Saakashvili praises relations between Turkey and Georgia

In an interview to the Turkish Policy Quarterly journal, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili touched on relations between Turkey and Georgia. In response to a question regarding the Georgia model and why it should matter to the West and to Turkey, Saakashvili said, “First of all we have expanded the geographic horizons of the West. To be blunt, one can say that Georgia was unlucky with its geography: being so close to Russia and, seen from Brussels, standing on the wrong side of the Black Sea... But it depends on how you look at it: Georgia's geographic location can also be seen as a chance, as a gateway for European influence towards Asia and a pivotal element of an East-West corridor that is decisive for Europe in terms of energy transit obviously, but in many other ways too... There are value-based reasons and more “real-political” reasons for why this should matter. For Turkey specifically, it is important to create a zone of stability with peaceful and friendly nations around it. Georgia was maybe the best case of the famous policy of “zero problems with neighbors”. From that point of view both sides had a shared interest and we developed our relationship as never before… This relationship is vital for Georgia, but also crucial for Europe in general. It allows the South Caucasus to become this East-West corridor I was speaking about.” Answering a question about a segment within the Turkish business community eager to trade with Abkhazia and some in the EU who also look for ways to strike a win-win arrangement with Tbilisi to help break the isolation of Abkhazia, Saakashvili said, “Our position was always very clear. We have strong enough relations with Turkey to strike a win-win arrangement in which Georgia's sovereignty is formally respected. If there is a ship going from Turkey to Sukhumi, that most go let's say from Trabzon, then there should be Georgian customs officials sitting in Trabzon checking what is on this ship and stamping it. This is doable and Turks agree with it in principle. I went to Inegol last time I visited Turkey. You see that there are Abkhaz and Georgians living together. While Georgians are keen to support Georgia as a country, Abkhaz support the general idea of Abkhazia –maybe not necessarily as a country but as their homeland– they do not have problems with each other. Despite these different orientations, they do not see why in Inegol they should have problems with each other. It is very remarkable to observe this. I had an impromptu rally there. There were local Abkhaz that came with their flags, but they were not hostile. This is an indication of why there is this specificity of the Turkish approach. If this is doable in Turkey, this is a model that can be projected. But again we are very sensitive to the fact that in no way the occupation and attempted dismemberment of our nation should be legitimated. And Turkey understands this very well.”