Clinton presented Georgia with a motorboat
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived on a two-day visit to Georgia on Monday night. She was welcomed by Georgian Foreign Minister Grigory Vashadze at the Batumi Airport. Unlike during her previous visit to Tbilisi in 2010, the minister did not present roses to the US official.
Georgian experts and politicians tried to guess the main topic of talks with Saakashvili: Georgia’s support of US actions against Iran or the upcoming parliamentary polls in autumn. The Iranian topic was dropped out. Deputy Foreign Minister Nikoloz Vashakidze noted at briefing that the US requested Georgia to avoid the Iranian topic.
“Georgia cooperates with Iran in spheres meeting international standards and there are no problems, questions of the US concerning cooperation with Iran in the mentioned spheres”, Vashakidze notes.
Hillary Clinton and Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri opened the final session of the US-Georgian commission formed within the Strategic Partnership Charter at the Radisson Hotel in Batumi on Tuesday morning. The charter was developed in 2008 and involves consultations in working group on defenses and security, democracy and management, economics, energy and trade, humanitarian relations and cultural exchange.
The US officials confirmed respect for territorial unity and sovereignty of Georgia, noting that her state condemns Russia for “occupation and militarization of Georgian territories”.
Hillary Clinton attended the ceremony of presenting Georgia with a motorboat for coastal guards. The Interior Ministry told VK that it is the Grif motorboat of the Soviet times, repaired and modernized according to US standards.
Georgian opposition hoped that Clinton would discuss the switch of power of 2012-2013, parliamentary and presidential elections. Some reminded about former US State Secretary James Baker’s visit for the upcoming parliamentary polls of 2003. He presented Shevarnadze with wishes of President Bush’s administration to hold democratic elections and allow young reformers to take power. In other words, to Mikheil Saakashvili.
Many experts remembering the Rose Revolution doubt the fairness of such parallels. Expert Mikhail Tavkhelidze said: “First of all, 9 years passed after Baker’s visit and Georgia is a totally different state. Moreover, the idea that our domestic affairs could be resolved by Washington is a very dangerous illusion”.
Another intrigue is the refusal of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, leader of the Georgian Dream opposition coalition, to meet Hillary Clinton together with other opposition parties after the session of the commission for charter cooperation. Ivanishvili wanted a closed-door meeting with the US secretary of state, or at least a meeting without leaders of other opposition parties he calls “Saakashvili’s hirelings”. But the US Embassy responded that no meetings were planned with individual politicians.
The billionaire’s colleagues of opposition expressed irritation. “Ivanishvili embarrassed the US diplomatic mission and his behavior is absolutely inappropriate. If a man has $8 billion he should not think that he has more rights than others”, Vice Speaker of Parliament of the Christian Democrats’ Movement Levan Vepkhvadze.
Another opposition leader and former Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze skipped the meeting too. Her Democratic Movement – United Georgia told VK that Burjanadze was not in Georgia. The common view is that she wanted to meet Clinton and other oppositionists, she would postpone any foreign visit. Nino Burjanadze refused to have any meetings with Hillary Clinton with presence of other opposition in Tbilisi last time as well.
Georgy Targamadze, Chairman of the Christian Democrats’ Movement, David Gamkrelidze, leader of the New Rights Party, and some colleagues of Ivanishvili attended the meeting with the high-ranking guest.
“Hillary Clinton expressed interest in the pre-electoral situation in the country and we noticed that she is ready to urge Georgian authorities to fulfill equal conditions for all participants”, David Gamkrelidze told VK.
Officials of the Common National Movement Party call Clinton’s visit one of the most essential ones in strengthening Georgian statehood. A leader of the party David Darchiashvili told VK: “It is essential in the light of continuing pressure and aggression of our northern neighbor”. As an example of Russia’s aggressive behavior, he reminded about the mass military drills Caucasus-2012. Tbilisi considers them an attempt to pressurize voters during for the upcoming parliamentary polls.
US Secretary of State Clinton met Saakashvili at the recently built “justice center”. Mikheil Saakashvili offered the guest a walk through the building and explained her the purpose of the building. Citizens will soon be able to issue any note or document there. “We may order coffee and a passport and receive them at about the same time”, the Georgian leader boasts. Moreover, Mikheil Saakashvili presented Hillary Clinton with a passport issued right in front of her eyes in just a few minutes. The state secretary burst into laughter, took the passport and handed the document to her assistant.
The closed-door meeting continued for about an hour. Clinton recommended Georgia to allow Abkhaz and South Ossetian students to study at US higher education centers under “neutral passports” proposed by the Georgian authorities. President Saakashvili approved the idea, but noted that a US university will open a branch in Batumi next year. According to VK, it may be the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
