In 2019, Georgia suffered a massive cyberattack. The targets included Georgian government websites and state-run television broadcasters,2,000More than 100 websites were attacked. The Russian Foreign Ministry has denied any involvement, but the Georgian government, as well as the British and U.S. governments, have denied any involvement in the attacks.claimThe company is doing so.

Relations between Russia and Georgia have been unstable since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Furthermore, Georgia is heavily influenced by the politics of its neighbors and the world around it. Georgia is located on the border between Europe and Asia. Over the years, the country has been invaded and occupied by neighboring countries such as Persia, Turkey, and Russia, leading to the current state. In this issue, we would like to explain Georgia with a focus on its international relations to date.

Tbilisi, capital of Georgia (Photo: Bas van den Heuvel/ Shutterstock.com)

Relations with Russia and associated problems

First, let's look back at Georgia's post-modern history. Georgia is.19It was annexed to the Russian Empire in the first half of the 19th century,1918In 1949, the Russian Revolution led to independence.declarationThe first time, the company was in the process of And then,1921In 1949, it was absorbed into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.1956In 1949, a protest movement against Soviet policies broke out among the people, but was suppressed by the military,1991In 1949, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country gained its independence. Georgia thus arrives at its present form.

Various conflicts of interest exist between Georgia and Russia, one of which is the territorial dispute. Georgia has two regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which are not governed by the central government of Georgia. Although they have little international recognition, they declared independence with the strong backing of Russia. Although each now has its own independent government, Russia'soccupied territoryIt has a strong tint as a

Historically, the region of South Ossetia was18It is said to have taken some shape in the 19th century.1992In 1949, the autonomous region of South Ossetia was clearly created within the territory of Georgia, which was a constituent of the Soviet Union. It is said that South Ossetia, where many Ossetians live, was originally created by Joseph Stalin, General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, to divide and rule the region while North Ossetia on the other side of the Caucasus Mountains belonged to Russia. On the verge of the collapse of the Soviet Union1980In the 1950s, a nationalist movement flourished in Georgia, and South Ossetia became active in resisting Georgization.1989In 1949, the demand for autonomy further spread from within South Ossetia, and rebels clashed with Georgia in an armed conflict.1992In 1949, South Ossetia gained independence.declarationThe first time, the company was in a position to do so.

Meanwhile, similar turmoil was occurring in Abkhazia.1992In 1949, Georgia, which was restored as a state after the collapse of the Soviet Union, adopted the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Georgia before it was absorbed by the Soviet Union, reducing the rights and autonomy of Abkhazia, which was then incorporated into Georgia. In the same year, Abkhazia opposed this. Armed conflict broke out between Abkhazia and Georgia. Volunteers from South Russia, the North Caucasus, and the Cossacks rushed to the rescue.1992The Russian government in 1949 was, in fact, supportive of Georgia's territorial integrity.representationWhile doing so, they were also leveraging against the rebels. The following year, Abkhazian forces seeking independence from Georgia drove Georgian troops out of Abkhazia.

Abkhazian parliament building burned down during the 1992-1993 conflict (Photo: hélène veilleux/Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 ])

moreover1993In 1949, Georgia was made up of many former Soviet states, mainly RussiaCommonwealth of Independent States(CIS)Agreement. Subsequently, Russia'sCISGeorgia was allowed to send peacekeeping troops to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Since then, the Russian government has been providing those rebels with public salaries and infrastructure.direct supportThe company is conducting the project.

Since then, in politicsstalemateAlthough it was followed by a2004In 2006, Mikhail Saakashvili was elected president of Georgia and reclaimed the territory.representationThe first time, the company was in a position to do so.2006In 1949, South Ossetia, on the other hand, held a vote on independence from Georgia,99%.residents supported independence. An even more significant change was the2008Year. Georgia attacked South Ossetia under the orders of President Saakashvili. However, Georgia's daredevil attack was quickly suppressed by Russian military intervention in support of South Ossetia. Not surprisingly, Abkhazia, which has close ties with South Ossetia, also attacked Georgia. Through these events, Russia unilaterally declared the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.approvalThe conflict was a further step in the separation of the two regions. The conflict, in turn, further separated the two regions for Georgia.

Russia continues to provide assistance in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and has also given Russian passports to citizens of both regions. Currently, Russia has illegally erected barbed wire and fences on the borders with Georgia in both regions, and is "in the process ofbordering onThe aim of the project is to "get to the bottom of the problem. The Russian side claims to have drawn its administrative boundaries in accordance with the Soviet-era borders, but the Georgian side refuses to participate in meetings to draw the boundaries. Such an action would be a de facto recognition of Georgia's independence. Restrictions on freedom of movement also pose a major problem for residents living near the administrative boundary. In recent years, residents living on the Georgian side of the administrative border have been subjected by the South Ossetian and Abkhazian authorities and Russian security forces to arbitraryArrested, persecuted, or killed.The company is also being According to the Georgian side,840as many Georgians illegally crossed the border.Detained.The following is a list of the most common problems with the

A farmer looks home from South Ossetia, cut off from life in Georgia (Photo: Jelger/Flickr [CC BY-NC 2.0 ])

International Relations in the South Caucasus

It is clear that Georgia's relations with Russia are heavily influenced by its relationship with Russia, but what about its relations with other countries? Let us look at Armenia and Azerbaijan, the other two countries that make up the South Caucasus, where Georgia is located.

