Possible Challenges to The Republic of Abkhazia in The Focus of Trump Administration`s Geopolitical Interests in The South Caucasus

Öz

The article reviews the foreign policy of the 45th US President Donald Trump in the South Caucasus. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed in May 2017, which prohibits financial assistance to the states that recognized Abkhazia’s independence and established diplomatic relations with it, for the first time on the legislative level America declares Abkhazia an “occupied territory”. Since 2016, America has been strengthening military cooperation with Georgia, similar course is pursued during the presidency of Trump. These measures, as well as the growing escalation of the relations between the US and Iran, contribute to the destabilization of the situation in the South Caucasus in general and in Abkhazia in particular. Under Trump, the confrontation with Russia in the South Caucasus has become more aggressive. Such a situation can not but affect the interests and security of Abkhazia, which is part of the region. In this connection, this article attempts to trace possible challenges in the foreign policy course of US President Donald Trump to the Republic of Abkhazia.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Abkhazia,America,Georgia,Russia,Trump,Consolidated Appropriations Act,South Caucasus

Possible Challenges to The Republic of Abkhazia in The Focus of Trump Administration`s Geopolitical Interests in The South Caucasus [Güney Kafkasya’da Trump Yönetiminin Jeopolitik Çıkarlarının Işığında Abhazya Cumhuriyeti’nin Yaşayacağı Muhtemel Zorluklar]

Öz

Makale, 45. ABD Başkanı Donald Trump’ın Güney Kafkasya dış politikasını incelemektedir. Mayıs 2017’de imzalanan ve Abhazya’nın bağımsızlığını tanıyan ve onunla diplomatik ilişkiler kuran devletlere maddi yardımda bulunmayı yasaklayan Konsolide Tahsisatlar Yasası, ilk kez Abhazya’yı “işgal altındaki topraklar” olarak yasama düzeyinde ilan etti. 2016 yılından bu yana ABD Gürcistan’la askeri işbirliğini güçlendiriyor ve Trump başkanlığında da benzer bir yol izlenmeye devam ediyor. Bu önlemler ve ABD ile İran arasında ilişkilerin gelişmesi de genel olarak Güney Kafkasya’da ve özellikle Abhazya’da durumun istikrarsızlaştırılmasına katkıda bulunuyor. Trump yönetimi altında Güney Kafkasya’da Rusya ile olan anlaşmazlıklar daha saldırgan hale geldi. Böyle bir durum, bölgenin bir parçası olan Abhazya’nın çıkarlarını ve güvenliğini etkileyecektir. Makale bu bağlamda ABD Başkanı Donald Trump’ın Abhazya Cumhuriyeti’ne yönelik dış politikasında olası zorlukları ve tehditleri izlemeye çalışmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Trump,Abhazya,Amerika,Gürcistan,Konsolide Tahsisat Yasası,Güney Kafkasya

Kaynakça

1. Agreement between the United States of America and Romania regarding the activities of United States Forces located on the territory of Romania. 06/12/2005. Available at: https://www.state.gov/documents/organization /75826.pdf
2. Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria on defense cooperation. 28/04/2006. Available at: https://www.state.gov/documents/organization /70921.pdf
3. Ahmeteli, Nina. “V Gruzii startovali uchenija s uchastiem vojsk NATO i Ukrainy”, [“The exercises with participation of NATO and Ukraine troops started in Georgia”]. BBC. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-40771126 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
4. Baker, Gordon. No Island is an Island: The Impact of Globalization on the Commonwealth Caribbean. London: Chatham House. 2007.
5. Congress, “H.R.576 - Reaffirming the strategic partnership between the United States of America and the country of Georgia”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-resolution/576 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
6. Congress, “H.R.1625 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1625 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
7. Congress, “H.R.1751 - Counteracting Russian Hostilities Act of 2017”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1751 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
8. Congress, “H.R.244 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/244 (Accessed 03 April 2018).

