New Georgian Ambassador to Armenia

Nino Kalandadze, Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia commented on the shifts in Georgian diplomatic body, triggered by the end of the 10-year-term powers of Georgian ambassadors in many countries. His statement concerning the new ambassador to Armenia looked almost like an apology: "He is not a member of our diplomatic body. We didn’t choose him – the President did."

And this is true: 46-year-old Tengiz Sharmanashvili is not a professional diplomat and he has been involved in international politics only once, when he participated in talks concerning Abkhazian and South Ossetian issues in the 1990s. Nevertheless, this appointment can be regarded as a definitive and significant one. Tengiz Sharmanashvili, a professional philologist, became one of the leaders of National-Democratic Party in the 1980s. The party was the leading political force in the country from 1988 to 1994. The party split after the assassination of its founder. Mr Sharmanashvili was then appointed to mediate in the Abkhazian-South Ossetian conflict of 1994.

The National-Democratic party reunited in 2004. Suspicious at first of the new president, Michael Saakashvili, the party granted him total support later, when it realized that the young ambitious leader voices its ideals and aspirations.

 

Tengiz Sharmanashvili became one of the authors of the country’s new constitution, giving Saakashvili a chance to stay on the Georgian political stage after the end of his presidential term in 2013. However, this appointment should not be regarded as a mere personal favour. President Saakashvili decided not to send an experienced diplomat to Armenia, but a competent politician, who is fully aware of his responsibilities.

Georgiy Kalatozishvili, exclusively to VK