Turkey Concerned Georgian-Ajarian Tension Could Disrupt Regional Pipeline Plans

One country keenly watching developments in Georgia's renegade region of Ajaria is Turkey, which has strong political and economic ties to both Tbilisi and Batumi. The fear in Ankara is that tension between Tbilisi and Batumi poses a potential threat to key economic interests, including a vital pipeline.

Georgian-Ajarian tension revived on March 22, as Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze appeared to balk at implementing a political pact that he agreed to four days earlier. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Under the pact, Abashidze recognized Tbilisi's right to supervise the collection of customs revenue in Ajaria. However, he has subsequently refused to approve presidential appointees charged with overseeing the regional customs service.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili gave Abashidze 48 hours to approve his customs representatives or face the reintroduction of an economic blockade. On March 23, Georgia's Constitutional Court Chairman, Joni Khetsuriani, traveled to Batumi in effort to mediate the new dispute.

Turkish leaders are closely monitoring developments, looking for opportunities to exert influence for a negotiated settlement to the Georgian power struggle. An indicator of Turkey's concern is the fact that immediately after the Saakashvili-Abashidze deal was announced March 18, Ankara dispatched a fact-finding mission to Georgia, headed by a former foreign minister Yasar Yakis. The message delivered by the Turkish mission in both Tbilisi and Batumi was simple: Ankara is prepared to do everything possible to, in Yakis' words, "contribute mutual confidence" to the Tbilisi-Batumi relationship.

Turkish political analysts say Ankara remains worried about the possibility that existing Georgian-Ajarian tension could spark violence. "What happens in Georgia is very important for Turkey," warns Sami Kohen, a leading columnist with the daily Milliyet. "Instability there could threaten many of our interests."

While Turkey is eager to cast itself as a conciliator, representatives of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government clearly are siding with Saakashvili. Yakis and other members of the Turkish fact-finding delegation repeatedly stressed that Ankara favored the maintenance of Georgia's territorial integrity. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive]. In Tbilisi on March 20, Yakis characterized Turkey as "a close friend and neighbor of Georgia," the Anatolia news agency reported.

"Ankara is following its traditional policy of supporting the government of a country, and rejecting any separatist tendencies," said Mustafa Aydin, an associate professor of international relations at Ankara University.

Abashidze has appealed to Turkey to act as a