To Halt Putin, Bring Georgia Closer to NATO By granting Tbilisi an upgrade in relations, the Alliance can develop a positive model for others to follow toward liberalization. By ALEX PETRIASHVILI May 29, 2014 3:12 p.m. ET Tbilisi The current crisis in Ukraine is painful to witness, particularly since it could have been avoided. If left unchecked, the Ukrainian crisis might mark the beginning of a wider deterioration of the security situation in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. In 2008, Russia invaded and occupied one-fifth of Georgias national territory and got away with it. Georgia had the dubious honor of being a test case for Moscows ambition to forcefully reassert its influence over its former vassal states. Thanks to the Wests acquiescence to its Georgian land grab, Russia has since been emboldened to slowly crank up its presence and aggression in the region, leading recently to the annexation of Crimea. To forestall any further Russian advance, the Western allies must act decisively and demonstrate their active engagement in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. The West must also deny the Kremlin any new so-called exclusive zones of influence. The price for Russian aggression and interference in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine must be high and sustained. It cant be limited to targeted sanctions, but must impel a long-term geopolitical shift. To effect such a change, NATO must take a new look at Georgia. While Russia went unpunished for its aggression against Georgia, the long-term outcome of the invasion was less satisfactory to the Kremlin. Instead of drawing Georgia back into the Russian fold, the new geopolitical reality pushed Georgians to firmly marry their search for independence, territorial integrity, democracy, stability and prosperity with European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Withstanding increased Russian pressure, Georgia inked a far-reaching political and trade agreement with the EU in November and pressed ahead with the final reforms needed to meet NATOs requirements for deeper integration. On June 27, Georgia will sign an association agreement with the EU, making our European integration irreversible. Its now obvious that Georgia is something of a lost cause for Russia. As the West considers how best to solve the Ukrainian crisis, one avenue of action should be clear: Georgia must be allowed to take a clear next step toward full NATO membership. The reasons for this are twofold. For starters, Georgia meets all the criteria for a promotion on the ladder to membership. The Alliance is aware of this, and the Georgians are aware of this. So too are the Russians and the other countries of the region. Failure to offer Georgia a clear path toward membership at the NATO summit in Cardiff this September will disappoint Tbilisi. But the conclusions drawn by Russia and the other small nations in the region will be starker. Any decision by NATO to abstain from taking the obvious next step with Georgia will be interpreted in the region as a sign of a lack of consensus and resolve in the Alliance, of weakness and a green light for Russia to pursue further aggression. Seeking to compensate NATOs hard-power abstention with the soft power of a political and trade agreement with the EU wont distract the Russians. Moscow will be waiting for a clear signal, one way or the other, from the Cardiff summit. The price of any perceived hesitation, for the West and for the countries of the region, will be very high. Granting Georgia an upgrade in NATO relations, moreover, represents a unique opportunity for the Alliance to reassert itself in the region, gain credibility and develop a positive model for others to follow. No amount of pressure—not even invasion and long-term occupation—has or could deviate Georgia from its democratic reforms and the path of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. These reforms have made Georgia a success story in the Caucasus. Yet many others in this volatile region cant see the benefits that come with democratization and liberalization. Strengthening relations with Georgia will send a clear signal to other countries in the region that progress on democracy and human rights will be rewarded by NATO and the West. Recent months have seen Soviet flags above Sevastopol, with crowds singing Soviet anthems, watched over by a monument to Vladimir Lenin. In 2005, Vladimir Putinlamented that the breakup of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century. In Georgia, we beg to differ. Together with our allies, we are ready to demonstrate that that era is long dead and buried, and that, despite the temporary setback in Ukraine, the future of our region looks very different. Mr. Petriashvili is Georgias minister of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of the Georgian government.
Posted on: Fri, 30 May 2014 20:03:33 +0000
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