Gossips about love relations of America and Russia

MARI TSIKLAURI

Struggle of former antagonists – USA and Russia – for political future of Georgia continues. Georgia is the second country in the world after Israel in receiving American aid per head. In response, Washington was given the chance of exercising influence on the political future of the country.

Georgia found itself on the edge of changes. Parliament elections are to be held in November. The stake is very high in this struggle as the outcome might have most significant consequence: who will succeed Edward Shevarnadze in 2005. Not only Georgians observe the events. The South Caucasus located between Russian in the North and Turkey and Iran in the south has always been a battlefield of empires, beliefs and ideologies. This time there is struggle between the USA, the only superpower of the world and weakened Russia that continues to be the most influential power in this region.
But what interests does Washington have in small and distant Georgia?
The answer is oil, geopolitics and world that changed after 11 September attack. The US invested great funds ? both financial and political ? in oil pipeline Baku-Jeikhan. It is a large-scale project and its realisation will make it possible to transport Caspian oil past Georgia from Azerbaijan to the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The US will thus gain access to the most important alternative energy source in case of instability in the Middle East.
Simply saying, America looks to protecting its investments.
And this means that adherence to stability and democracy in Georgia far exceeds the bounds of verbal support.
The US reacted immediately to the request of Tbilisi to help it in the struggle with uncontrollable Chechens and Al-Quad forces in the Pankisi ravine.
Georgians have a cogent reason for good attitude towards Americans. Washington has already supported the fragile independence of the country with the sum of more than a billion dollars. In response, Washington was given the chance of influencing country’s political future. Moscow observed events going on in its rear yard with a mixture of distrust and horror. When Washington first publicised its plan of military training of three battalions of Georgian army in accordance with the NATO standards, this caused a wave of discontent in Russia. It became worse in summer. At first, an American spy plane flew along the Georgian and Russian border, and then NATO sent one of its patrol planes Avak to Tbilisi with the mission of good will. The Kremlin was furious. Thus, it also watches Georgian elections with unconcealed interest. No one argues that Moscow will try to manipulate the elections. Accusations of treachery appear instantly and become very widespread in this complex world of Georgian policy where stab in the back is to be awaited at any time. This summer Russia has reminded of its power in time. The gigantic gas enterprise Gasprom has de facto become a monopolist in supplies and distribution of Georgian gas whereas RAO has recently purchased control packet of shares of the present energy system.
Now Russia or Russian companies will fix price for gas and electricity in Georgia. These factors are of no less importance in the year of elections.