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Archive 1986 - 2017
Per Gahrton
New Book: Georgia - Pawn in a New Great Game
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Per Gahrton ger ut engelskspråkig bok om Georgien, Rosenrevolutionen och Ossetienkriget – stödjer EU:s Tagliavinirapport och kritiserar Bildts oreserverade Saakashvili-stöd

Per Gahrton, ordförande i den gröna tankesmedjan Cogito ger i dagarna ut en engelskspråkig bok om Georgien, Rosenrevolutionen och Ossetienkriget hos det brittiska förlaget Pluto Press.

Gahrton har följt utvecklingen i Georgien under de senaste tjugo åren och var personlig vän med landets premiärminister efter Rosenrevolutionen 2003, Zurab Zhvania, som omkom under mystiska omständigheter 2005. Under sin tid som EU-parlamentariker var han s k rapportör för Sydkaukasien. Han har flera gånger varit valobservatör i Georgien. Han har också sedan länge följt utvecklingen i Sovjetunionen och Ryssland och har “working knowledge” i ryska.

Gahrton intar överlag samma hållning som EU:s s k Tagliavini-rapport om Ossetienkriget, d v s att det startades av Georgies president Saakashvili som därmed brott mot folkrätten, men att Ryssland genom att inte enbart försvara egna fredstrupper och Ossetiens befolkning utan också angripa in i Georgien grovt bröt mot internationella samarbetsregler.

När det gäller utbrytarregionerna Sydossetien och Abkhazien rekommenderar Gahrton den georgiska regeringen att lära av hur nordiska länder hanterat sina territoriella förluster fredligt och förhållandevis fritt från revanschism, t ex Sverige förlusterna av Finland och Norge och Finland förlusten av Karelen. Han påminner också om att sex EU-stater är militärt alliansfria, vilket betyder att Georgiens strävan att integreras i EU kan förverkligas utan samtidigt NATO-medlemskap, en policy som skulle minska spänningen till “storebror” Ryssland. Överlag rekommenderar han Georgien att lära av Finland – liksom Georgien f d provins i Ryssland och geografiskt gränsande till Ryska Federationen – när det gäller att hantera den komplicerade relationen till regimen i Moskva. 

Gahrton betraktar den rysk-georgiska konflikten som en fortsättning på det gamla s k Great Game mellan västmakter och Ryssland om kontrollen av olje- och gastillgångar och transportvägar i Centralasien och Kaukasus. Västs, däribland Carl Bildts, ovilja att ta de alltfler rapporterna om Saakashviliregimens auktoritära drag, på allvar, visar att intresset för demokrati och välfärd i Georgien kommer i andra hand efter krassa västliga strategiska maktambitioner.

Gahrton skildrar också hur den växande oppositionen mot regimen samlar alltfler besvikna f d medverkande i Rosenrevolutionen 2003 – däribland flera av president Saakashvilis f d premiärministrar, statsråd och ambassadörer och, inte minst, den tredje medlemmen i Rosenrevolutionens triumvirat, Nino Burjanadze, vilka inser att landets framtid inte kan tryggas enbart genom amerikanskt militärbistånd utan också måste baseras på fredliga samarbetsrelationer med grannländerna.

Boken kan beställas direkt från Pluto Press eller via Amazon. Recensionsexemplar också direkt från författaren, pgahrton@swipnet.se.

Information från Pluto:

Georgia
Pawn in the New Great Game

  • Per Gahrton
  • ISBN: 9780745328591
  • Extent: 272pp
  • Release Date: 09 Apr 2010
  • Size: 215mm x 135mm
  • Illustrations: 11 photographs, 1 map

Product Description

The 2008 Ossetia War underlined the fact that Georgia is caught in a political struggle between East and West. Per Gahrton analyses American and Russian policy towards the country and provides a firsthand account of the Rose Revolution of 2003, its origin and aftermath.

The book traces the increasing US involvement in Georgia and the Russian reaction of anger, sanctions and, eventually, invasion. Gahrton’s analysis is based on interviews with key politicians and his experience as the rapporteur of the European Parliament on South Caucasus. At centre stage is the growing opposition against authoritarian aspects of President Mikheil Saakashvili’s regime and the mysterious death of Prime Minister Zhvania in 2005. The book also asks if the Rose Revolution was a conspiracy or a genuine popular uprising.
This truly authoritative account of Georgia is a must for students studying international relations in the aftermath of The Cold War.

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