Georgia's place in Turkey's geoeconomic strategies

It will be helpful to know the main aspects of the present situation in Georgia, which iscomplex and full of political, military, economic and geopolitical problems in order to putforward politics that must be followed by Turkey and to understand the relationships betweenTurkey and Georgia. Bringing up the past briefly will help us understand the current problemseasily. Neighboring Dagestan (Russian Federation) in the Northeast, Azerbaijan in theSoutheast, Turkey and Armenia in the South, Georgia has autonomous regions like Abkhazia,Ajaria (or Acharis) and Southern Ossetia. Having also many other minorities, Georgia hasgained its independency in April 9th, 1991 after the collapse of USSR. Georgia is having hardtimes because of unemployment, higher rate of inflation, shortage of energy, old technology,foreign debts and devotion to former USSR economy. She is having trouble meeting the basicdemands of her people. Malpractices arising from financial straits have been damaging theeconomy and have a negative effect on the social structure. People mostly inclined to earningand spending money illegally because of the economical problems. Having a foreign policythat is based on peace, friendship and respect to sovereignty and frontier of all her neighbors,Georgia has a general political tendency toward integration with the Western Society and itsInstitutions. Georgia sees the Russian Federation as the greatest threat to her independencyand stability. Georgia, in order to establish balance on Russia Federation?s threatening effectstowards her independency and stability, is interested in starting close relationships with somecountries like Turkey, The USA, and Germany and some institutions like EC, NATO, EU,and(OSCE).For Georgia, Turkey is both an economic power that will help her economic growth and aneighbor that can balance Russia Federation?s influences and she is a passage to the West. Foraforementioned reasons Georgian government attach importance to relations with Turkey. Asa result of this mind-set, Turkish-Georgian executives have no problems concerningpolitical relations.Georgia is of vital strategic importance for Turkey. Georgia is a key to Turkey?s vision onCaucasia and Middle Asia. To begin with, Georgia is in the center of trade and transportationroutes that leads to Caucasia and The Middle Asia. Georgia is and will be of vital importanceboth geographically and politically in our economic and trade interests in these regions.Economic relations between Georgia and Turkey should primarily be evaluated in terms ofOur strategic interests. Economic relations between Turkey and Georgia have not achieved itsown dynamics yet, they are quite behind the current potential.In this paper, my main aim is to study Georgia?s importance for Turkey taking intoconsideration the importance of regions and geography in economy. Neighboring Turkey,Georgia is a country which is constantly talked over, attributed different levels of importance,seen as of vital importance, claimed to have great chances. Everybody has different opinionsabout her. In this point of view my aim in this work is to analyze Georgia?s relations withTurkey and Turkey?s politics concerning this region taking into consideration the innerdynamics of Georgia, especially her regional position. In this prospect, what Georgia meansfor Turkey, and Turkey?s vision related with this country will be researched and Turkishforeign policy for Georgia, the means and methods used to achieve this foreign policy, theposition of the relations with Georgia in our foreign policy, balancing the powers in thecountry, and Turkey?s relations with the countries which have great interest in Georgia will bediscussed.Basic aims of Turkish foreign policy towards Georgia consist of respect to independency,territorial integrity of the surrounding countries and not to interfere with internal affairs ofthem, and it is based on equality and building friendly relations among surrounding countrieswhich will eventually lead to cooperation fulfilling reciprocal interests. If we are to observethe political, social, economic, cultural, and ethnical structure of Georgia closely, we willrealize that, this policy complies with our region?s reality.