 | | |
Tbilisi edges closer to west
 When Pope John Paul II visited the southern Caucasus state of Georgia at the start of this month, he may have been received with little enthusiasm by the Orthodox church but he was welcomed with considerable delight by President Eduard Shevardnadze. Fresh from the success of his ruling "reformist" Citizens' Union party in the parliamentary elections at the end of October, Mr Shevardnadze's invitation to the leader of the Roman Catholic church was the latest in a series of events which gave the impression of a country ever more oriented toward the west. ...more
ECONOMIC POLICY:
Recovering from a sharp downturn
There is just one problem with the impressive recent growth in the Georgian economy. Hit hard by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the very painful restructuring period of the early 1990s, it starts from an extremely low base. ...more
FOREIGN POLICY:
A quest for western alliances
Although Georgia promotes itself as a gateway between Europe and Asia, the tiny south Caucasus nation is caught between its conflicting interests - placating its powerful neighbour Russia and encouraging a growing alliance with the west. ...more
OIL AND GAS:
Corridor for the supply of energy to Caspian region
Giorgi Chanturia, the president of the Georgian International Oil Corporation (GIOC) which is responsible for all the oil pipelines through Georgia, seems well established in his smart western-style office adorned with portraits of Georgian tsars. ...more
ETHNIC CONFLICTS:
Bitter lessons have to be learned
With more than 100 nationalities and religious groups, as well as two autonomous regions, the south Caucasus nation's diminutive size belies the complexity of its ethnic make-up. The multi-ethnic nation must still somehow find a way to integrate its many ethnic groups and regions if it wants to survive. ...more
WINE:
Sweet taste of an ancient vintage
A nondescript concrete building stands anonymously on the outskirts of Tbilisi. Its impressive contents give ample support in Georgia to the old adage that countries only export their second-grade products, while keeping the best for themselves. ...more
BUSINESS CLIMATE:
Hospitality that can be daunting
Doing business in Georgia is easy, if you know the right people. "Compared with Russia, there is less bureaucracy and more networking in Georgia," says Steve Caron, who owns a student travel agency in St Petersburg and is opening one in Tbilisi. ...more
|
|
 | |
