By Ben Birnbaum

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili declined Tuesday to rule out becoming prime minister, saying he does not want to turn himself into a "lame duck" with nearly two years left in his term.

As Georgia's recent experience demonstrates, fighting corruption and building democracy are two different things.

BY CHRISTIAN CARYL

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is a happy man. Yesterday U.S. President Barack Obama bestowed upon him the privilege of a high-profile visit to the Oval Office. The Obama Administration was rewarding Georgia for its support in Iraq and Afghanistan. Georgia also won points for a recent gesture that has helped to defuse tensions with Russia. (Which perhaps explains why Obama confused the two at one point.)

By Lénaïc Vaudin d'Imécourt

Negotiations toward a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement (DCFTA) will be initiated between the European Union and Georgia and Moldova in early 2012, the European Commission announced, on 5 December. The two agreements will be part of a broader association agreement that the two Eastern countries have been negotiating since July 2010, under the Eastern Partnership framework and the European Neighbourhood Policy.