GENERAL OVERVIEW

Vladimer PAPAVA

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Vladimer Papava, D.Sc. (Econ.), professor, Senior Fellow, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (Georgia), Fulbright Fellow, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, The Nitze School—SAIS, Johns Hopkins University (U.S.) (Tbilisi, Georgia)

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The Rose Revolution which took place in November 2003 was the consummation of the striving of the Georgian people to accelerate democratization of society, strengthen the protection of human rights, reduce corruption, develop the national economy, and improve social conditions. It is not surprising that the revolution itself and its heroes headed by the country’s current president, Mikhail Saakashvili, were supported by the U.S. administration, the leaders of the European Union and the countries belonging to it, and the entire civilized world. United States President George Bush’s visit to Georgia on 9-10 May, 2005 was clear evidence of the U.S.’s support.

In 2005, the agreement on the withdrawal of Russia’s military bases from the country signed on 30 May by the Russian and Georgian foreign ministers can be considered a particular achievement of official Tbilisi’s foreign policy activity. Other outstanding events of the year include the launching of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Georgian president’s initiative at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on peaceful settlement of the conflict in South Ossetia, the signing by the presidents of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey of the Declaration on Creating the International Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku Rail Corridor, and the country’s participation in instituting the Community of Democratic Choice.

Unfortunately, a pall was cast on the year by the tragic death of outstanding politician of present-day Georgia, Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania.

With respect to domestic political affairs, it should be noted that the revolution’s victory led in turn to…………………

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