Forecast: Without the support of the West, Georgia may not withstand  the pressure from Moscow to participate in the "3 + 3" initiative

ArmInfo. The host of the first official meeting in the "3 + 3" format held in Moscow on December 10 easily "eliminated" the inconvenience of Georgia's refusal to  participate in this action by displaying the country's flag next to  the flags of Russia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Armenia. A similar  opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by  Professor of the Georgian  Technical University, doctor of international relations,  conflictologist Amiran Khevtsuriani.

 "From a purely pragmatic point of view, this event can be attributed  to a number of curious cases. Its perception in terms of humor was  also not devoid of content. However, I would like to emphasize that  Georgia is certainly not up to jokes when it comes to the intentions  and plans of the Kremlin. In this regard, a logical question arises:  what message did official Tbilisi receive from Moscow, and what  should it expect in the near future? "3 + 3" is just meaningless  chatter for it. And sooner or later Russia will force Georgia to join  this format, "he stressed.

Khevtsuriani believes that the key moment in this situation is the  development of regional processes without the active participation of  the West, which is categorically unacceptable for the national  interests of Georgia. Moreover, it is completely incomprehensible for  what reasons Georgia, with its pro-Western aspirations, should join  the alliance established under the auspices of three undemocratic  states. Especially in the context of the threat posed to its  pro-Western future in this situation, and especially in the  conditions when one of the initiators of the "3 + 3" still occupies  20% of the Georgian territory.

The professor assesses the situation around "3 + 3" as another  serious challenge for the Georgian government, a challenge that can  become fatal for it, since the issue is exclusively geopolitical and  threatens the country's declared foreign policy. He also considered  the strong support from Georgia's Western partners as an unequivocal  necessity. Which, in Khevtsuriani's opinion, should be reflected in  concrete steps, since Georgia remains the only country in the region  that still clearly declares its adherence to the Western course.  

"Of course, at this stage, it is difficult to predict how effective the  West will be, as well as how long Georgia will be able to withstand  powerful pressure from Moscow. Today, one thing is clear - Georgia's  possibilities are also not unlimited, and at one point, it may simply  not be able to withstand the pressure and give in, the signs of  which, unfortunately, are already visible And of course, speaking of  the "3 + 3" format, I cannot but touch upon the topic of Armenia,  whose fate is important to us. I strongly doubt that Armenia will  benefit from participation in this format. And to our great regret,  we have to admit that in "3 + 3" Armenia looks like a "Caucasian  captive," Khevtsuriani summed up.