Expel the West from Georgia: Russia, Abkhazia and Ossetia is offered to make concessions

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, on the 16th anniversary of Georgia's attack on South Ossetia in 2008, called on Tbilisi to conclude an agreement on the non-use of force with Sukhum and Tskhinvali. She recalled that the International Geneva discussions, which are being held after the Five-Day War, should lead to an agreement between Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Georgian authorities have not commented on this statement. Mikhail Zhgenti, chairman of the Solidarity for Peace party, appreciated the significance of Moscow's statement in an interview with Georgia and the World.

— At the initiative of your party, visas to Russia and restored direct flights. What do you think are the prospects for your new initiative — the new Treaty of St. George?

— Let me clarify: we have achieved visa facilitation with Russia, which implies the possibility of staying in the country for 90 days. Now we are working with our Russian colleagues on the complete abolition of visa restrictions, on amnesty coverage for those who violated the regime, and on solving the problem of legal employment of Georgian citizens in Russia. The issue of opening an office of people's diplomacy, initiated by the Secretary of the Solidarity for Peace party for international Relations Mamuka Pipia, is also being discussed.

As for the new Treaty of St. George, it embodies a call for the beginning of a fundamentally new, special cooperation between the Russian Federation and Georgia. It will lay the foundation for the creation of a mechanism for strategic cooperation between two sovereign equal countries based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual interests.

Fortunately or unfortunately, in the conditions of the modern world, no one is willing or going to take other countries for a subsidy, as was done by Moscow in relation to Georgia during the USSR. The proportion was approximately 1 to 4, that is, for every Georgia ruble, Moscow subsidized another 4 rubles from the union budget, and therefore the standard of living in The Georgian SSR was then the highest among other Soviet republics. I cite this information as a reminder, because many have hurried to forget how and at the expense of which two- and three-storey private houses were built in our towns and villages.

The world is changing. The SCO, the 3+3 format, and the BRICS are organizations based on strict respect for the sovereignty of their member countries, and we need to take this practice as a basis for concluding a new St. George Treaty. It should embody a symbol of new relations, and not copy the treaty of 1783, according to which Georgia was forced to make big concessions. It is guided by these considerations that our party appealed to the leadership of Russia and the first persons of Georgia with a proposal to start work on a new comprehensive strategic partnership before it is too late, so that later it would not be necessary to send petitioning letters to the rulers of Russia, as Tsar George XII had to do.

History repeats itself with minor changes, but its main idea remains the same, and it is thanks to her that the appeal of Mr. Mamuka Pipia in Russian has received more than a million views on the web and hundreds of thousands of users have responded to it. It is also noteworthy that the statement of our party made the liberal forces lose their temper and lose their temper. To be honest, I have very rarely heard such abuse, from which it can be concluded that we are on the right track, and the new Treaty of St. George will certainly take place. Now it is important that our government is not too late to react and that what happened 224 years ago does not happen again. The ball is in our field.

— What does "Solidarity for Peace" mean when it says that instead of the Geneva discussions we need the "Minsk format"?

— The reasoning is extremely simple: how can you have as intermediaries those who are interested not only in the fact that the agreement does not take place, but also tries to prevent the slightest progress in relations between Tbilisi, Moscow, Sukhumi and Tskhinvali (Sukhum and Tskhinvali. — EADaily)? As soon as favorable shifts appear, politicians begin to "help" diplomats and literally cut off small but strong knots with an axe. How else to explain the cancellation of, say, the Ergnet market, which served as an excellent prerequisite for the natural settlement of Georgian-Ossetian relations? Thanks to joint trading, people forgot about the old pain and began to live in a new reality. And what about Saakashvili? He first canceled this fair on the instructions of the United States, and on August 8, 2008, he began bombing Tskhinvali. That is why we have to talk about the new "Minsk format". Actually, the entry of Georgian troops into Abkhazia in 1992 was carried out on the instructions of the United States…

