FROM THE EDITOR

Dr. Emzar Djgerenaia

Georgia is left!
We, Georgians, are strange people. We like running to extremes – we are either right or left, we belong either to the West or Russia, we are either extremely kind or extremely cruel and irreconcilable.

We were very glad when the USA declared that our country was in their sphere of interest, and we gave a sigh of relief: our tortures are finally over, we will not have to think of our economy or people! Now they will care for everything (incidentally, the same was when we belonged to Russia). However, we forget that US interests are as changeable as time and scales. We have keenly approved of the war against Iraq and declared that the turn of Abkhazia would come soon. It has not occurred to us that the country that won the war might suffer a defeat in the world policy as modern wars begin after military operations are over, and if this process becomes lengthy, such countries as the USA might face a serious threat. For another thing, the new world order has not become the way we had expected it to be. Other “disobedient” countries were not afraid, but on the contrary, they thought that if the country with such finances and armament failed to bring Iraq down to its knees, it would not manage to do anything to Russia or other countries.
The States realised this and decided to begin large-scale co-operation with Russia. America is keen on this co-operation as it has been abandoned by its former allies – Europeans countries (especially Germany and France) due to disagreement on economic issues (we wrote about their interests in spring).
American-English coalition could not carry the heavy burden of Iraqi war for long…It decided to involve the whole world in it. Yet, the world and especially NATO allies do not seem to hurry. On the contrary, they continue to criticise the US. Added to this is constant decrease of Bush’s rating. He faces serious problems in the forthcoming elections of 2004.
In the meantime, US budget deficit exceeded 550 billion dollars. War in Iraq cost the country more than 85 billion dollars. Bush’s administration will need as much money for anti-terrorist activities in Iraq in 2004. Yet, peace will not be established in Iraq even in 2004-2005 as its partisans have quite great funds. Besides, peace in Iraq is suitable neither to Europe nor Russia. The lengthier is the process, the softer will be US attitude to Russia’s assets. Russia might regain not quite 8 billions, but at least 4 billion dollars and make the USA include its firms in the further process of rehabilitation and realisation of oilfields. Besides, OPEC countries decided to decrease oil output from 25 million barrels to 24. This will lead to the increase of oil prices by minimum 20% since 1 November, thus adding new problems to the problematic American economy. Russia is not a member of Cartel and it can balance situation by increasing oil output thereby helping America to avert crisis. Russia will not have economic benefit from it. On the contrary, its currency reserves grow through oil sales, and after the end of military actions the reserves will decrease considerably: Russia needs currency, many currencies. So it is ready to sacrifice its economic interests to political concessions. Political concessions imply permission to the conduct of new-colonial, new imperialistic policy in its former colonies including Georgia. They also imply support of Putin in Parliament and presidential elections, creation of the image of Western model democratic politician and his recognition as legally competent partner in the world market sharing. The West has made the issues more acute by giving B. Berezovsky political shelter in England and forwarding his letters to Putin who was hurrying to the meeting with Kemp David so that to remind the remind the President of Russia that he needs this image as the world knows him as adherent of dictatorship and violator of human rights and democracy principles. After Kemp David’s speech in UN, Putin will be cordially met and promised co-operation on the principle of exchange of interests. What does Georgia care for? What about the promise to solve Abkhazian problem and increase annual aid provided Georgia supports coalition. Instead, the aid was reduced to 75 millions. The IMF has disappeared mysteriously somewhere and became suddenly very strict to the government. The aid promised by the IMF has disappeared like “Itera” gas. Europe, our old and strict Europe deprives us of the promised aid. It became suddenly discontent with the high level of corruption and governors’ dispute with power engineering specialists. As if everything was different before. It reminds me of Titiko’s wedding when David’s family waited for Dariko’s band to flight it (a famous Georgian film of S. Dolidze). Georgia was left to the mercy of fate! Everyone left it! All branches of state authority are worried with one and the same thought – why not leaving the country, too. It would not be so bad an idea: this would make life easier for the country. It would not be worse anyway. Yet, is Dariko so impatient to start the attack? At first, we will be made to ask for light, then several businessmen will start to discharge gas because former enemies have suddenly turned into business partners and because our patron is in a predicament while no one in big policy cares for Georgia. They remember us; they come to us, give us a leg-up, chide us and go. Georgia was left as a romantic amorous schoolgirl alone in the street at night.
We should save our country ourselves! Neither Yanks nor Russia, but we! Our predecessor said we should become a state with its own ideology, principles, interests, policy and economy. But stop, what is the noise? Ah, it is rehearsal of election performance. Though it is late, I still would like to ask the conductor to rewrite the script. It is better to do this later than never.