Georgia - a Maritime State

2025-03-01

The “Round Table - Free Georgia” election program paid significant attention to the proper utilization of Georgia’s potential as a maritime state and its cooperation with the countries of the Black Sea region. “Georgia has the geopolitical advantage of being a maritime state, which provides direct access to the world ocean and will actively participate in the international division of labor. Maritime transport should become the state property of Georgia and conduct all relations (financial, payment, etc.) independently. The further development of maritime transport is of great importance for the growth of the republic’s economy and international economic ties, therefore we definitely consider its development a priority,” the document states.

Zviad Gamsakhurdia’s election program included a separate subsection - “Black Sea Region,” which stated: “Establishing close relations with the countries of the Black Sea region will contribute to the process of Georgia’s formation as a maritime state.”

In his first official speech, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Tengiz Sigua, emphasized the issue of developing the Black Sea and sea navigation in accordance with the interests of Georgia.

A government commission on the “Black Sea Concept” was formed under the chairmanship of Bakur Gulua.

On January 21-23, 1991, a meeting of the Turkish-Georgian working group and a symposium “The Ecological State of the Black Sea and Inland Waters and Improving the Use of Their Resources” were held in Tbilisi. Representatives of the USA, Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria also participated in the meeting. Joint measures to improve the ecological state of the Black Sea and inland water bodies were discussed. The meeting decided to establish a Turkish-Georgian “Joint Center for Black Sea Research”. The Turkish branch of this center was established in Trabzon in May of the same year, and the Georgian branch in Tbilisi in October.

In January 1991, a representative of the Republic of Georgia participated in the Consultative Meeting of the Black Sea Basin Countries, which was held in Ankara. The meeting was dedicated to the issue of creating a “Black Sea Economic Cooperation Region”. The relevant project was prepared by the Turkish side. The project, along with many directions, envisaged the establishment of a free economic zone by the countries of the region, the introduction of customs privileges, maritime and coastal transport, etc. The conversation also touched on the issue of creating a “Black Sea” bank.

On June 18, 1991, Zviad Gamsakhurdia officially addressed “the heads of government of the Black Sea Basin and countries interested in the Black Sea problem”, offered cooperation and a proposal to create a “specialized intergovernmental institution for the protection of the ecological environment of the Black Sea Basin” with the UN. The President of Georgia was responsible for arranging the headquarters of this organization in Tbilisi.

In July 1991, an international conference dedicated to the problems of the Black Sea was held in Batumi, which was welcomed by Zviad Gamsakhurdia with an official address on July 13. In his address, he emphasized that the Black Sea was a “common sea” of the countries located on its shores and that they should share responsibility in the process of solving ecological problems. In this direction, he attached great importance not only to activity at the governmental level, but also to the involvement of non-governmental organizations. “Georgia is ready to host any international meeting of any level in the future, the purpose of which would be to solve the problems of the Black Sea, lay the foundation for the implementation of specific initiatives. We welcome the idea of ​​the Black Sea as a zone of peace and cooperation, an ecological security zone!”.

The Soviet government tried to hinder Georgia’s activity in the Black Sea region. For this reason, our Foreign Ministry tried to establish direct and immediate ties with the countries of the region. For example, on May 2, 1991, the Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic visited the Turkish Embassy in Moscow and personally asked it to send information on the Black Sea Economic Union directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Georgia.

Unfortunately, after the coup d'état (a sudden overthrowing of a government by a small group) that took place on the verge of 1991-1992, as a result of the Abkhazian war, Georgia lost de facto control over almost half of the Black Sea water area.

The regional organization, whose membership the government of Zviad Gamsakhurdia aspired to in 1990-1991, was officially established in 1999 and is known as "BSEC".

Giorgi Arkania