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Late Compromises or Slow Palestine People

February 12, 2010

Beso Kurtanidze, Liberal

After Israel side failed to persuade Arabs to accept the conditions of dividing the territory, the Foreign Minister of Israel Abba Eban said: “Arabs never miss opportunity to miss chance.” Initially, they offered 60 % of disputable land to Palestine people. Since Arabs considered “one stadium” of land was too much for Jewish, they did not agree – and rebelled, started war and in 1948 already independent Israel offered only 44 % of the territory to the defeated Palestine in accordance to the UN plan. The opposite side did not accept their offer either. Israel was recognized by Nauru. On the same year, Israel defeated coalition of Arab states and invaded 78 % of the territory. In 1967 after the “six-day war” they occupied 84 % of the entire territory.  Arabs had left only 16 % of the initially offered 60 %.

Arabs declared three No to Israel: No to recognizing Israel, No to negotiations with Israel and No to peace with Israel.

In 2002, 35 years after three “No-s” Arabs admitted that if they had accepted 22 % of the land offered by Israel, it could have been enough to establish Palestine state.

In 2000 Bill Clinton offered them 20 % of the territory and Arabs agreed, though two years later.

“Half bread is better than no bread,” Jewish people started to gain their lands back under this slogan; while Arabs always refused to get half bread.

Nobody will appreciate comparing Georgians with Arab people. However, I do not think Arabs would like to equalize them with us either. We also won all wars and after the war in August of 2008 we also lost about 20 000 sq. kilometers of the land. Although, Palestine was later abandoned by many Arab states, they are not alone in this world. Neither we are alone.

Before winning the war, Abkhazians could have been satisfied with the status of federation entity. However, in the past we did not want to grant them even autonomy and nobody has ever discussed the topic of federation at all. Autonomy was too little for Abkhaz people.

After losing the Abkhaz war, Ardzinba arrived in Tbilisi based on the request of former foreign minister of Russia Primakov. Negotiation between President of Georgia Shevardnadze and Ardzinba lasted several hours. How do you think, if Ardzinba wanted independence of Abkhazia why did he arrive in Tbilisi? - to request recognition of their independence? No! He was ready to agree with confederation. Shevardnadze discussed Abkhazia as a federal part of the country; that means we agreed to grant Federal status to them; but  it was after we lost the war; so, later Ardzinba was not agree with that.

In 1998 we lost one more war in Gali district. Our army left the district earlier than people. Russians and others assisted Abkhaz people; it was not unexpected fact at all. Later, representative of the Russian “King” in the Caucasus Ramazan Abdulatipov announced three-point plan again: 1. Abkhazia recognizes territorial integrity of Georgia. 2. Government of Georgia shall not interfere in the internal affairs of Abkhazia and 3. Abkhazia shall become de-militarized zone. Neither this plan was considered seriously. We concluded: “Abdulatipov is spy of Kremlin; he cannot give positive suggestions to us.”

After Rose Revolution, some kind relationships were restored between politicians and de-facto foreign minister Shamba visited Tbilisi. He was walking along Sharden Street in Tbilisi when Saakashvili visited military base in Senaki which was one of the nearest ones to Abkhazia; he checked military readiness of the base. Why did Abkhaz people get afraid? What circumstances were changed in favor of us? Russia still supported them as well as north Caucasian nations and the only thing which encouraged Saakashvili was his army which “was no longer dirty, unclothed and hungry.” How could rusty tanks and corrupted army of Abkhazia and Russia resist Georgian army?

Results of the war in August of 2008 were much worse. Besides additionally lost territories, independence of Abkhazia and Ossetia were recognized. Situation was much better in South Ossetia to resolve the conflict than in Abkhazia. Here personal relation exceeded smuggler and criminal business; residents of Gori worked in Tskhinvali. They used to go to work in the morning and returned in the evening. Georgian journalists could visit Tskhinvali without companions and observers.

In the film of Nino Kirtadze about the war in August of 2008 Mikheil Saakashvili is watching Putin on TV. He gets astonished and thraws control panel at the TV-set and cries out: “The war has not finished yet and let us see, who will win it.” If we trust his words, maybe we face much more disaster in future. Besides that, after the war in august, commander-in-chief stated: “It is no problem that we have not lost only two districts.”

How can we blame Il-Ghaz or Tbilisi Amira in everything who did not allow Davit Aghmashenebeli to resolve problems diplomatically? However, our president is trying to be the governor like Aghmashenebeli. Maybe he is thinking about Ruis-Urbnisi meeting too (meeting of orthodox high-ranking clergymen in 1104 where serious reforms were initiated by the King Aghmashenebli in Orthodox Church).

What do Georgian people think about South Ossetia and Abkhazia?  On Facebook there is a group with this title where many people express their opinions. However, you have heard and read similar opinions since 1980s except several of them.

I think, after the first war of Abkhazia, we learned only one thing – Abkhaz people do not have Georgian hostages in Tkvarcheli mines and we are deeply sure about it. On the other hand, nothing has changed; Abkhaz people are still Georgians like I am Imereli (resident of Imereti region of Georgia); very small nation of Absua is people who arrived here from the mountains; and as for the innovation – soon 2 million tourists will visit Batumi unlike Abkhazian seaside. Anaklia will be better resort than Gagra.

South Ossetia is still Samachablo. Tskhinvali region is the only thing which is associated with Ossetians. But cultural autonomy is enough for them.

Leading politicians still offer federation to Abkhaz people. In current reality it is incredible. The only thing we can think of is co-existence in one state which will be impossible until we call them Absua. In 1992-93, in 1998 and in 2008 we were defeated in Abkhazia and in Tskhinvali three times; after that, people who won the war three times will never accept our proposals. Besides that, Russia has already recognized them.

How can any of separatist government persuade their population that accepting the proposals of the defeated Georgia is not treason? Neither our presidents could take adequate measures because of fear of being traitor; so we cannot request the separatists to do the same.

Geese have rescued Rome but nobody respects them now for their deed. If we want to gain respect from our opponents, we should build strong and fair state. “It is no matter what Gos say about us, the point is what Jewish do,” said Ben-Gurion and these words are important for us too.

If the society requests the government to look for those three missing Ossetian fellows – a bit older than those Georgian children who were kidnapped from Tirdznisi, it can be considered as a first step taken towards Ossetian people. Those young people disappeared after the war last year. You can see the video-recording how those young boys were beaten on the following site: http://cominf.org/video.  It should be done today. Children from Tirdznisi were released and now it is our turn to do the same. I personally feel ashamed and think that we owe something to Ossetian people because we do not do anything to find those missing Ossetian fellows.

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