2. Identification of OSI network programs that may serve as partners and the expected benefits from the cooperation:
There is a wide range of possibilities for establishing collaborative linkages/partnerships with the Soros Foundation Network's (SFN) institutional and human resources. These partnerships could be used both for the purposes of my IPF project and for longer-term objectives related to my regular teaching and research activities.
2.1. OSI-Budapest/Central European University (CEU)
The OSI-Budapest and the CEU will serve as the basic venues for training and advice, which I hope will put to good use while working on the project. The IPF staff's competent guidance will be crucial in successful accomplishment of the project goals. Apart from very important training modules in policy communication and IT to be provided at the IPF seminars, it goes without doubt that advice from the experienced CEU faculty and visiting experts, both on the sidelines of the seminar and subsequently on-line, will significantly contribute to my project. Particularly, the faculty of the Department of International Relations and European Studies (IRES) can be of great help. Also, I expect that the CEU's rich library resources will serve as a unique source of reference.
In the longer run the IRES's experience could be used in building up teaching and research capacity in my organization – Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies (GFSIS).
2.2. OSI National Foundations
For the purposes of my project I will be conducting field research in some of the CEE countries. Local OSI Foundations could provide invaluable resource for organizing meetings, interviews, etc., as well as share own expert analysis on the project-related issues.
As for the Open Society Georgia Foundation, I already cooperate with it on ad hoc basis. Implementation of my project will require even deeper collaboration as the topic of my project becomes increasingly relevant for the Foundation.
2.3. Other SFN organizations/programs
OSI-Brussels office may serve as a venue for the presentation of my research findings to the EU-related policy and academic community. This organization might also provide an important support in planning some of the meetings with the EU policy community, which I may need for testing/disseminating policy recommendations.
In the longer term I plan to closely cooperate with the daily newsletter EurasiaNet, operated by the Central Eurasia Project of the OSI-New York. Initially I intend to offer articles to be published in the newsletter based on my project findings. In the future, however, our cooperation could expand as I might contribute on a regular basis covering a broader range of issues.
The East-East Subprogram for European Integration intended to support cross-border cooperation between civil society actors in sharing their EU accession experience with EU's eastern neighbors could also be used for advancing project objectives.
CEPS, as it runs an OSI-supported multi-year project on the Greater European Neighborhood (Strategen), will serve as a valuable resource for both advice and reference.
3. Final outcome of the project
3.1. A Research paper
Georgia's European Vocation
3.1.1. Georgia's evolving identity
3.1.1.1. Historical aspects
3.1.1.2. Geographical aspects
3.1.1.3. Cultural aspects
3.1.1.4. Orthodoxy and Georgian identity
3.1.1.5. Geopolitics and Georgian identity
3.1.2. Georgia's European choice: major factors
3.1.2.1. Susceptibility to liberal-democratic values
3.1.2.2. Threat-perception
3.1.2.3. EU enlargement
3.1.2.4. Geography: a factor?
3.1.3. Georgia's European choice: major instruments
3.1.3.1. Foreign and security policy
3.1.3.2. From PCA to ENP
3.1.4. Getting close to Europe: prospects for institutional integration
3.1.4.1. EU's next enlargement: off the agenda?
3.1.4.2. EU-Georgia rapprochement: divergence of strategic outlooks?
3.1.4.3. Political conjuncture: a factor of integration?
3.1.4.4. Georgia's EU-readiness
3.2. 20-page policy study
Policy paper will target external audiences (Georgian government, media, and EU policy community). It will explore the existing problems in Georgia-EU bilateral relations and on the basis of policy options analysis will provide recommendations for effective decision-making.
Georgia and EU: Towards Effective Partnership
3.2.1. Overview of current state of relationship
3.2.1.1. Political dialogue
3.2.1.2. Trade
3.2.1.3. Investment projects/TRACECA
3.2.1.4. Post-conflict rehabilitation
3.2.2. Identifying problems
3.2.2.1. Mutual misperception
3.2.2.2. Lacking will-power
3.2.2.3. Low capacity of Georgian government
3.2.2.4. EU government bureaucracy
3.2.3. Policy options analysis
3.2.4. Policy recommendations
3.3. Briefing paper
3.3.1. On costs and benefits for Georgia's accession to the EU.
This will be a 3-5 page paper alert to different views, inside the Georgian government and outside.
4. Workshops and meetings
In the course of working on the project I intend to participate in a number of conferences/workshops related to Europe's neighborhood policies. These conferences/workshops will take place both in Georgia and abroad. Also I plan to attend training sessions in CEU. Following are some of the already scheduled events:
4.1. Georgia and European Integration (September, 2005 Tbilisi). The conference will focus in general on Georgia's prospects for EU integration. More specifically, the current state of affairs in terms of preparing the ENP Action Plan will be discussed.
4.2. Democracy and the Rule of Law – American and European Strategies and Instruments (Tentatively November, 2005 Istanbul.) This is a joint project of the CEPS and CDDRL (Stanford University) eventually aimed at producing policy papers on the selected ENP countries.
4.3. Policy analysis and writing training session (December, 2005 Budapest).
Apart from conferences/workshops and training sessions I intend to meet/interview stakeholders both in Tbilisi and Brussels. To this end I plan a research trip to Brussels late this year. Also my research plans include field trips to some CEE countries to take a look at their experience.
