More Georgians favor close relations with United States, European Union.

Although Georgia went to war with Russia last year, a new nationwide survey indicates mixed feelings about Russia.

Starting from April, 28 till May, 5 IPM has conducted next in turn wave of omnibus survey and used political questions only for estimation of political organization’s ratings.

About 20,000 people rallied outside the Georgian parliament in Tbilisi on Monday in the fifth consecutive day of protests, demanding the resignation of President Mikheil Saakashvili.

The streets of Moldova and Georgia are boiling with protest and anger, while Kosovo continues to grapple with its self-proclaimed statehood.

The first face-to-face talks between Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev were expected to shed light on what the notion of the “reset button” for US-Russian relationships promulgated by US Vice-President Joe Biden was really about.

Interview with Irakli Alasania, leader of the Alliance for Georgia.

Saakashvili’s address did not have a radical tone this time. Populist rhetoric was also missing. Saakashvili said almost nothing about his vision of how territorial integrity would be restored.

The US-Georgia Charter is not a Mutual Defence Pact. But It Draws Red Line for Russia.

Deepening Georgia’s integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions is a mutual priority, and we plan to undertake a program of enhanced security cooperation intended to increase Georgian capabilities and to strengthen Georgia’s candidacy for NATO membership.

Georgia's United Nations envoy Irakli Alasania has become the latest potential player in the country's ever-changing gallery of opposition leaders, following the December 8 announcement of a coalition between two centrist parties.

Barack Obama's election may have prompted celebrations from Chicago to Nairobi. But in Tbilisi, it was disappointment that carried the day, with many Georgians ruefully contemplating what John McCain's defeat would mean for them.

On August 12, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili announced his country's withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). However, recent Gallup Polls reveal widespread support for some type of formal relationship among almost all CIS populations, even Georgians.

ARCHIL GEGESHIDZE

If the reforms are conducted, there is a hope that next elections will be free and honest. This is an achievable task for both the authorities and the opposition, as other political goals are in the distant future. Those include NATO membership, integration with the EU, return of the lost territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

DAVID BERDZENISHVILI

The Georgian political establishment and the whole society share an opinion that in August 2008 Russia was aggressive and acted improperly. Russia invaded Georgia, which is acknowledged by all the political forces regardless of their status, by the authorities and by the radical and constructive opposition.

GIA ZHORZHOLIANI

The Russian leaders’ words that it is necessary to replace the Georgian authorities strengthen Mikheil Saakashvili’s positions. However I believe that drastic measures will not be taken. Both the authorities and the opposition are willing to act moderately.

ZAAL ANJAPARIDZE

I believe that Barack Obama managed to avert another Russia-Georgia war and now Tbilisi is arguing more confidently that Russia’s war threat has been prevented. The question is for how long.  

ALEXANDER ISKANDARYAN

It is hard for the U.S.A. and other Western countries not to take into account Russia’s interests in the South Caucasus. In case there were any illusions in this respect, the five days war between Russia and Georgia in August 2008 has dispelled them.

DAVID LOSABERIDZE

The situation in Georgia will be one of the issues of the negotiations between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama which will be held on July 6 in Moscow.

ZAAL ANJAPARIDZE

After May 26 (Georgia’s Independence Day), when an impressively large-scale rally organized by the opposition had shown that too many people in Georgia sought to make Mikheil Saakashvili and his team resign, the opposition and the ruling party decided to weaken their confrontation and to step back from the “Red Line”.

SERGEI MARKEDONOV

What does the current situation in Georgia mean for Russia? On the one hand, the confrontation between the government and the opposition is Georgia’s domestic affair. Whoever wins the struggle, no one would take a pro-Russian position.

GHIA NODIA

The Georgian opposition has been holding the protest actions for over a month. The protest started subsiding after several days of mass rallies in April. However, after the 7 May physical skirmish between the police and the opposition the protests recommenced.

DAVID LOSABERIDZE

The rally showed that many people were displeased with the current authorities. The global economic crisis adversely affects the ratings of the authorities, in particular of President Saakashvili, which also forces the sides to seek the consensus.

ARCHIL GEGESHIDZE

It is early to speak whether the Georgian opposition may make President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia step down and whether the early presidential elections will be held.

GHIA NODIA

The opposition rally started in Georgia on April 9. The opposition leaders are sure that they will make President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili resign, and the early elections will be called.

ALEXANDER RONDELI

The U.S. will not throw away its allies including Georgia for the sake of "reset" of the relations with Russia.

ZAAL ANJAPARIDZE

The external players, which have their own plans and interests in Georgia and the Caucasus region, have become increasingly involved in monitoring of the internal developments in the country along with raising Georgia’s political temperature.

DAVID BERDZENISHVILI

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has no personnel resources, which is shown by another change of Prime Minister. Grigol Mgaloblishvili who had held office of Prime-Minister for three months, resigned on January 30.

ALEXANDER RONDELI

In the eyes of the U.S. Administration Saakashvili represents the guarantor of stability and further development. If Saakashvili slowly but steadily promotes democratization in the country, he has nothing to worry about.

ZAAL ANJAPARIDZE

It is difficult to forecast how diligently the Administration of President Barack Obama will follow the above-mentioned articles of the Charter. But there is a high probability (taking into consideration the increased tension in the Russia-U.S. relations) that Russia would consider the Charter as a challenge to its interests in South Caucasus.

ARCHIL GEGESHIDZE

The year 2008 was the most eventful in the entire history of independent Georgia. It started with the January presidential election: it was held against a background of the mass protest marches in November 2007.