First, the Caucasus region is the area between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The Caucasus is divided into the North Caucasus and South Caucasus by the Caucasus Mountains. The North Caucasus consists of the Chechen Republic and other republics of the Russian Federation, while the South Caucasus consists of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The South Caucasus, described here3The three countries originally belonged to the Soviet Union, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, each gained its own independence. However, this3Russia's influence on the two countries is still significant, and each country's foreign policy search continues. There is also a territorial dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as Georgia, with repeated clashes over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. For more information.GNVThe past of thearticlefor more information.

Armenia is a regional economic union led by Russia, the Eurasian Economic Union(EAEU)indicates such things as location of person or thing, location of short-term action, etc.2015It has been participating in the program since 2006. Trade in oil and other products between Russia and Armenia has beenincreaseArmenia is trying to build a multi-vector diplomacy to establish diplomatic relations in multiple directions as a country bordering Europe and Asia. Armenia, as a country on the border between Europe and Asia, is aiming for a multi-vector diplomacy that builds diplomatic relations in multiple directions, but its dependence on Russia is still high. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, has close ties with Turkey.relationshipin theEAEUand does not participate in the European Union(EU)and Russia while maintaining ties with the United States.We're keeping it.The United States is a country that has been criticized by many Western countries for its authoritarian nature. However, because of its authoritarian character, it is often criticized by Western countries on human rights issues. In addition, Azerbaijan has been a stable and profitable natural gas and petroleum storage country.

Let us look at Georgia's relations with both countries. While generally good, both countries sometimes show glimpses of the shadow of the great Russian power behind them. First, let us look at the relationship between Georgia and Armenia. Armenia, a landlocked country, handles about75%.is sensitive to a confrontation between Georgia and Russia, as it passes through Georgia and may even jeopardize the gas pipeline from Russia. On the other hand, Georgia also fears Russian pressure on its diplomacy and military presence in Armenia. The two countries have also had many outbreaks of violence, large-scale protests, early resignations of presidents, and conflicts to date.difficultyhave been experiencing. People's attention has turned to security, cultural heritage, and ethnic issues, and the government is working hard to avoid sensitive conflicts.

Then-Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili visiting Armenia in 2016 (Photo: Georgian Government/Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0])

Next, Georgia and Azerbaijan.relationshipThis is about the Both countries are30They have had a strategic partnership for two years. However, there is also tension over the ownership of a monastery, David Garage, which is a religious heritage for both sides. In addition, the2The major powers, Russia and the West, are the key players in the relationship between the countries. Russia has intentionally and the West has unintentionally created this2It could also weaken relations between countries.2013In the year,The EU is."Countries that have made efforts toward democratic transitionAs "the" countries, Armenia, Moldova, and Georgia were chosen. While this may have been intended to have the effect of a bounty on democratic nations, in practice it could have the effect of alienating other countries, such as Azerbaijan. The U.S. andEUis the world's second-largest laid distance connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey.Baku-Tbilisi-Jehan(BTC)oil pipelineThe company has made efforts such as playing a leading role in projects in the

Other international relations in the region

Now, so far we have focused on the South Caucasus, but there is another important neighbor for Georgia. That is Turkey. Turkey is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO)It is a member country,EUThe country has strong ties with the U.S. and Europe, making it an unmissable country for Georgia, which wants to build relations with Western countries. However, the recent Turkish-RussianrelationshipGeorgia is on shaky ground in the Turkey has been purchasing missiles from Russia in recent years and has also embarked on a plan to build an oil pipeline from Russia to Turkey and southern Europe. For Georgia, which has a feud with Russia, it would be inconvenient for Russia to have friendly relations with Turkey. However,2020Since the beginning of the year, relations between Turkey and Russia have cooled over the Syrian province of Idlib. This may have been a welcome development for Georgia.

Iran's international relations also require close attention for Georgia. The Georgian government is known for its close relationship with the U.S. government, which can be greatly affected by the U.S. diplomatic position.2020counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)1How will the current conflict between the U.S. and Iran affect Georgia in the wake of the U.S. killing of Iranian commander Ghazem Suleimani in May? This will certainly have a major impact on the Middle East, but since Georgia receives many tourists from Iran, even if there is no military conflict, the discord could be a touristdecreasebring about. In addition, Russia is, after all, of the greatest interest to Georgia. That Russia could use this incident as a pretext to involve the world in antagonizing the U.S. and strengthening its military presence in the Caucasus is alsoconcernThe United States and Russia are working together to achieve this goal. However, this may change the balance of power in the Middle East, so it cannot be said to be good for Russia in general.opinionThere are also. In any case, Georgia will need to carefully watch the U.S.-Iranian relationship.

A scene from the Georgia-Iran meeting (Photo: Georgian Government/Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0])

NATOAbout Membership

As we have seen, for Georgia, which wants to strengthen its relations with the West without depending on Russia, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO)Membership is a long-standing goal. National Democratic International Institute(NDI)according to (someone)2019counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)1In a national survey conducted in May, the Georgian public78%.andNATOfound that they are in favor of accession. This is2013The results of the survey, which was conducted in 200681%.This is the highest figure since So far, Georgia has sent soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq.NATOThe company has actively expressed its willingness to contribute to and join the activities of the In this way2008Year,NATOalso finalized Ukraine and Georgia.NATOThe company has agreed to welcome them into the In addition2019Also in the yearNATOis a similardeclarationbut there are still no clear guidelines for membership. In fact,NATOThe other side is that Georgia is not very keen on the idea because of the territorial dispute and the fear of Russian intervention.reasonIt seems that the

Commission by NATO and Georgia (Photo: Georgian Government/Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0])

Thus, Georgia is susceptible to changes in the situation in Russia and other neighboring countries and in the Middle East. How will it get through the future with its antennas always up, and how close will it be to Western countries?

Writer:Shiori Tomohara

Graphic:Saki takeuchi

Follow @GNV_tweets