Davit Sikharulidze: today we must exhaust all possibilities the package on intensified cooperation with NATO has offered us
InterPressNews sat down with Davit Sikharulidze, Chairman of Georgia’s Atlantic Council, to discuss the political and military aspects of the NATO-Wales Summit outcome.
--NATO Wales Summit was held when tensions were high in Ukraine. That is the reason why everyone took particular interest in the decisions made by it. This summit must have, in fact, determined Ukraine’s fate by deciding how Europe should have countered Russia’s aggression against the country. In the present state of affairs, when Russia has adopted a particularly aggressive stance, Ukraine as well as Georgia and the entire post-Soviet Space are faced with great threats and dangers from this state. How would you evaluate the declaration from the Wales Summit and the decision it has made regarding our country?
- The Wales Summit has been held when Russia is piling pressure on Ukraine by militarily intervening in the country and when it keeps annexing the territories of Georgia. If we compare the initial results of the recently held NATO Summit with those of others, we will easily deduce that now they have focused much greater attention on ensuring security in Europe. They have put the notion of a hybrid military threat in their declaration. Today Russia is actively employing not only the military but also the paramilitary methods, including providing the locals with ammunition, using different civil leverages and other secret expedients to realize its objectives. Against the dark background in Ukraine, the summit has naturally focused all its attention on ensuring safety in its member states. NATO declared that it will redouble efforts to shield its member countries from any pending aggression. They have raised the issue of reinforcing the countries’ defense system and have decided to create the Rapid Reaction Force.
A threat that is posed to Europe’s security and stability is really serious. Thus, in the present state of play, a prime objective of NATO is to fulfill its duty assumed by it under the article 5 and ensure security of its member states.
As for the issue of Georgia, first of all, we cannot deny that the entire summit was of paramount importance for us. Bolstering security in the entire Euro Atlantic space is of utmost significance for our country too.
The declaration by the Summit once again proves that NATO supports Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and calls on Russia to accomplish its obligations imposed on it under the agreement of 2008 by pulling its troops out of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In the declaration of the recently held summit as well as of the previous one, a decision by the Bucharest Summit as per which Georgia will join NATO has been backed up once again. The declaration also touches upon an important package on Georgia-NATO cooperation that will even reinforce Georgia’s defense System and boost its security.
- How strong chance do we stand today that the package on intensified cooperation will boost our security system and will help us in repelling aggression from Russia?
--The aforementioned package that aims to advance our cooperation with NATO to a new phase really creates new possibilities for Georgia in the defense sphere. However, one thing is when these new opportunities are granted to you another thing is whether or not you manage to grasp them. The package has really given as new vistas of possibilities – within it we will be apt to intensively train our troops as well as to set up NATO Military Training Center --which will be manned with NATO personnel undergoing trainings along with the Georgian military -- in Georgia. And I think that this will boost the professionalism of our soldiers.
As for Russia, the security as well as political measures taken by the alliance must somehow curb Russia’s aggression. I think that our cooperation with NATO in security and defense issues is of utmost importance for us.
This is a complex mechanism that aims to bridle Russia from the political, defense and economic point of view. And most importantly, they will be able to more easily deter Russia’s aggression if they formulate a well-though out strategy, the first signs of the elaboration of which have already emerged at the NATO Wales Summit.
We can ensure our complete security if we integrate ourselves with the Alliance. This is why this issue is of paramount importance for us t this point in time.
- The Georgian experts do welcome their initiation on the presumable establishment of the NATO Military Training Center in Georgia. However, from their point of view, if the base does not permanently operate and if the soldiers are not systematically trained there, its significance will not be crucial for us. Do you share this position? How big is a chance that this base will serve as a defensive “stronghold” in Georgia?
- NATO Military base creates new opportunities for Georgia via which it can boost its defense system as well as empower its armed forces. I do agree with a position as per which the more versatile will be the tasks set by the military base, the more effective will be its taken steps. By all odds, such kind of base will reinforce Georgia’s defense system, will enable it to fend off any pending aggression and will involve it in more harmonious relations with the military units of the member countries of the alliance. In my mind, now we must exhaust all possibilities, the package on “intensified cooperation” with NATO offers us.
- As soon as the NATO Wales Summit was wrapped up, the WH issued a statement saying that the U.S. is drawing up plans to back the countries trying to stay out of Russia’s influence. In addition, the U.S. President also declared that they are entering a new phase in cooperation with its partner states. The U.S. Defense Secretary’s visit to Georgia was also of paramount significance for us. In addition, after the American leader had paid visit to Estonia, the Russians abducted an Estonian border guard. Considering that Russia has not taken such an outrageous step with respect to America for 23 years, can this incident be regarded as Putin’s attempt to poke Obama in the eye? And how big of a chance do we stand that Russia will take a similar step in Georgia after Chuck Hagel’s visit?
- I don’t really think that Russia is acting impulsively. Russia’s taken steps are simply in line with its strategy which aims to enervate the neighbor states thanks to piling unceasing pressure on them. By forcing these states to run off the rails, Russia is aiming to drag them on its orbit and keep them under its thumb. In light of this fact, I can conclude that their actions are not impulsive in the slightest; on the contrary, the Russian leaders are following an extremely well-formulated plan and are taking constructive steps only. And in the present state of play, we can counter Russia only by taking similar constructive measures. And against this backdrop, intensified cooperation with the alliance is immensely significant for us. Against this background, when tensions are running high in Ukraine, the prime objective of NATO has become ensuring security of its member countries. And with this in mind, they started to elaborate a strategy aiming to bridle Russia.
It will not be rational from us to presume that some provocations can take place in Georgia because of the fact that this or that high official entered it. On the contrary, in my mind, such visits will even more guarantee our security in the future.
- How would you evaluate the decisions made with respect to Ukraine at the NATO Wales Summit? Was a response to Russia’s taken steps from the alliance adequate?
-- The West has not formulated its strategy in reference to Ukraine yet. I think that they will finally elaborate a strategy that will be oriented on blocking Russia from materializing its plans. This strategy has, in fact, been outlined at the Summit. Political, economic and financial sanctions against the aggressor will presumably be the core constituent of the aforementioned strategy. They are also expected to exert arduous efforts to ramp up their security as well as safety of their member states. I am boldly certain of the fact that the alliance will keep taking active steps to help Ukraine in the future too.
