Washington Times: Why Senate Must Act on the Republic of Georgia

The Washington Times has recently published an analysis/opinion by Janusz Bugajski, a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington, D.C., entitled "Why Senate Must Act on the Republic of Georgia," discussing the current US-Georgia relations and future prospects.

The author notes that deepening cooperation with Georgia will help American interests in the strategic Caucasus region and the Black Sea basin. 

"President-elect Joe Biden’s victory is the paramount political event, which attracted worldwide attention. But as the Biden-Harris administration is planning to take the reins of American foreign policy, a far-away election will help American interests in the strategic Caucasus region and the Black Sea basin.

"The democratic elections on Oct. 31 won by the governing Georgia Dream party will enable the Republic of Georgia to bolster its constructive role in the strategically crucial Black Sea region. Regardless of who wins the US presidential race, it is in America’s national interest to deepen cooperation with a forthcoming government committed to expanding relations with Western institutions. The US Senate can now take an important step in this process by approving the Georgia Support Act.

"Georgia’s elections demonstrate what can be accomplished in Europe’s east regardless of prior phases of instability. During the early part of its post-Soviet history, Georgia faced violence between rival political factions and separatist conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia fueled by Moscow. But during the last three election cycles the country has benefitted from growing stability and public consensus in a highly volatile region.

"Monitors from the European Union and the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) concluded that the elections were competitive and fundamental freedoms were respected despite some flaws. This assessment was confirmed by the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi. The ruling party, Georgia Dream, won 48% of the national vote and can gain broader parliamentary support to tackle the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Georgia’s transformation into a parliamentary democracy has been assisted by the U.S. and EU. Both helped to facilitate a multi-party agreement on a phased transition to a fully proportional electoral system that better represents the spectrum of Georgian voters and is inclusive of a wider array of parties in parliament.

"The new Georgian government is poised to advance policies that bring the country closer to the US, EU and NATO. One of its pillars is regional economic development that can help generate security, attract Western investment and deepen integration in European institutions. In his recent speech to the UN General Assembly, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia underscored that Tbilisi will remain focused on positioning the country as a regional hub for business, energy, logistics, tourism, education and medicine," reads the article. 

The publication points out that Georgia benefits from strong bipartisan support in Washington. In July 2016, the US and Georgia signed a memorandum on deepening the strategic partnership that was established in 2009. A comprehensive Security Cooperation Framework was subsequently agreed in 2019.

"To demonstrate solidarity and support for Georgia, the next important step for Washington is for the US Senate to approve the Georgia Support Act, which passed the House of Representatives in the fall of 2019 and is now making its way through the Senate," the author concludes, adding that the act underscores US commitments to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and specifies arenas in which the two countries can collaborate.

"Enabling Georgia to protect its territory and cyberspace sends a positive message to other US allies and partners determined to defend their sovereignty. Georgia’s example demonstrates that despite the pervasiveness of nationalism, populism, isolationism, and foreign pressure throughout Europe, democratic systems are better equipped to resist subversion and contribute to Western security," reads the analysis. 

Source: The Washington Times 

Illustration on the US and the Republic of Georgia by Linas Garsys/The Washington Times