Georgia experienced the Rose Revolution in 2003, serving as an antecedent for Ukraine’s Orange Revolution (as well as democratic revolutions elsewhere). Georgia has since made nice progress, with U.S. President Bush visiting two weeks ago.

Now a commission of the Georgian government, led by President Saakashvili, has prepared a draft document outlining the nation’s national security requirements and fundamental national values. Civil Georgia has the story:

The draft concept of the national security sets sovereignty, security, peace, democracy, rule of law, human rights and welfare as Georgia????????s fundamental national values. These values are a ???????vital necessity for the existence and security??????? of the Georgian state, according to this document.

This part of the draft stresses that in the process of resolving disputes Georgia will resort to peaceful means which are recognized by international law and principles.

I highlight this because it shows where Ukraine, and hopefully other newly free nations, will be heading in the upcoming years. Once the ball is rolling, democratic progress occurs rapidly. Note also how the effects of democratization include seemingly unrelated improvements, like advances in civil rights acceptance and a desire to negotiate international differences peacefully. As well, democracy in one nation encourages the development of democracy in neighboring countries.

This part of the document sets Georgia????????s national interests as follows: territorial integrity; national unity; regional stability; strengthening of liberty and democracy in neighboring countries and in the region; strengthening of Georgia????????s transport and transit capabilities and ensuring alternative sources of energy; ecological security; and ensuring the country????????s national and cultural identity.
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The document says that Georgia ensures the ???????interests, rights and liberty of all ethnic and religious minorities living in Georgia.???????
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Georgia ???????welcomes and fosters??????? the strengthening of democracy, liberty and civil society in the region and in neighboring countries, according to the draft document.

Obviously we have to wait until all this is implemented before making any final judgments, but clearly the Rose Revolution has set Georgia on the path toward true democracy, and with luck it can serve as a model to all the other societies recently launched into the happy turmoil of democratic revolution.

UPDATE: I suppose I should also have quoted these choice bits:

The United States ???????? ???????Georgia continues its strategic partnership with the Unites States,??????? the draft document reads and praises the political, military and economic assistance the U.S. has provided to Georgia in the past decade.

Ukraine ???????? ???????A new era of bilateral relations??????? have been launched between Georgia and Ukraine, described as a ???????strategic partner,??????? after Georgia????????s ‘Rose’ and Ukraine????????s ‘Orange’ Revolutions, according to the draft document.