Speaking at a session of the European Parliament, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili essentially swore that he would never try to win back Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He also said: "Georgia will only retain the right to self-defense in the event of new attacks and invasion of the 80% of the Georgian territory that remains under the control of the Georgian government."
For some reason, he called this policy a "unilateral initiative," although Russian officials have said on more than one occasion that Moscow has no plans to attack, occupy or divide up Georgia. From the military point of view this would not be difficult to achieve, but direct aggression would only lead to huge international problems.
Georgia, for its part, has no real capability to project force in adjacent territories. All it has is an unlimited reserve of irresponsible, bellicose rhetoric typical of temperamental politicians who are not responsible for what they say - what ordinary people would call bluffing.
Why did the proud Georgian president officially renounce bellicose rhetoric and bluffing? Quite often politicians make foreign policy statements for strictly domestic consumption. For instance, Japanese prime ministers regularly remind Moscow and the rest of the world about its claims to Russian territory, although these statements are actually intended for flag-waving voters.
But Saakashvili did exactly the opposite. Although his statement was ostensibly about a domestic issue, it was intended strictly for export. This peaceful declaration was addressed to Western leaders, primarily the European Union and NATO. The Georgian president does not want to look like an aggressive troublemaker given the noticeable improvement in Russia's relations with NATO. Peaceful settlements and resets are in fashion now, and Saakashvili doesn't want to be behind the times.
This is what led Saakashvili to declare that Georgia will not do what it is incapable of doing and what its West European and American partners would not let it do anyway. When war broke out between Russia and Georgia in August 2008, not a single foreign state came to Georgia's assistance. Western politicians merely expressed their sympathy.
Not much has changed since then. Western nations refuse to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia and ritually demand the restoration of Georgia's territorial integrity but by peaceful means alone - which translates as endless negotiations.
Saakashvili cannot contradict his Western friends. He had to prove that Tbilisi is not a threat to peace in the world, and this is what he tried to do at the European Parliament. His statement may improve his image around the world, but it will have no effect on Russian-Georgian relations. Remember that it was Tbilisi that severed diplomatic ties with Moscow - a unilateral initiative indeed.
The views expressed in this article are the author's and may not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.