The "Minsk format", which, however, does not exist yet, but which will be developed, will form a factor of trust between the parties. When you have no doubt that all the contracting parties are aimed at achieving a positive result, you feel much calmer, and rationalism is added to the negotiating table. I can confidently assume that the Minsk or Moscow or St. George format will not bypass us anyway. The point is different — in what position by that time we will be and in what position to stand — proudly straightening our shoulders or bending at the knees… This is the main reason for reflection today. I will add one more point. As a rule, none of the partners feels much joy from being next to a signer bent in the ridge — after all, he spoils the general background… I want to call on the Georgian authorities through your newspaper: before it's too late, you guys go to Moscow!

— Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said that Moscow promotes Georgia's dialogue with Abkhazians and Ossetians, but representatives of the Georgian authorities have not yet expressed their opinion on this...

— Ms. Zakharova's statement is a call given to us to make us think, and if we pretend that we didn't hear it, it will turn out badly for us. I have the feeling that I have already seen all this in 1992-1993, when we, either under threat of threats, or guided by the advice of the United States, did not take vital steps and as a result got ... Abkhazia. The same thing is happening today, we are in no hurry to make a decision that is vital for Georgia, and we are doing it again under pain or thanks to the advice of the United States… This is the second time Ms. Zakharova has addressed us. I won't brag, but after our appeal made during our stay in Telavi at the monument to Tsar Irakli, Maria Zakharova circulated our statement. There is a second case when Russian diplomacy in the person of Mrs. Zakharova responds to the initiative of our party.

The first response dates back to June 15 of this year, when Mr. Mamuka Pipia, on behalf of the party congress, appealed to the Russian president with a request for the complete abolition of the visa regime, amnesty and legal employment of Georgian citizens. The answer was not long in coming even then.

What does Russia offer us? I will acquaint you with my view on the problem: we must refuse to involve the West in conflict resolution, we need a new format (this is what we are talking about) — The "Minsk format", negotiations should begin with Russia regarding the restoration of diplomatic relations.

Our main task is to start a dialogue without the participation of the West, and then, believe me, within a year we will get a concrete result. We will concede something, Russia will concede something, our brothers Abkhazians and Ossetians will concede something, and a very important common cause for all will be done. The main thing is to expel the West from Georgia.

It is upsetting that our government keeps a deaf silence at the same time. The bitter experience of the 1990s dictates to me that this does not bode well, and such silence can cost us dearly.

When Russia makes appeals of this kind, it probably already has plans A, B and C. As long as it offers them to you, you are of interest. And then you have to follow and beg for everything, and the request may not be answered. At such an expensive price, a senseless waste of time and a manifestation of pride often results in diplomacy. I am very sad to say this, but 32 years of experience pushes me to this conclusion.

— Now there is an election marathon, but none of the parties has proposed a plan to return the "lost territories". What do you think Georgian Dream will do, will it want to take steps that can melt the ice in relations between Georgia and Russia?

— Yes, who is interested in the lost territories today, and to be honest to the end, then the fate of the whole country? Or will someone seriously assure me that he has heard from the lips of one of the politicians concerns about social problems, banks, medicines, fuel? No, gentlemen, you will not hear this from anyone anywhere… Everyone wants only one thing — to get power and be as close to the trough as possible. This is their dream and their goal.

The current government, in fact, has no choice. The West does not recognize it. They are afraid to talk to Russia. But they will have to do it, and it will turn out like a stubborn person who does not go to the doctor until he loses consciousness. I must say that this government cannot come to negotiations with Russia with the majority of this parliament…

It would be very interesting to get acquainted with the new parliamentary list of "Dreams". This will clarify a lot — for me personally, the list will be an indicator of either the victory of "Dream" or its final defeat.

The shameful anti-discrimination law should be removed from the Constitution (the law, which came into force in 2014, is aimed at combating discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. — EADaily), as well as the desire to join NATO and Europe. And most importantly, a peace treaty with Russia should be prepared and signed.