Is Georgia joining anti-Iran coalition?
16:06 - 2 February 2012
The president of Georgia, Mikhail Saakashvili, declared that the actual results of the meeting with president Barack Obama exceeded his expectations. This is reported by the news agency Civil.Ge.
\"I′m very charmed and pleased with the results of this meeting\", mentioned Georgia′s president, after meeting US president Barack Obama in a special communique for the Georgian journalists. According to Saakashvili, this was the most fruitful meeting ever, from those he has had in the Oval cabinet of the White House.
Saakashvili twice met Obama′s predecesor, George Bush, in the White House - in July 2006 and March 2008.
\"We talked about upgrading our collaboration in the area of defence up to a new level. If in the previous years the talk was about anti-terror operations or about our participation once or twice in Afghanistan, now we′re talking about collaboration with the US in the matters related to development Georgia′s own defence.
We will continue working over these topics, some very concrete tasks have been planned, and this is a new, higher level of our collaboration in the area of military security\", declared Saakashvili and added that president Barack Obama supports further integration of Georgia into NATO.
The president of Georgia stated that another main point that was discussed at the meeting was related to the economic collaboration between the two countries.
\"The US president declared that he is ready to support the new format of economic collaboration, which entails the possibility of a free trade agreement between America and Georgia. We have to understand that this has an enormous meaning for the economy of Georgia in the near future\", said Saakashvili.
In the meantime, a Georgian military expert calls on Georgia to enter anti-Iran coalition.
The Georgian side must voice its support for the US and, in case a coalition against Iran is created, enter this coalition. This was declared by the Georgian military expert Giorgi Tavdgiridze, according to Pirveli news agency.
\"We cannot afford to be neutral. Of course, a threat against Georgia is always there, but the existence of a nuclear power in the region which is overtaken by religious fanaticism, presents a bigger threat in the futurte, than a short-term military campaign against Iran\", stated Tavdgiridze.
The expert also added that if Georgia joins this campaign, then it will minimize the threat that it itself will become a target of Iran, for Iran posesses few resources and it is not concerned about Georgia, because all of its resources will be directed against the 5th fleet of the US and against Israel.
The military expert pointed out that he does not see the developments towards Georgia′s infsrastructure being used for an eventual military attack on Iran. \"With Iran, the main accent is made on the capability of the US navy. It can launch attacks on Iran without using the territory of other states. Of course, the US attempt to seek support from its allies, however, using Georgia with this scope is not expected\".
Touching upon the points of collaboration between Georgia and the US, the expert considers that after the Obama-Saakashvili meeting, the American companies will, perhaps, receive permission to sell arms to Georgia.
\"I think, these will be events that will be take place with the goal of increasing the level of readiness of the Georgian military forces, American instructors will come etc. Also, the US could sell us arms for defence. The purchase of arms is not an easy process, and it implies also training with respect to how to learn to use these arms, such as took place within the helicopters′ project. So, going to the new level of military collaboration means deep relations without formalities\", said Tavdgiridze.
Source - Department of Monitoring
Kavkaz Center
\"I′m very charmed and pleased with the results of this meeting\", mentioned Georgia′s president, after meeting US president Barack Obama in a special communique for the Georgian journalists. According to Saakashvili, this was the most fruitful meeting ever, from those he has had in the Oval cabinet of the White House.
Saakashvili twice met Obama′s predecesor, George Bush, in the White House - in July 2006 and March 2008.
\"We talked about upgrading our collaboration in the area of defence up to a new level. If in the previous years the talk was about anti-terror operations or about our participation once or twice in Afghanistan, now we′re talking about collaboration with the US in the matters related to development Georgia′s own defence.
We will continue working over these topics, some very concrete tasks have been planned, and this is a new, higher level of our collaboration in the area of military security\", declared Saakashvili and added that president Barack Obama supports further integration of Georgia into NATO.
The president of Georgia stated that another main point that was discussed at the meeting was related to the economic collaboration between the two countries.
\"The US president declared that he is ready to support the new format of economic collaboration, which entails the possibility of a free trade agreement between America and Georgia. We have to understand that this has an enormous meaning for the economy of Georgia in the near future\", said Saakashvili.
In the meantime, a Georgian military expert calls on Georgia to enter anti-Iran coalition.
The Georgian side must voice its support for the US and, in case a coalition against Iran is created, enter this coalition. This was declared by the Georgian military expert Giorgi Tavdgiridze, according to Pirveli news agency.
\"We cannot afford to be neutral. Of course, a threat against Georgia is always there, but the existence of a nuclear power in the region which is overtaken by religious fanaticism, presents a bigger threat in the futurte, than a short-term military campaign against Iran\", stated Tavdgiridze.
The expert also added that if Georgia joins this campaign, then it will minimize the threat that it itself will become a target of Iran, for Iran posesses few resources and it is not concerned about Georgia, because all of its resources will be directed against the 5th fleet of the US and against Israel.
The military expert pointed out that he does not see the developments towards Georgia′s infsrastructure being used for an eventual military attack on Iran. \"With Iran, the main accent is made on the capability of the US navy. It can launch attacks on Iran without using the territory of other states. Of course, the US attempt to seek support from its allies, however, using Georgia with this scope is not expected\".
Touching upon the points of collaboration between Georgia and the US, the expert considers that after the Obama-Saakashvili meeting, the American companies will, perhaps, receive permission to sell arms to Georgia.
\"I think, these will be events that will be take place with the goal of increasing the level of readiness of the Georgian military forces, American instructors will come etc. Also, the US could sell us arms for defence. The purchase of arms is not an easy process, and it implies also training with respect to how to learn to use these arms, such as took place within the helicopters′ project. So, going to the new level of military collaboration means deep relations without formalities\", said Tavdgiridze.
Source - Department of Monitoring
Kavkaz Center
