Georgia Mulls Quitting CIS, as Saakashvili Unleashes Criticism Against Russia

President Saakashvili said on May 2 that Russia’s current policy towards Georgia poses a threat to the country’s sovereignty and independence and called on the nation to consolidate and “realize this threat.” He also hinted that Georgia may quit the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). 
 
President Saakashvili’s harsh-worded statements about Russia, made while speaking at the School of Public Administration in Kutaisi on May 2, follows similar rhetoric voiced towards Georgia’s northern neighbor by Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili on day earlier.

Russian Threat

During his speech Saakashvili focused specially on the necessity to consolidate the Georgian society amid threats from Russia and called for, as he put it, “petty disputes” between the political forces within the country to end. He said that by banning the import of Georgian agricultural products and wine, Russia intends to increase public discontent towards the Georgian authorities, with the ultimate goal of a regime change in the country

“The only goal of this policy is to trigger starvation in Georgia. Several days ago one Russian official [Saakashvili did not specify which one] said: ‘I do not understand after all of this why the Georgian people do no go out into streets and oust their leadership.’ So the only goal of [Russia’s policy] is to change the regime in Georgia, which [the current regime] is the last chance for Georgia to restore its territorial integrity through peaceful means,” Saakashvili said.

He called on the nation “to wake up” and realize the threat which Georgia faces.

“All of us, regardless of our political position, regardless of our ethnic background, face the threat of losing our state, our independence, our future. It is high time for everyone to wake up and give up these petty arguments, confrontations and to realize the real threat – and the real threat is that we can lose our country; but we will not lose our country, because we have already managed to consolidate our statehood and we had 9% economic growth last year, which is 3.5% more than Russia had,” Saakashvili said.

He said that “Georgia is at a crossroad” and “in a historic battle” for establishment of a European state and added that Russia’s attempts to annex Georgia’s territories in Abkhazia and South Ossetia hinder the country’s development.
 
“Those people who are fighting against our European identity, those people who carry out a propagandistic war against us throughout the world on a daily basis, those who want to depict Georgia as an uncivilized, weak nation-like entity which will disappear soon, are a major problem for Georgia. These are the people who carry out the annexation of our territories on a daily basis,” Saakashvili said.

Saakashvili said that while flying over the Shida Kartli region – the region which officially includes breakaway South Ossetia as well –  on his way from Tbilisi to Kutaisi, he received an SMS on his mobile phone saying “MegaPhone [Russia’s mobile phone operator] Welcomes You to Russia.”

“This is a classic example of annexation. This is an uncivilized annexation of a sovereign, European state… the annexation of the Georgian territory is carried out by Russia,” he added.
 
But he also said that that Georgia does not suffer from a “Russo-phobia disease.”

“We want intensive dialogue with Russia. We want friendship with Russia – with a Russia which respects our sovereignty,” the Georgian President said.

Hints about Quitting CIS

During his speech President Saakashvili also hinted that Georgia may withdraw its membership from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as he said that he suspects Georgia can no longer find any advantages in being a CIS member. 

Saakashvili said that he has instructed the government to report on the possible consequences of Georgia’s withdrawal from CIS in a maximum two months.

“In 1991 Georgia’s independence was recognized by many countries and Georgia refused to become a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, like the Baltic States. Then, in 1993, during the Abkhaz tragedy, a kneeling and humiliated Georgia was forced to join the CIS. I think that, despite the fact that it was a humiliating act, we found many benefits from CIS membership. We were able to maintain ties with many former Soviet states… we were able to establish trade links, we were able to maintain free movement between [former Soviet states]… And we had partnership with the Russian Federation for a long time; our products were sold in Russia and demand [on Georgian products] has recently increased in Russia,” Saakashvili said.

“But now we have been cut off from these links. So we should now sit down and count whether it is still worth it or not to be in the CIS,” he added.

Saakashvili said that Georgia will refrain from making “a prompt decision without any analysis.”

“Today I instructed the Georgian government to thoroughly study and report in the nearest future – I mean several weeks, maybe a month, maximum two months – about the exact economic estimations over whether it is worth it or not for Georgia to remain in the CIS. If there is still the possibility to gain certain benefits, we will consider remaining in this organization. And If Georgia can no longer benefit from this organization – which I suspect is the case – and if we can not receive anything but humiliation, then the Georgian people, with its Parliament and government, should make a decision which honorable nations should take,” Saakashvili said.

He also said that Georgia should also launch consultations with its partners in the CIS over this issue “to establish a coordinated policy.”

Some parliamentarians from the opposition parties, who have been demanding that the authorities quit the CIS for a long time already, have welcomed the President’s stance over the CIS. Some reports say that the opposition lawmakers who are currently boycotting the parliamentary sessions are ready to cease their boycott and participate in the discussions over the issue if the government proposes to withdraw from the organization.

Debates about membership in the CIS were renewed in Georgia after Russia banned the import of Georgian wines on March 27. Neither President Saakashvili nor other government members have perviously indicated that Georgia might quit the organization. The government was cautious about the issue, explaining that Georgia benefits from agreements on free movement (except in Russia) and free trade with other CIS-members states.

“Russia might further increase its support towards the secessionist regions and it might be a threat to Georgia… but the decision to withdraw from the CIS will be a logical continuation of Georgia’s course, which is directed toward Euro-Atlantic integration,” Giga Bokeria, an influential MP from the ruling party, said on May 2.

The issue of Georgia’s CIS membership might also be linked with the Russian peacekeeping operation in Abkhazia, where Russian servicemen are deployed under the aegis of the CIS.

According to the Georgian Parliament’s October 11, 2005 resolution, the Georgian government should report on the performance of the Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia by July 1, 2006. If the Russian peacekeeping operation is assessed negatively, the Parliament will demand that the Russian peacekeepers begin pulling out, starting from July 15, 2006, according to the resolution.