Erdogan: I Will Talk To Putin And Try To Solve The Problem

BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI
STAR- One problem kept coming up during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s discussions with Georgian officials, namely Russia’s involvement in Georgia’s internal politics and Georgian officials’ distress at this. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has been unable to bring stability since he came to power. He first dealt with Adzhara (Adjaria) – the problem of which was solved after the region’s leader fled to Russia, the country which supported him – but the troubles didn’t end there. Thereafter, the problem of South Ossetia emerged. Even during Erdogan’ short visit, there’s been no letup in the bloodshed in South Ossetia. Saakashvili believes that Russia is behind the turmoil in the region. In almost all of his speeches, he refers to ‘Georgia’s northern neighbor, which sees Georgia not as an independent state, but as a part of its soil.’ At a joint press conference with Erdogan, Saakashvili complained about Russian nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who tried to enter Georgia without a passport or permission, claiming that the country is a part of Russia.
Therefore, Saakashvili requested support from its ‘neighbor in its west’ against its ‘neighbor in its north.’ In other words, Saakashvili requested that Erdogan serve as a kind of a mediator between Georgia and Russia. Erdogan welcomed this request. Erdogan said that he would talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin and try to solve the problem. ‘Putin will visit Ankara soon,’ said Erdogan. ‘We will establish friendship and gain mutual trust. I will later talk to him about this issue. It will be a talk between friends.’
Turkey is changing its passive policy on Georgia to a more active one. This is reflected by Erdogan’s statements that he will do his duty in solving the problems in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Erdogan is also frank about Ahiska Turks who were living in Georgia, but were forced to leave the country. The Ahiska Turks were on the Council of Europe’s agenda. Erdogan said to Saakashvili that Georgia had promised the world to let them return to their homes, but then failed to deliver. ‘We are expecting steps from you on this issue,’ Erdogan told Saakashvili. Erdogan’s visit to Tbilisi is signaling an active Turkish foreign policy in the Caucasus.