Obstacles to Building a Civic Nation

This article examines the function of conflicting threat perceptions as obstacles to the development of a civic national identity in Georgia. The analysis focuses on threats perceived on the internal and external political arenas, as defined by Georgian government officials and members of the Armenian minority settled in the Javakheti region. It is discerned that the government's policies for national integration are seen as threats in the form of discrimination and assimilation by minority representatives, while incompatible understandings of Russia's role in Georgian politics provide for indirect questioning of the minority's loyalty to the state. It is concluded that conflicting threat perceptions provide a serious impediment to Georgia's ability to build a civic nation. Acknowledgements The author is grateful for the comments of Prof. Bo Petersson, Department of Political Science, Lund University, and Dr Svante E. Cornell, Associate Professor in Political Science, Uppsala University, and Research Director of the Central Asia–Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Programme. Notes Figures available at Statistics Georgia, Population Census 2002, Ethnic Groups by Major Administrative-Territorial Units: http://www.statistics.ge/_files/english/census/2002/Ethnic%20groups.pdf. It should be noted that these figures do not include the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It should also be stressed that the demographic composition is likely to have undergone certain changes since 2002, and that the reliability of these numbers is limited owing to an inability to gather statistical data in parts of the country. Interview, Kakha Gogolashvili, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, Tbilisi, 9 June 2005. See also Fédération Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l'Hommes (FIDH, Citation2005, p. 15). Interview, Mikael Hertoft, European Centre for Minority Issues, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interview, Tamar Kintzurashvili, Liberty Institute, Tbilisi, 19 May 2005. Interviews, Marina Elbakidze, Caucasus Institute for Peace, Development and Democracy, Tbilisi, 17 May 2005; Levan Ramishvili, Liberty Institute, Tbilisi, 18 May 2005. See, for example, speeches by President Saakashvili: ‘Speech Delivered by President Saakashvili at Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University’, 16 February 2005; ‘President Saakashvili's Annual Address to the Parliament’, 24 February 2005; ‘Georgian President Addresses Nation Ahead of Bush Visit’, 3 March 2005. All available at www.president.gov.ge. Interview, Ghia Nodia, Chairman, Caucasus Institute for Peace, Development and Democracy, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. Interview, David Darchiashvili, Chairman, Open Society-Georgia Foundation, Tbilisi, 23 May 2005. Interview, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005. Interview, Senior Official, National Security Council, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. Interviews, Senior Advisor, National Security Council, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005; Advisor, Presidents Administration, Tbilisi, 19 May; Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May; MP, National Movement—Democrats, Tbilisi, 8 June 2005. The project is funded chiefly by the US Government through the Millennium Challenge Account. Interviews, Zaur Khalilov, Civic Integration Foundation, Tbilisi, 6 June 2005; Arnold Stepanian, Public Movement Multinational Georgia, Tbilisi, 13 May 2005. Interviews, Levan Ramishvili, Tbilisi, 18 May 2005; Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005; Mikael Hertoft, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interview, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005. Interview, Marina Elbakidze, Tbilisi, 17 May 2005. Interview, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, 30 May 2005. Ibid. Interview, Mikael Hertoft, 13 June 2005. See also Hakobyan Citation(2005). Interviews, Tbilisi, June 2006. See also ICG (2006). Interview, Mikael Hertoft, 13 June 2005. Armenia exercises political, economic and cultural influence over the Javakheti region to such an extent that Armenia is seen as the primary external actor in the region. However, this influence is not perceived as a threat by the Georgian government. In the aftermath of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia is internationally isolated and its only ground links to the outside world run through Iran and Georgia. Armenia is thus strategically dependent on good relations with Georgia and has acted as a guarantor for stability in the Javakheti region, implying a relationship of mutual dependence between the two states. Interview, Marina Elbakidze, Tbilisi, 17 May 2005. Interview, Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. For a more detailed account, see Johanna Popjanevski Citation(2006). Personal Communication, Jonathan Wheatley, 17 November 2006. Interview, Official, State Ministry for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Tbilisi, 22 June 2005. Interviews, Advisor, Presidents Administration, Tbilisi, 19 May 2005; Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005; Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tbilisi, 7 June 2005. Interviews, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, 30 May 2005; Official, Ministry of Defence, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interview, Senior