The "other" Georgians.
Reputed favorite to win presidential status: Mikhail Saakashvili, a 36-year-old American-educated lawyer.
Mr. Saakashvili said he wants to visit Moscow soon in a bid to improve relations that have been strained over the issue of separatism.
Georgia has long accused Russia of supporting the two regions that are not taking part in Sunday's vote, as well as a third region that also came close to boycotting the election.
In a surprise move, Mr. Saakashvili made a quick visit to one of the breakaway regions, South Ossetia, which he said he wants to bring back into Georgia by peaceful means. South Ossetia is normally off limits for politicians from Tbilisi.
But most of all, the likely new leader will need to tackle rampant corruption and the dramatic fall in living standards during Mr. Shevardanadze's rule.
Over half of Georgia's five million people live below the poverty line in a country that enjoyed the highest standard of living of all republics in the Soviet Union.
Mr. Saakashvili will likely look to the West for help, especially given the strategic interest foreign countries have in the region.
That's a bit of a sticky wicket considering the fact that "the West" wants to make sure it has oil pipeline control through Georgia, and the fact that the former president, Shevardnadze, was chin deep in "help" from the West.
I hope Mr. Saakashvili has a better plan than looking to the West for help. I hope he can play the West against Russia to his people's advantage, because they are both certain to be playing him.
Some background on the "revolution" that led to this point in Georgia's political history is in earlier posts. Here are a few:
Terrorists in Southern Russia - implications for Georgia - 12/5/03
Georgia on Bob's mind.... - 12/02/03 (probably the most thorough post)
Georgia, post-revolution - 12/01/03
Revolution in the air - Redux - 12/01/03
Revolution is in the air - 11/23/03
Sunday, January 04, 2004
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