The National Interest: “Georgia's Aspiration: Living with, but Not in, Russia”

Political attacks on Russia is "a bad and dangerous policy for Georgia”, opines Tedo Japaridze in his most recent opinion piece for The National Interest.

Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of Georgia and the country’s former Ambassador to the United States, Japaridze said his view of Georgia’s western policy did not represent an "anti-Russian statement” and stressed the importance of political discussion going ahead.

Grounded in the South Caucasus, Georgia has specific neighbors, political, economic, financial and military limitations”, Japaridze notes while writing about the "false choice” of the country between the Russia-backed Eurasian Union project and European Union aspirations.

The article also stresses the pattern of Georgia’s successive governments seeking an "understanding” with Russia, adding that the course has also been "advised by the West”.

Japaridze concludes his piece by noting there is a need for policy to focus away from confrontation, to reflect Georgia’s position to live "with Russia but not in Russia”.

Read the full article here: www.nationalinterest.org