Lecture by Alex Petriashvili Georgia’s State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, delivered in Warsaw 16 December 2013. Text not authorized.
I would like to express my gratitude for organizing this event and giving me the opportunity to speak in front of such a distinguish body which is interested inGeorgia’s modern development and future perspectives concerning the European integration.
Georgia’s European integration aspirations shape our foreign policies priorities, integration of Georgia in the European Union and in the NATO, which is, I believe is irreversible, and is based on Georgians people choice. This is not only the foreign policy priority for the government of Georgia, it was always the dream of our ancestries in the previous centuries to establish the closer links between Georgia and Europe, and to brink Georgia to the European family. Up to 80 % of Georgian people believe that Georgia’s place is in the European Union, and in the NATO.
We know that the process of integration Georgia this is quite long and difficult process, which means for many 24 hours works. But we are ready for that work and we have proved it concluding successfully negotiations. We have reached the historic momentum in Vilnius by initiating this agreement. Negotiations were difficult, but the implementations of what was negotiated are an other matter. So we are in a very crucial moment, this a historic momentum for Georgia, Georgian’s people made the civilization choice.
But we have the challenges, we have external ones, and the internal ones as well. Implementation needs a lot of transformations, modernizations of the country, but we are committed to continue the reforms, which have started under the previous government – some of them are very successful, some of them are not, but we are very committed. The reforms are irreversible, and they will be successfully implemented only with the help of the international community. We appreciate very much that there is the principle of the
“ more for more “ in the Eastern Partnership, and the differentiation will became more and more irreversible after the developments in some states of the Eastern Partnership. We have seen the decision of Armenia, and now we have development in Ukraine. We are hearing daily the warnings with regards to Moldova, and we believe that pressure will be in rising both on Moldova and of course on Georgia.
What is now happening in Georgia? The Russian Federation is continuing the occupation of the Georgians territory. This is erecting the new walls on the territory of a sovereign country. This is so – called borderisation, but lets be very frankly – this is nothing more then occupation of the sovereign country. Of course this is the reaction of the Russian Federation on Georgia’scontinued aspirations to become the UE and NATO member. Despite these difficulties we continue and spare no efforts to normalize the relationships with the Russian Federation. In addition the channels of communication are opened, and have some positive results of opening the Russian market to Georgia’s traditional agricultural goods and products, like Georgian wine, and Georgian mineral waters. Instead of 9 million bottles which we considered to export to Russia before the end of this year is already 13 million bottles of Georgian wine on the shelves of the Russian supermarkets… Georgian entrepreneurs have diversified their export markets; you can hear talking now to some of Georgian wine makers that they exporting their wine to 30 countries including the EU, including the Asian markets, and the USA markets. So it can not be applicable to Georgia implementations of any kind of leverages.
But Russia had demonstrated very clearly that they will also not spare the efforts to remain the dominant, as they call it, in the sphere of near abroad. It is not acceptable for me neither for my Georgian fellow parliamentarians and diplomats
We made the huge step forward in the democratic development of Georgia. For the first time in the history of independent Georgia the power was transferred peacefully. We have faced the challenges of the co-habitation of one year difficulties, but still – we had quite good results – adopting jointly, unanimously the foreign policy priorities, constitutional amendment, which was aimed to restore the balance of power between the different branches and the institutions.
What is on our agenda? Of course this is the signing of the association agreement with the EU and we are grateful that the EU had made the decision to speed up the process, because from now until the signing there will be the increasing pressure. I have no doubts about that, especially after Soczi Olympic Games. We will continue to react and response calmly with the political maturity and demonstrating strategic patience. Trying to convince our northern neighbors that they are not consider enemies of our nation. We would like to normalize our relationships, but not at the expense of Georgia’s strategic national interests.
This is the occupation of Georgia’s territory; this is the restorations of Georgia territorial integrity, this id Georgia’s foreign policy priority. EU and NATO integration will be remaining on the agenda, and there is no reasonable and respected political force which will be able to derail the country from that.
But the implementation of the reforms is crucial. And the support in this process of the EU, of Poland, the expertise, which we are looking very much for, and the technical assistance, is crucial for Georgia. We have received just recently the association agenda, which will be the master plan for the modernization of the country and for the implementation of the association agreement.
But with parallel to that, before we elaborate the association agreement with the EU, we have to continue our joint efforts to modernize the country. We are having the very good progress on the visa liberalization – I can tell you very sincerely and frankly: the decision on the visa free movement for the Georgian citizens will be the best and the strongest signal of the EU reaching individually every citizen and showing that EU will seriously continue in the future to accept Georgia as a member of the European family. We are close to finalize the first faze on the visa liberalization action plan, and hopefully we will be moving shortly to the second stage. There is a hope that after the finalizing all necessary requirements it would be applied to Georgia the fast track rating. The analogous decision towards Moldova was very important, not only for Moldova but also for Georgia as well. Of course the mobility partnership remains too very important in this regard. What we have done within one year was the adoption of the new labor code, there were changes in the detection in the justice system, and justice reform is to remain one of the priority out of three – this the agriculture and rural development, this is the legislative reform, and the public sector reform. These are the areas where we will be working during the next several years with the EU.
We have just recently signed in Vilnius the framework agreement on the European security and defence policy. We have demonstrated in Afghanistan that we are battle tasted partner for NATO, we would like to demonstrate to EU that in the missions led by the EU Georgia will also demonstrate its contribution to international security and stability. Georgia knows very well the price for security. Georgia knows very well that when you consume the security you have to contribute to security as well. We have sacrifices. We had heavy loses during this year in Afghanistan, but the Georgian people know that this is the price for the sake of the future stability and security of Georgia. I believe that in this parliament we will be signing the association treaty agreement. Very significant will be the results of the NATO summit. I do not know yet (we are in the process of discussion), what kind of decisions will be made, but I am sure that the Alliance would reflect Georgia’s progress in the democratic development and its international security contributions in those decisions.
Here we are in crucial moment for Georgia. And we are not only in Warsaw, but also in Washington, in Berlin, in Brussels, in Paris, and other capitals to urging our international friends and partners that for Georgia time has came to make decisions. You all know, better than many others in Europe, that ambiguity always give the ground to our northern neighbors to continue the way of thinking of medieval centuries which will lead finally to the zero sum games. What we would like to do is to transform Georgia from the area of confrontation to the successful story for everyone – for Russia, for Europe, for the US and of course for the Georgian people.
So very much depends on the report coming from European and Euro Atlantic community. We are ready to do our work, and we count to relay very much on our international partners. We will need your support, we will need you decisions, and than, we are ready to implement all requirements. Therefore every single voice, here in Warsaw, and in other capitals in favor of Georgia’s progress, integration to EU as well as NATO, is very important.
