Today started with a briefing from from the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Officials described the geostrategic challenges confronting Georgia because of its tough neighborhood. Georgia faces Russia to the north, the Middle East to the south, Asia to the east, and Europe to the west.
But Georgia’s difficult location also offers potential strategic advantages. For the United States, Georgia offers a small “balcony” overlooking Russia from the Caucasus. Russia is clearly sensitive to this reality, as we learned in the afternoon when we met Ambassador Batu Kutelia, the former Georgian Ambassador to the United States. Ambassador Kutelia explained how Russia is working to establish a political “anti-access and area denial environment” in the Caucasus that will continue to complicate American and European initiatives in the region.
Later in the evening, my wife and I ventured on a tour guided by George, a former soldier from the Soviet Union who lost his home in the Abkhazia region when it fell under Russian control. George’s experience and vast knowledge of Georgia’s history enabled us to better appreciate the complexities of Georgia’s relationship with its neighbors. Tbilisi is a historically rich and beautiful capital with Soviet remnants that stand in sharp contrast with the modern architecture of the post-Cold War era.
Capping this exceptional experience, the day ended with the gathering of our cohort at a typical Georgian wine bar where we danced and celebrated our friendship until four in the morning, just in time to get a short nap before learning more about Russia’s balcony.
-- Sergio A., Cohort 4