Yet another opinion on territorial integrity of Georgia

Georgia’s former Defense Minister Tengiz Kitovani, who held this post during Georgia’s first President, Zviad Gamsakhurdia and led the military coup against the same President in 1991, returned from Russia to Georgia. Upon his return he made a loud statement about Georgia's territorial integrity highlighting the Kremlin's position on the matter.

During Eduard Shevardnadze’s presidency, Kitovani was arrested and remained in prison for some time and after his release, he moved to Russia. His idea for regaining Georgia’s lost territory is based on the federalization of the country which according to him should create a federation of different regions of Georgia such as Kartli, Kakheti, Adjara, Samegrelo, Abkhazia and so on.

According to Kitovani, Russian officials support Georgia’s territorial integrity, but only in the case of its federalization. Different analysts inside and outside Georgia touched upon this issue several times. The creation of a federation or confederation has been suggested by various analysts. The idea of Georgia recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia and later, the creation of a confederation of these “independent” states together with Georgia also exists.

A regional federation is not a new suggestion. Russian politicians have been promoting this idea for quite some time. Moreover, they have also tried to implement the idea that Georgians, Megrelians and Svans are of different ethnicities.

For instance, very often, they call the Georgian population in the Abkhaz autonomous territory as Megrelians, not Georgians. One can imagine that certain forces in Russia want to activate their devoted ally Kitovani in order to perform subversive plans by his hands.

Hopefully the current Georgian leadership will not be fooled into believing such dangerous ideas.