The Spy Scandal in Georgia Another Attempt To Divert Public Opinion?
…that probably wasn’t the first point in Sahakashvili’s agenda. Still, that’s what Georgia is clearly getting out of the scandal: according to data from the Regional Electoral Committee of Akhalkalaki (the predominantly Armenian populated town in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region in Georgia), Akhalkalaki with 7052 voters will have 1 delegate to the regional sakrebulo (the local representative self-government body), which is as many as the Georgian village Ptena with 204 voters. The elections in Georgia certainly look promising… and will probably go by unnoticed, lost in the overall spy-scandal fuss!!!
This is all of course the internal business of Georgia - the sovereign state. For us here in Armenia there is but one big issue: what will be the consequences of this crusade Sahakashvili has started against Russia and all its ‘allies’ (Ossetians, Abkhazians, Armenians and even Azeris) for Armenia and its fragile economy? Another blockade, this time from the North?
PS: Oh, I nearly forgot! Because of restarted US trade sanctions against Iran, Armenia has discontinued import of certain construction materials from the south, bitumen among them, which is an essential component of road tar. I wonder how will the Millennium Challenges Corporation implement the $67 million US rural road construction component of its assistance project in Armenia without tar?
PS2: The real reason why I’m so worried is because the Armenian government tends to learn bad things very quickly. What if they invent some sort of a spy scandal during the Armenian parliamentary elections this spring???
Or, MAYBE, there actually are Russian spies in Georgia and the Georgians discovered some of them?
PS: the anticaucasian hysteria in Russia and it’s blockade of Georgia can’t possibly be good for Armenia despite whatever grudge we might have against Georgians.
Comment by Zmieborec — 10/5/2006 @ 11:29 am
Yet this post doesn’t deal with the problem objectively. As much as Armenians say Georgians display anti-Armenian hysteria, Armenians display the same anti-Georgian hysteria in response.
What is needed is compromise on all sides and like each other or not, we are all neighbours. Besides, unless I’ve missed something, I haven’t yet seen a response from Russia saying that the four officers were not spies.
As for Armenians in Georgia, when the Dashnaks and Russians try to stir up a separaist movemement in Javakheti, and when Armenians there complain they can not get jobs because they do not know the State language but then refuse to do so claiming a policy of assimilation, it gets even more ridiculous.
It’s also worth noting that some of the Georgian citizens accused of spying in this scandal were ethnic Armenians and even the ARF-D in Armenia are not backing them up. They say this is an internal matter for Georgia and those nationals broke the law.
All that said, however, Georgia must accept itself as a multi-ethnic society and all people regardless of their ethnicity must have equal rights as citizens. This is the biggest test for Georgia, but I wonder? Do Armenians display the same degree of tolerance?
Even though this country is virtually mono-ethnic, with the exception of Assyrians who have assimilated through marriage into Armenian society and Molokans who live a reclusive life, what about other ethnic minorities? The same is true for Azerbaijan as well.
I mean, the two largest ethnic groups in both Republic left — Azeris from Armenia, Armenians from Azerbaijan — and in the case of Armenia, the Yezidi are migrating to Georgia as they did in the Soviet era where they live alongside Armenians in Tbilisi. The Greek community is virtually dead in Armenia whereas it is still quite sizeable (apparently) in Georgia.
Anyway, we need compromises on both sides. Armenians must realize that Javakheti is part of a sovereign State of Georgia and the Russians particularly must NOT use ethnic Armenians in continued attempts to destabilize Georgia, and Georgians must understand that each citizen regardless of ethnicity is equal.
Comment by Onnik Krikorian — 10/5/2006 @ 12:09 pm
As for using spy scandals during the parliamentary elections next year, no need. Government forces will raise the issue of potential renewed fighting with Azerbaijan and just bribe voters and falsify the results anyway.
