The greatness of Europe is connected with the southern gate

The intentions of the first Georgian diplomat, Sulkhan-Saba, were aimed at strengthening the trade of the subjects of King Louis XIV, to undermine the trade of the Dutch and thereby reduce their power, to compete with them in India, from where they derive all their wealth, to keep the Portuguese in awe, to force the English there to respect us, and also to keep the Turks and Persians in a certain attitude... The only goal that brought him to France was to transport silk through Georgia, which is produced in Persia, in the provinces of Gilan and Shemakha. The Armenians are forced to travel overland through Turkey to the Black Sea in order to bring silk by caravans from these two provinces of Persia to Smyrna, where it is almost completely sold. The route through Georgia would be shortened by three-quarters... It would be easy to explain to the Shah of Persia that he himself would be interested in this business, in order to get more silk. To this would be added trade in wax, wool, lead or Marena dyer root from Georgia, where it would also be advantageous for France to get part of its Maud along with other goods. But then the French king did not care about Georgia.

The fact is that the Georgian offer could not be accepted in French. Why? In my opinion, here lies the main secret.

The thing is that according to the Sulkhan-Saba project, French trade was to be strengthened and Dutch trade was to be undermined. And this is happening in 1714. However, in 1602, a stock exchange was already operating in Amsterdam. The question arises - how could anyone's Dutch trade be undermined?

The Dutch have held global trade power for centuries. In addition, wherever there are seas and ports, the British roam.

During the communist era, traders were called speculators. It seems that Georgians could not come close to trading with Armenians and Jews. I think that Georgians are not really counter traders. Georgia really has something to do with the centers of global trade power - the kingdoms of Great Britain and the Netherlands.

What more can we say than thank you to Sulkhan-Saba, Georgians have created experience for us. Georgian history is the best teacher. But today, the Amsterdam and London stock exchanges have nothing to do with the Tbilisi Stock Exchange, because the free stock market of Georgia is underdeveloped.

Today, not only France, but also Spain, Italy and Greece have the highest share of public debt in the European Union in relation to the country's GDP. As soon as Georgia becomes the gateway to the Silk Road, other types of economic growth in the Mediterranean countries will immediately begin. As global trade will return to its natural course.

Zurab Maghradze, Ph.D.