The Defense Minister of Georgia, Tina Khidasheli, is visiting the US. Her week-long working visit to Washington was announced long ago and was thought to be an important event on the path of rapprochement between Tbilisi and NATO, where America played the leading role. Mrs. Khidasheli is thought to be an “American protégé.” Many experts are sure that her appointment is a result of “a recommendation” of representatives of the US Administration, who count on significant strengthening of the radically pro-Western Republican Party, from which Mrs. Khidasheli was elected to the parliament three years ago.
The Americans’ good will toward the first female defense minister in the Caucasus was shown during her visit to Washington as well. It is confirmed by a number of meetings not only with the leadership of the Defense Ministry, but also with prominent figures in American politics. For example, she met the former Secretary of State, the current member of the Defense Council under the Pentagon, Madeleine Albright.
Khidasheli said after the meeting that Albright not only asked her about the situation in the country in detail, the situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but also promised “to support Georgia in every possible way and become its lawyer in all international organizations, forums, and undertaking important decisions.”
The fact that Albright is still a powerful person in the European-Atlantic society is not in doubt, despite her long-time retirement. Moreover, she belongs to “the group of wise people” who consult the leaders of NATO on key issues, including the problem of further extension of the Alliance to the East – to the Caucasus.
And Tina Khidasheli is counting on this. According to her, Georgia expects “its inevitable provision with a road map on joining NATO” at the upcoming Warsaw summit of the Alliance in 2016. “We have no other offers for our Western partners,” the Defense Ministry often says, even though her colleagues in the government, including Premier Irakli Garibashvili, realize the hopelessness of these plans and are much less radical on this issue. At least, there are no ultimatum notes in their statements on the Warsaw summit, which are used by Tina Khidasheli, for example, during her meeting with the Secretary General of the Alliance.
She is often criticized for this even by strenuous supporters of joining NATO. “What will we do, if the Alliance doesn’t make a desirable decision in Warsaw, despite your ultimatums?” the former Minister of Culture Nika Rurua asks. Will Madeleine Albright’s power and support be enough to settle such a difficult issue, despite the easily predicted opposition of France and Germany, which traditionally skeptically regard giving Georgia “a one-way ticket”?
It is unlikely that they will. However, Khidasheli’s plans are not senseless. If there is at least a serious discussion of Georgia (just like at the Bucharest summit in 2008) in Warsaw, it will be an achievement of the pro-Western forces for sure.
Steps toward each other are growing in the military and political sphere without the road map: during her meetings, Khidasheli finally arranged the establishment of a joint training center for soldiers under NATO command in Georgia. It will open in late August, and the Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will participate in the ceremony.
Two probable places are being discussed: the former Russian military base ‘Vaziani’ near Tbilisi, from which Russian troops were withdrawn by the end of 2007; and the training center for mountain shooters in Sachkhere near South Ossetia. The first option is more probable, as Brussels and Washington wouldn’t want to stay in direct closeness to the Russian troops which are situated on the territory of the former Georgian autonomy.
In any case, the opening of a military training center under NATO command is a serious step, which shows a shift of Georgian-NATO relations to a new level. Soldiers and instructors of the NATO countries will permanently (not temporarily, as during military exercises) live at the training center. Thus, it is the first regularly operating strategic facility of the Alliance in Georgia.
Not long ago, Georgian politicians couldn’t even dream about this. Just as, a few years ago nobody could believe that Tina Khidasheli would manage to sign a breakthrough contract with France on exports of modern air defense systems to Georgia, including systems made in France.
Khidasheli also promises that Georgia won’t only be an importer, but it will be an exporter of security. For example, about 1000 Georgian soldiers and officers will stay in Afghanistan, even though the main operation of NATO has been completed there.
