“Conflict between Georgia and Russia was unavoidable, as the states support opposite positions. I believe, that no political force would agree today to the existing status quo,” Head of Caucasus Studies at the French Institute of Anatolian Research, Tornike Gordadze told at international conference entitled “South Caucasus security reconsidered: regional conflicts, stability and transformation”. “One of Georgia’s goals is creation of a national state of European type,” he noted.
“Here we’re up against a paradox. On one side, Russia is trying to reconsider its role, but still create an empirelike state. Georgia is trying to create a national state – two19 century categories, still relevant in the region.”
“There’s also a major ideological confrontation. After Russia established itself as a strong power, upholding principles of democracy, western democracy appeared like geographical and historical property of Euro Atlantic territory. When a state located next to Russia tries to base its policy on principles of western democracy, Russia gets irritated,” Tornike Gordadze concluded.