9. Congress, “H.R.2810 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2810 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
10. Congress, “H.R.3203 - Countering Iran’s Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3203 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
11. Congress, “H.R.3354 - Interior and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, Commerce, Justice, Science, Financial Services and General Government, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State and Foreign Operations, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Legislative Branch, and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2018”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3354 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
12. Congress, “H.R.3362 - Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2018”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3362 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
13. Congress, “H.R.3364 - Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3364 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
14. Congress, “S.1221 - Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1221 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
15. Congress, “S.1780 - Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2018”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1780 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
16. Congress, “S.722 - Countering Iran’s Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/722 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
17. Congress, “S.94 - Counteracting Russian Hostilities Act of 2017”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/94 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
18. Congress, “S.R.106 - A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate to support the territorial integrity of Georgia”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-resolution/106 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
19. Congress, “S.R.100 - A resolution condemning illegal Russian aggression in Ukraine on the three year anniversary of the annexation of Crimea”. Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-resolution/100 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
20. Dommen, Edward and Philippe Hein. States, Microstates and Islands. London: Croom Helm. 1985.
21. Eadaily. “Posol ssha: ucheniya NATO v Gruzii ne napravleny protiv tretih stran”, [“US Ambassador: NATO exercises in Georgia are not directed against third countries”]. Eadaily. Available at: https://eadaily.com/ru/news /2017/07/31/posol-ssha-ucheniya-nato-v-gruzii-ne-napravleny-protiv-tretih-stran (Accessed 03 April 2018).
22. Euronews “T,ramp ne vypustit amerikancev iz Afganistana”, [“Trump will not release Americans from Afghanistan”]. Available at: http://ru.euronews.com/2017/08/22/trump-afganistan-strategy (Accessed 03 April 2018).
23. Frear, Thomas. The foreign policy options of a small unrecognised state: the case of Abkhazia, Caucasus Survey. 2014. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/23761199.2014.11417293
24. Goldhammer, Herbert. The Foreign Powers in Latin America. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 1972.
25. Irevanaz. “Mjet’ju Brajza: “Tramp nedoocenil Gruziju i Azerbajdzhan”“ [“Matthew Bryza: “Trump underestimated Georgia and Azerbaijan”“]. Available at: http://irevanaz.com/rus/index.php?newsid=4284 (Accessed 03 April 2018).
26. Larsen, Joseph. “What Has The United States Done for Georgia Lately?”. Georgian Institute of Politics. Available at: http://gip.ge/united-states-done-georgia-lately/ (Accessed 03 April 2018).
27. Marleku, Alfred. Small State Foreign Policy: The Case of Kosovo. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences (2013) 4 (2), 287-300.
28. Neumann, Iver and Sieglinde Gstohl. Lilliputians in Gulliver`s World? Small States in International Relations. Centre for Small State Studies Publication Series. Reykjavik: University of Iceland, Working Paper 1. 2004.
29. Panarmenian, “Odno iz podrazdelenij gruzinskoj armii stanet uchastnikom sil reagirovanija NATO”, [“One of the Units of the Georgian army will become a member of the NATO Response Force”]. Available at: http://www.panarmenian.net/rus/news/212103/ (Accessed 03 April 2018).
30. Rothstein, Robert. Alliances and Small Powers. New York: Columbia University Press. 1968.
31. SAQINFORM. “Ni centa Nikaragua, Venesujele i Nauru! - pochemu Tramp podpisal bjudzhet, v kotorom Gruzija upominaetsja okkupirovannoj”, [“No cent for Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru! - Why Trump submitted the budget in whuch Georgia is called occupied”].. Available at: http://ru.gruzinform.ge/news/31820/ni-centa-nikargua-venesuEle-i-nauru---poCemu-tramp-podpisal-bUdZet-v-kotorom-gruziA-upominaetsA-okkupirovannoj-gruzinform-.html (Accessed 03 April 2018).
32. Spykman, Nicholas .J., The Small States in International Politics and Organization, The Journal of Politics, 26, 1964.
33. Tarasov, Stanislav. “Gruzija namerena sohranit’ status-kvo v Zakavkaz’e”, [“Georgia intends to maintain the status-quo in the Caucasus”].
34. REGNUM. Available at: https://regnum.ru/news/2132084.html (Accessed 03 April 2018).
35. USAID, U.S. Foreign Aid by Country. Available at: https://explorer.usaid.gov/cd (Accessed 03 April 2018).
36. Waltz, Kenneth N., Theory Of International Politics. Waveland Press, 2010.
37. Zhemukhov, Sufian, Recognition without Independence: Abkhazia’s International Context. PONARS Eurasian Policy Memo No.245, 2012.