Georgia’s Reforms Associates’ (Grass) statement on the new danger of annexation by Russia and on the urgent need of formulating an anti-annexation strategy
29 October, 2014
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The so-called “treaty” proposed by Russia to Abkhazia is a new stage of violating the statehood and sovereignty of Georgia. In order to implement its geopolitical goals, Russia aims to annex the occupied territory of Abkhazia with the aforementioned treaty. This is an entirely new stage in Georgian-Russian relations which requires appropriate attention from the government and a new anti-annexation strategy.
The annexation of occupied Georgian territories by Russia also aims to:
- Hinder Georgia’s integration process in the European and Euro-Atlantic structures.
- Include Georgia in the Eurasian integration process.
- Maximally complicate the implementation of confidence-building measures with the populations of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.
- Maximally complicate the restoration of territorial integrity of Georgia.
The “proposition” of such a treaty to Sokhumi is one of the numerous parts of the annexation process. Similar process is on-going in Tskhinvali region as well and if not prevented in due time it will result in both occupied territories becoming formal subjects of the Russian Federation. This treaty, of course, requires a swift, well-coordinated and effective response from the Government of Georgia; however, it should also be noted that Georgia needs a new, comprehensive and long-term anti-annexation strategy.
Georgia has been successfully pursuing a non-recognition policy and implementing the anti-occupation diplomatic strategy from 2008 to date. As a result of this strategy, the situations in the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali have been assessed as occupation by almost all significant international organisations and partners.
As a result of a successful non-recognition policy, only Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru have sided with Russia whilst Tuvalu and Vanuatu have re-recognised the territorial integrity of Georgia.
As Russia moves from the stage of occupation to annexation, Georgia needs to formulate an entirely new anti-annexation strategy.
We believe that the anti-annexation strategy should include following components:
- Preparing the political and legal basis in order to press charges against Russia in the international courts.
- Consistent, coordinated and active diplomatic and political actions in order to prepare our partners for the imposition of international sanctions on Russia in case of annexation.
- Regular enactment of multilateral legal, political and humanitarian leverage within various international organisations,
- Using trade and other types of leverages and instruments against Russia within the World Trade Organisation which requires the enactment of the 2011 agreement between Georgia and Russia which has not been implemented to date, the passive approach of the Government of Georgia being one of the reasons.
- Reduction of the economic and energy-dependency of Georgia on Russia.
- Reviewing security systems, security strategies strategic documents of Georgia taking into account the new dangers of annexation.
- Active work with the international media in order to form international public opinion.
- Implementation of a new legal and political terminology based upon the threat of annexation.
- Formulation of new, realistic and effective initiatives towards the populations of Sokhumi and Tskhinvali, including the neutral-status approach where applicable.
Of course, by implementing these steps it will become impossible to maintain the current relations of Georgia with the Russian Federation. We believe, that based upon the new threats of annexation, the Government of Georgia must be ready to review its relations with Russia.
Georgia’s Reforms Associates has formulated a working concept of the anti-annexation strategy which will be proposed to the Government of Georgia and published in the nearest future. Georgia’s Reforms Associates expresses its readiness to cooperate with the Government of Georgia and any other interested party in order to formulate and implement the anti-annexation strategy.
28.10.2014