Comment by Onnik Krikorian — 10/5/2006 @ 12:11 pm
Interestingly, opposition parties — including Zourabashvili who is considered a rational voice in Georgian politics — are so far not accusing the Government of inventing this scandal. In fact, they fully support the authorities in this matter.
Unfortunately, I view this post as a way to simply push anti-Georgian feelings and in this respect, I am glad to see that the Armenian Government is treading carefully. Like I said, only Russians and Armenians see what has happened as a way to attack Georgia although as usual, Saakashvili’s behaviour is confrontational.
All that said, Russia is engaged in destabilizing Georgia and its actions will hurt Armenia. That’s where the criticism should really lie.
Comment by Onnik Krikorian — 10/5/2006 @ 12:21 pm
JAVAKHQ FACES A DILEMMA
[12:38 pm] 05 October, 2006
“Armenia must do its utmost to facilitate the tension existing between the Russian-Georgian relations. All Armenians must unite and announce that they are adherents of stability and their support neither side. This is driven from our natural interests and is necessary for Javakhq and Armenia”, claims Shirak Torosyan, head of “Javakhq” Patriotic Union.
[…]
The tension between the Russian-Georgian relations has its negative outcome on the Armenian residents of Javakhq. After the cessation of transportation and postal relations between Russia and Georgia, a lot of Javakhq residents who left for Russia in search of proper work conditions, are unable to return to their homes. It is already a few days Sedrak Berikyan and his father (residents of Bavra village, Akhalqalaq region) have been unable to send money to their people at home. “It is impossible”, say the bank clerks each time they turn to them with the same request.
http://www.a1plus.am/en/?page=issue&iid=41640
Comment by Onnik Krikorian — 10/5/2006 @ 12:53 pm
Hi Onnik - thank you for your very valuable comments. I have only tried to push Anti-Sahakashvili-Policy points of views by this post - but now, after reevaluating my content, I understand my mistakes… hey, after all this is what blogging is all about - interactivity, isn’t it? I’m not a journalist and don’t pretend to be…
I know you don’t lead a country in such airheaded manner and employing such policies as Sahakashvili, putting peoples and entire countries’ future at stake… and although I don’t like my post myself, I will only take out the paragraph I think is worst of all, but leave the overall position: “Spy scandal as a cover up” just as an alternative point of view, which I myself maybe don’t believe in so sincerely either…
Comment by Observer — 10/5/2006 @ 8:47 pm
Well - looks like the elections have gone OK so far:
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav100506.shtml
Comment by Observer — 10/5/2006 @ 9:17 pm
We have to admit, that Georgia is pioneering the Caucasus out of the Russian grip… and although the associated costs are incredibly high, Georgia has been giving Russia a series of slaps on the face (wide US support=two slaps on the face, failure at the UN Security Council, etc.). Russia’s counter steps have been… dishonorable? …inadequate?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5408842.stm
So, we’d better watch the struggle carefully, and like Onnik said above - try to reconcile. Sooner or later Armenia’s interests will contradict to those of Russia. Then watch out… Russia already OWNS most of this country (Gas, Electricity, Nuclear Power…), so they could well ask us to LEAVE!
Comment by Observer — 10/5/2006 @ 9:33 pm
I wonder where Russian political analysts were, if they ever had been consulted before Russia responded to the “spy” accusations. By reacting like a puppet, Russia had practically secured successful election for Mr. Sahakashvili. Such an amateurish behavior one more time proves that today’s Russia had inherited not even a fraction of former USSR diplomacy school. Or there is something - we, ordinary humans, do not understand…?
Comment by Հայաստանցի — 10/6/2006 @ 1:25 pm
Here’s a very useful Article - a little bit of Georgian viewpoint and some interesting thoughts by a Georgian journalist: Irakly Chickladze whom I like and respect very much. The article’s in Russian only, or I couldn’t find the English version.
http://www.southcaucasus.com/index.php?page=publications&id=697
Comment by Observer — 11/1/2006 @ 12:26 pm