It was a moment of triumph for Mikheil Saakashvili. Last November, he stood at the door of the Georgian parliament with tens of thousands of demonstrators at his side. They were peacefully protesting against President Eduard Shevardnadze's government for widespread corruption and allegedly rigged parliamentary elections.
Inside, the embattled President Shevardnadze -- a former Soviet Foreign Minister -- convened the new lawmakers. Tensions ran high as protesters faced baton-welding police. But unexpectedly, the police dropped their shields and let the demonstrators pass into the parliament building.
Mr. Saakashvili shouted across the parliament chamber at President Shevardnadze to resign and declared a velvet revolution was taking place. The next day, the longtime leader capitulated and Georgians celebrated all night in the streets.
The bloodless revolt focused international attention on a region where democracy is still struggling to take root. In January, Mr. Saakashvili was elected president by 96% of the vote in a field of six candidates. Despite some reported irregularities, most international observers agreed that the election ran more smoothly than previous polls in Georgia.
Late last month, President Saakashvili traveled to Washington and New York to discuss what has become known as the "Rose Revolution" and his efforts to end corruption and attract foreign investment. ?The revolution was not a protest against low wages, or electricity shortage, or the lack of basic security guarantees,? he said. ?Rather, the revolution was about people coming out and fighting for their freedom, and their desire to live in a democratic society -- a society that respects human rights, freedom of speech, the rule of law and the belief that citizens have the right to choose their leaders and their destiny.?
During Mr. Saakashvili's five-day visit, he held more than 50 official meetings. He addressed the UN Security Council, met with the World Bank president and top U.S. lawmakers. He also had lunch with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and spent nearly an hour at the White House with President Bush. At a press conference following the lunch Mr. Bush said: ?I know first hand that the president will do everything he can to earn the confidence of the Georgian people by representing their will, by fighting corruption, by working for a system based upon integrity and decency and human rights. I am impressed by this leader. I am impressed by his vision and by his courage.?
But many analysts say the end of the story is yet to be written. Cory Welt, an expert on the Caucasus at the Center for Strategic and International Studies here in Washington, points out that President Saakashvili faces a thorny legacy of widespread corruption, separatism and severe economic problems that have left half of Georgia in poverty. ?The problems didn't go away (when he was elected). What he is banking on is that the problems are solvable. But there wasn't a political will to solve them. Now that there is a political will, they are going to be able to move forward. This new team does not have the debts that Shevardnadze had to other people within the ruling or economic circle that were putting the breaks on reform.?
Despite the daunting task of fostering democracy, the outspoken, energetic president has made all the right moves so far, says political scientist Charles King of Georgetown University here in Washington. But Professor King warns that relying too much on one individual to reform an entire country can be risky: ?I think it is rather dangerous to invest so much hope, and now so much money and political capital in the commitment of one particular person -- especially for the United States were we have seen this over and over, especially in the last decade and a half with pegging someone as being the hope for their country, indeed hope for the entire region -- and then at the end of the day, being rather disappointed.?