Advisor, National Security Council, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. Zviad Gamsakhurdia was president of Georgia during 1991–1992, a period characterized by aggressive ethnic nationalism and an attitude towards minorities as ‘guests’ on Georgian territory. Interview, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005. Interviews, Senior Advisor, National Security Council, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005; Official, Ministry of Education, Tbilisi, 17 June 2005; Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005; Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tbilisi, 7 June 2005. Interview, Official, Ministry of Defence, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interviews, Kakha Gogolasvili, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, Tbilisi, 9 June 2005; Mikael Hertoft, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005; Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005; Beka Mindiasvili, Ombudsman's Office, Tbilisi, 7 June 2005. Interviews, Marina Elbakidze, 17 May 2005; Guram Svanidze, Parliamentary Advisor, Tbilisi, 3 June 2005. Interview, Marina Elbakidze, Tbilisi, 17 May 2005. Interview, Marina Elbakidze, Tbilisi, 17 May 2005. Interview, Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. Interview, David Rstkyan, Akhalkalaki, 14 June 2005. Interview, Principal of Armenian School, Akhalkalaki, 15 June 2005. See also Elbakidze (Citation2002, p. 85). Interview, Mikael Hertoft, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interview, Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. Interview, David Rstkyan, Virk, Akhalkalaki, 14 June 2005. Interview, Mikael Hertoft, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interview, Karen Elchian, Armenian Cooperation Centre of Georgia, Tbilisi, 7 June 2005. Interviews, David Darchiashvili, Tbilisi, 23 May 2005; Mikael Hertoft, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interviews, Local Residents, Akhalkalaki, 14–15 June 2005. Interview, Karen Elchian, Tbilisi, 7 June 2005. See also Elbakidze (Citation2002, pp. 82–84). Interview, Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. Interview, Senior Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 28 June 2005. Interview, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005. Ibid. Interview, Senior Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 28 June 2005. Interview, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005. Interview, Mamuka Komakhia, Independent Expert, Tbilisi, 21 June 2005. Interview, Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. Interview, Official, Ministry of Defence, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interview, Official, Ministry of Defence, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interview, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005. Interview, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tbilisi, 7 June 2005. Local Armenians could previously acquire Russian citizenship through enlisting in the Russian army. In 2002, one-third of the officers, two-thirds of the soldiers and close to all civil employees of the base were local Armenians (Cornell, Citation2002, p. 204). Before the decision on the withdrawal of the base, its total personnel were estimated as just short of 3,000. The base has served as the main provider of employment in Akhalkalaki and salaries are relatively high by Georgian standards. The base has also constituted a market for local agricultural goods. Moreover, the fact that Russian military vehicles are not stopped at border controls has facilitated the smuggling of goods from Russia, for which the base has functioned as a black market (Wheatley, Citation2004, pp. 28–29). Interview, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tbilisi, 7 June 2005. Interview, Official, Ministry of Defence, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Interviews, Official, State Ministry for Conflict Resolution, Tbilisi, 30 May 2005; Official, Ministry of Defence, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005; Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tbilisi, 7 June 2005. Interview, Marina Elbakidze, 17 May 2005. Interview, Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. During spring 2004, large parts of the military personnel were relocated to Russia and replaced with Russian soldiers, decreasing the number of Armenians employed at the base (FIDH, 2005, p. 14). Interviews, Ghia Nodia, 25 May 2005; Marina Elbakidze, 17 May 2005. Interview, Mikael Hertoft, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. Ibid. See also Huber (Citation2004, p. 39). Interviews, Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005; Marina Elbakidze, Tbilisi, 17 May 2005. See also Elbakidze (Citation2002, pp. 92–93). Interview, Ghia Nodia, Tbilisi, 25 May 2005. Interview, Mikael Hertoft, Tbilisi, 13 June 2005. See also Hakobyan Citation(2005). Interview, David Rstkyan, Akhalkalaki, 14 June 2005. Interview, Former Mayor, affiliated with United Javakh, Akhalkalaki, 14 June 2005

Armenian · Civic culture · Democracy · Minority rights · Nation-building · Perception · Political science · Politics · Sociology · European and Russian Geopolitical Military Strategies · Gender Studies · History · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Post-Soviet Geopolitical Dynamics · Psychology

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