By Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Tbilisi is discussing the sensational statement of the ex-defense minister on the failure to sign a contract on the purchase of French anti-air systems. Having returned from France in the light of the corruption scandal at the Defense Ministry (the arrest of five high-ranking functionaries suspected of wasting state funds), Defense Minister Irakli Alasania said that the actions of prosecutors “put the most important negotiations with France on shipment of advanced defense systems at risk.” Then, Zurab Abashidze, a leader of the Free Democrats Party, told journalists that a contract on purchase of defense weapons had been signed during Alasania’s visit to Paris. Foreign Minister Maya Panjikidze, who resigned right after the dismissal of Alasania as the defense minister, said that the deal had not been signed but there were intensive negotiations and France approved the sale of advanced air defense systems to Georgia. Having heard about the minister’s dismissal, the French allegedly lost all interest in the endeavour and ended all negotiations.
Whether the contract was actually signed or not is easy to check, though it is classified. The fact of its signing would have hardly been left unnoticed by the French media because France has never shipped weapons to Georgia yet. Moreover, it is a case of advanced anti-air systems and Moscow would not have reacted to it without grievance in the context of the situation around Ukraine.
The weapons negotiations could have been discussed on the initiative of Alasania himself. But having negotiations and signing a contract are completely different things. A few years ago, after intensive talks, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution recommending shipments of anti-tank systems to Georgia. But the White House and the Pentagon gave up on the recommendation, so as not to cause tensions with Moscow.
The position of France is tougher: Paris and Berlin are considered the most obstinate naysayers of the Georgian road map for NATO membership. President Nicolas Sarkozy used to say that he did not want to import problems. The Free Democrats who joined the opposition continue insisting that Irakli Alasania, the most pro-Western minister in the government, was just a step away from striking a deal that would have protected the country from Russia, eventually ruined by the corruption investigations at the Defense Ministry. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili dismissed the most pro-Western minister and, thus it is said, sacrificed the interests of the country for Moscow.
Ex-Foreign Minister Maya Panjikidze threatened that the Free Democrats will pay special attention to the fate of the contract with France and will directly accuse the government of sabotaging attempts to improve national defenses if no contract is signed with France in the near future.
Not a single NATO state has ever refused to ship weapons to Georgia. But in reality, Tbilisi has not received anything for reasons far beyond the internal political intrigues and the struggle for power.
How to sign a contract Paris was not planning to execute By Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik KavkazaTbilisi is discussing the sensational statement of the ex-defense minister on the failure to sign a contract on the purchase of French anti-air systems.Having returned from France in the light of the corruption scandal at the Defense Ministry (the arrest of five high-ranking functionaries suspected of wasting state funds), Defense Minister Irakli Alasania said that the actions of prosecutors “put the most important negotiations with France on shipment of advanced defense systems at risk.” Then, Zurab Abashidze, a leader of the Free Democrats Party, told journalists that a contract on purchase of defense weapons had been signed during Alasania’s visit to Paris. Foreign Minister Maya Panjikidze, who resigned right after the dismissal of Alasania as the defense minister, said that the deal had not been signed but there were intensive negotiations and France approved the sale of advanced air defense systems to Georgia. Having heard about the minister’s dismissal, the French allegedly lost all interest in the endeavour and ended all negotiations.Whether the contract was actually signed or not is easy to check, though it is classified. The fact of its signing would have hardly been left unnoticed by the French media because France has never shipped weapons to Georgia yet. Moreover, it is a case of advanced anti-air systems and Moscow would not have reacted to it without grievance in the context of the situation around Ukraine.The weapons negotiations could have been discussed on the initiative of Alasania himself. But having negotiations and signing a contract are completely different things. A few years ago, after intensive talks, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution recommending shipments of anti-tank systems to Georgia. But the White House and the Pentagon gave up on the recommendation, so as not to cause tensions with Moscow.The position of France is tougher: Paris and Berlin are considered the most obstinate naysayers of the Georgian road map for NATO membership. President Nicolas Sarkozy used to say that he did not want to import problems. The Free Democrats who joined the opposition continue insisting that Irakli Alasania, the most pro-Western minister in the government, was just a step away from striking a deal that would have protected the country from Russia, eventually ruined by the corruption investigations at the Defense Ministry. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili dismissed the most pro-Western minister and, thus it is said, sacrificed the interests of the country for Moscow.Ex-Foreign Minister Maya Panjikidze threatened that the Free Democrats will pay special attention to the fate of the contract with France and will directly accuse the government of sabotaging attempts to improve national defenses if no contract is signed with France in the near future.Not a single NATO state has ever refused to ship weapons to Georgia. But in reality, Tbilisi has not received anything for reasons far beyond the internal political intrigues and the struggle for po
