Georgia-NATO dilemma 2010-01-28 18:27 A key issue at the core of ongoing Russian-Georgian confrontation is a desire of the little Caucasian republic to join North Atlantic Alliance. Russia has always been openly resentful about it. Despite the decision taken at Bucharest summit in 2007 to postpone NATO accession for Russia’s two neighbors – Georgia and Ukraine - leaders of both states cherish their dreams of alliance membership. Though today’s Georgia has almost no pro-Russian politicians and Georgians are not totally disillusioned about NATO security prospects yet, the calls to neutrality become still more audible.

Sochi: a way to set piece in Karabakh 2010-01-25 22:57 This day, January 25, may enter the latest history of the post-Soviet territory as one of the key dates. The meeting between President of Russia Dmitriy Medvedev, President of Azerbaijan Ilkham Aliev and President of Armenia Serge Sargsyan aimed at the settlement of the Karabakh problem will probably draw the line under this complicated bloody issue, or, at least, show the real ways and terms of eliminating the problem.

Military games 2010-01-22 09:37 The Georgian officials say very interesting things sometimes. For instance, today, Minister of Finance of Georgia Kakha Baindurashvili stated that in 2010 the share of expenses spent on military needs will not be increased and, moreover, in percentage terms, the share of the defense expenditures in the country budget will be lowered. Sounds surprisingly, considering the statement made by President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili before the New Year about the general plans of reservists’ preparation within 2010-2014. It is obvious that if the military budget is left at the current level, the current army expenditure will be significantly reduced, so long as the training centers for reservists, as well as the purchasing of arms require sound financial inflow. Thus, the Georgian army is going to see no modernization promised after the August war. No use mentioning the possible difficulties with the salaries paid to the soldiers and officers.

The fourth government 2010-01-21 10:59 The event that was so longed-for within two months and a half by the political establishment of Russia and the Caucasus, as well as the whole host of experts, has occurred at last: it was the appointment of “a person responsible for the state of affairs in the North Caucasus” announced by President of Russia Dmitriy Medvedev last year on November 12. One should remember that horns were locked many times both about the potential candidate for the “governance” and about the scheme of the regional management, for it had been clearly stated that the person would “give instructions to the ministers and governors”. Those experts that supposed that the North Caucasus would be separated from the South Federal district turned out to be right; otherwise the structure would be simply unmanageable.

Military reserve 2010-01-20 00:01 Last year, at the opening of the new building of National Guards on December 26, President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili stated that the country is ready to start preparing reservists “to fight the enemy”. Nevertheless, the most interesting points in Mikhail Nikolozovitch’s speech are worth quoting. “There is a war against Georgia and we are threatened every day but the enemy should not cherish any illusions, for any adventure will meet with a rebuff. “We must prepare any citizen in the country, including women, so that they would be ready and armed to provide resistance to the enemy. Each town, house, street and family should become a citadel of resistance and all of us should be ready for a war”.

Saakashvili’s new PR move 2010-01-19 17:09 Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili announced the start of a campaign advertising Georgia and its health resorts. Info spots and programs on Georgia’s tourism potential will be broadcast on all international channels including BBC and CNN which, as Saakashvili thinks, will contribute to making the country popular worldwide. Will this PR move help Georgia create a positive country image?

Staking on elections 2010-01-18 17:29 Lately, the press covering the events in Georgia has been mainly focused upon the observers who were present at the presidential elections in Ukraine. Meanwhile, an interesting situation is developing in Georgia as well. For instance, on Monday, January 18, leader of oppositional movement Defend Georgia and former candidate for presidency Levan Gachechiladze stated that Georgia has been developing anti-American attitude. Besides, the oppositionist said that he told the same thing to American Senator John McCain in the course of his visit to Georgia on January 11 this year. “Let no one cherish an illusion that America is popular here”, - Gachechiladze added.

Panphilov’s satellite dish 2010-01-15 17:04 Strange things have been happening since the beginning of the year in the field of the Georgian media. The First Caucasian TV channel that started Internet-broadcasting at the beginning of January is also going to launch satellite broadcasting on January 15. It is notable that the opening of the channel, which even the Georgians consider to be anti-Russian, was followed by a scandal. The rest of the PTG structures had to squeeze up, so long as the First Caucasian Channel was established on the basis of the Public Television of Georgia (PTG). For instance, it was officially stated that the Public Radio of Georgia, which is part of the PTG, will be shifted onto the “reorganization mode” since February 1, which means its significant reduction. About 200 journalists and technical staff are planned to be dismissed from the radio.

Turkish gambit 2010-01-14 17:45 The meetings of the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in Moscow and the heads of the foreign policy administrations of Armenia and Russia in Yerevan became one of the momentous events in the Caucasian political area. The set of issues and problems that were solved in the course of these meetings have been accumulating for many years. For instance, the negotiations between the governmental heads resulted in discussing the issues of collaboration in the field of nuclear power engineering, construction of the South Stream pipeline and the Samsun – Ceyhan oil pipe line, as well as eliminating visa limitations between Russia and Turkey. Besides such purely economical issues, the negotiators touched upon the much more complicated topics, such as the situation in the Caucasus, relationship between Armenia and Turkey and the problem of Nagorny Karabakh.