US economist Jeffrey Sachs praises Georgian Government’s ‘pragmatism’

Sachs accused the CIA of long attempting to exert influence on Russia’s periphery

Author
Front News Georgia
American economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs has praised Georgia’s current government for what he called its “common sense and pragmatism,” while warning against potential Western geopolitical manipulation in the South Caucasus.
Speaking in comments reported by Rustavi 2 TV, Sachs said the Georgian authorities “impress” him, but suggested they may also be used by the United States and Europe for strategic aims not aligned with the interests of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
He accused the CIA of long attempting to exert influence on Russia’s periphery, and now on Iran’s as well, calling the situation “very dangerous.” Sachs warned South Caucasus nations to be wary of Western promises, citing Ukraine as an example. He claimed the West helped topple the Ukrainian government in February 2014 before installing a new administration and “telling it fairy tales.”
“Look at the map,” Sachs urged, saying Washington “does not care” about the South Caucasus and was “playing games,” while Brussels was “completely incompetent” and unable to do anything useful. He added that while he was once a strong supporter of the EU, he believed “its place is not in the South Caucasus.”
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Jeffrey Sachs