UPDATED 27.12. Finns train Georgian border guards to cooperate more with Russia
Finnish Border Guard takes on task that Germans considered impossible
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By Susanna Niinivaara in Tblisi
There are easier borders in the world than the ones that surround the former Soviet republic of Georgia. Some of the borders are not under the control of the country itself, as the South Ossetian and Abkhazian administration is in the hands of separatists supported by Russia.
Borders that are need to be patrolled include the border with Russia in the north (including borders with Chechnya and Dagestan) and in the south with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey.
From the beginning of 2006, efforts have been made to improve the professional skills of Georgian border guards through a project financed by the European Commission, whose leadership is in the hands of the Finnish Border Guard.
The aims include training Georgians who will be able to train other Georgians in border policing activities.
"At the same time we are strengthening border security of the European Union. Georgia is a transit route, and a departure point for many criminal phenomena linked with border security. When we are able to raise local preparedness to fight them, it will also affect the security of the EU", says Jesse Seppälä, the project's deputy director, in Tblisi.
Georgia is renowned for both the smuggling of goods and money laundering, as well as for traffic in humans.
One indication of the challenging nature of the project is that it was first offered to Germany, which turned it down, saying that the task was impossible.
According to Seppälä, word from the Commission is that the project is one of the most successful ones that it has ever undertaken.
He says that one reason for this is that "the people of Georgia understand that their future is in NATO and the EU".
One advantage that the Finns have is that Finland knows how to deal with Russia as a neighbour.
"Finland has, perhaps, the world's most peaceful border with Russia. This is a good achievement, especially considering the gap in the standard of living on the border. The situation is good because Finland has very good relations with the Russian border guard service", Seppälä says.
He says that one good realisation in guarding borders is that the border is something that two countries share. This is why it is necessary to work actively together with the other side. Openness is worthwhile, and information needs to be exchanged.
"Previously, the Georgian Border Police were part of the military organisation, and focused on surveillance tasks, which is something completely different from what our concept of border patrolling is. Now we are teaching them that they are police, and the targets of the actions are criminals, and not the actions of the neighbouring country."
According to Seppälä, there is already cooperation on the border between Georgia and Russia: for instance, unauthorised crossings of the borders are investigated together.
"However, there is still much to be done", Seppälä says.
According to Seppälä, the chilly relations between Russia and Georgia are not reflected in the work..
In Georgia it is important, in Seppälä's view, to improvise, and to deal with a constantly fluctuating schedule.
For instance, on Thursday, when the border police were enthusiastically preparing for the arrival of President Mikhail Saakashvili at one of the border stations the Following Sunday, the news came on Friday that the President would not be able to show up.
In fact, the President was, at the time, in Batum, on the coast of the Black Sea, celebrating the launch of construction of a Sheraton Hotel.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 21.12.2006
SUSANNA NIINIVAARA / Helsingin Sanomat
susanna.niinivaara@hs.fi
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| 19.12.2006 - THIS WEEK |
 UPDATED 27.12. Finns train Georgian border guards to cooperate more with Russia |
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