its former lord, especially seeing what is going on in Caucasus. Regretfully, even in modern international reality, Russia continues to talk a language of force, intimidation and annexation to its small neighbors.