EU Chooses Georgia Over Russia
The Moscow Times reports highly encouraging news out of Europe. The EU has strongly backed Georgia in its confrontation with Russia:
The European Union gave Georgia's government a firm assurance of its support Thursday despite international dismay at its suppression of opposition protests last month. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero- Waldner chided Tbilisi for a "somewhat overdone" reaction to the protests, which included the muzzling of an opposition television station, but welcomed subsequent steps to bolster democracy. "We know Georgia is a young democracy," Ferrero-Waldner said at a news conference with Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze. Ferrero-Waldner stressed the need to restore media freedoms but hailed the decision to lift a state of emergency and Georgia's willingness to allow international observation of a presidential election on Jan. 5. Gurgenidze also visited NATO on Wednesday to seek future support for his country's aspiration to join. In Tbilisi, Deputy Defense Minister Batu Kutelia said Georgia had plugged into NATO's integrated air defense radar system so that the alliance could monitor what went on in the country's airspace. Georgia repeatedly has accused Russian war planes of infringing on its airspace, a charge Moscow denies. Then-President Mikheil Saakashvili called a snap election after ordering riot police to force opposition protesters off the streets last month with tear gas and rubber bullets. Police also raided opposition television station Imedi, which Saakashvili accused of calling for a revolution. A Tbilisi court on Thursday lifted a ban on Imedi.
2 comments:
The understatement of the year is by EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero- Waldner when he described Georgia's violent crackdown on opposition protestors as "somewhat overdone..."
Way to give them a free pass boys.
It appears that georgia is well on its way to be part of Europe's and America's alliances and under their miltary blanket. Good or bad, it is becoming that. What the EU needs to do is further engage Moscow on continued reltions with more than words but they must emphatically stress their need to protect itself regarding energy, business and other spheres. Thye must further stress to Moscow its fear of Moscow's actions regarding gas and its seemingly desire to control the pipelines, whether its good caoitalism or not, Europe has a fear of totalinarianism and Moscow's actions do not alleviate those fears. And they must emphatically stress its desire to have Russia be part of its future and include them in their destiny and emphasize their view of the intircate ties with Moscow. There are actions that prove this, but it also must not let Moscow manipulate its ties from the USA. Moscow appears to be using every opportunity to gain an advantage in any sphere and they must know that the rules of capitalism involve gentlemanliness and not rude, brutish behavior. This is one of the fine arts of capitalism and as hypocritical as it may be, this is how "civilized" capitlaists live. Greedy yet not totalitarian! lolol
Post a Comment