Georgian Parliament to discuss resolution on the country's foreign policy
By Ana Robakidze
Friday, March 8
Head of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Relations Tedo Japaridze presented the final draft of a document outlining Georgia's foreign policy.
Both Georgian Dream and United National Movement (UNM) members worked on the draft. After consultations with opposition leaders Gia Baramidze, Gigi Tsereteli and Davit Darchiashvili, three more paragraphs were added to it. Zviad Kvachantiradze, Giorgi Volski, Viktor Dolidze, Zurab Abashidze, Irakli Chikovani represented Georgian Dream (GD) during the creation of the document.
The draft covers relations with relations with European Union and the U.S., as well as with Baltic and Scandinavian states.
The most important aspect about the document is that it stresses the absolute priority of becoming a member of the EU and other European intergovernmental bodies.
The UNM had many remarks regarding the paragraphs concerning relations with the Russian Federation and the U.S. UNM members insist that a proviso should be added to the document stating that Georgia will never become a member of international organizations where Russia is the dominant member. In particular they referred to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Eurasian Union.
“If Georgia’s course is unchanged towards the EU and European- Atlantic space then it is incomprehensible why those organizations that Georgia will never join are not specified and named." UNM member Gia Baramidze told journalists. Baramidze did not specify whether the UNM will vote for the resolution or not.
UNM member Davit Darchiashvili believes that the draft should also include that Russian military bases will never be created on Georgian territory.
The final version of the draft states that Georgia will never join international organizations that contradict the country's aspiration to join Euro-Atlantic institutions but does not mention specific organizations.
Georgian Dream members are satisfied with the final draft of the resolution. GD leader Levan Berdzenishvili told the media that he thinks the document outlines the country's political course in clear and easily understood language. Berdzenishvili also expressed his hopes that UNM will support the resolution.
The proposed document was presented to Parliament on March 7th for further discussion.
