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Aug
27
South Ossetia and Abkhazia Recognized
August 27, 2008 |
As we all well know, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev did the deed and recognized the independence South Ossetia and Abkhazia. A chorus of condemnation, disappointment, and warning immediately followed.
US Secretary Rice: “I want to be very clear, since the United States is a permanent member of the [UN] Security Council, this simply will be dead on arrival.”
US President Bush: “This decision is inconsistent with numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions that Russia has voted for in the past, and is also inconsistent with the French-brokered six-point ceasefire agreement which President Medvedev signed. Russia’s action only exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations.”
German PM Angela Merkel: “This contradicts the basic principles of territorial integrity and is therefore absolutely unacceptable.”
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili: “This is a test for the entire world and a test for our collective solidarity . . . Today the fate of Europe and the free world is unfortunately being played out in my small country.”
British Foreign Minister David Miliband: “Russia must not learn the wrong lessons from the Georgia crisis. There can be no going back on fundamental principles of territorial integrity, democratic governance and international law.”
It’s open season on Russia as verbal pellets rain on Medvedev’s head. Dima’s response? Bring it on baby.
“Nothing frightens us,” he said in an interview on Russian television. “Including the prospect of a cold war, but we do not want this, and in this situation all depends on the position of our partners”.
Dima talked tough. He held his ground. He threw the ball back in the West’s court and said, “Do something about it.” Nothing is going to sway him. Not a slipping stock market, not investment flight, not a tarnished international image.
But talking tough was only part of the game. Medvedev seemed to be everywhere today in a press junket blitz. An interview with BBC, an editorial in the Financial Times, a talk with Al-Jazeera, with CNN, Russia Today, and France’s TFI Television. I’m wondering if he’ll make it on Oprah or the View. “Hey world! Meet Dimitry Anatolevich Medvedev the President of Russia! Here’s a memo for you. We’re going to do what we want and you can’t do a damn thing about it.” Funny, no one seems to be calling him a “liberal” now.
The crux of Medvedev’s response focuses on quite predictable points: Russia’s duty to protect its citizens, saving Ossetian victims, Western hypocrisy and their flippant disregard for Russia, and, of course, the K-word: Kosovo, Kosovo, Kosovo. Russians said Kosovo was a precedent and everyone dismissed it. Well, here’s what Dima says now:
Ignoring Russia’s warnings, western countries rushed to recognise Kosovo’s illegal declaration of independence from Serbia. We argued consistently that it would be impossible, after that, to tell the Abkhazians and Ossetians (and dozens of other groups around the world) that what was good for the Kosovo Albanians was not good for them. In international relations, you cannot have one rule for some and another rule for others.
Now others are asking: Is Abkhazia and Ossetia like Kosovo or not? Well, there is no doubt in my mind that the situations will be compared, laws will be examined, victims will be counted, treaties, resolutions, and agreements will be consulted. All the diplomats and politicians will posture in the front of the cameras, using all the predictable code words and phrases. The bones of the dead will be exhumed to construct just the right historical parallel. A pillory of pundits, editorials, and “experts” will swoon at questions that make them and their views relevant. Ah, international crisis, it’s just so good for business.
But there is something missing in all of this. There is a silence or should we call it a deafness pervading all the chatter and pontificating. Do you hear it? Can you feel its vibrations amid the declarations and denials of recognition?
What is this sound? It’s the voice of the Abkhaz and Ossetian.
Well, I sure as hell can’t hear it. It seems that amid the geopolitical spit swapping and tit for tat maneuvers, few have bothered to ask the lowly Abkhaz and Ossetian how they feel about being catapulted into the club of nations. Most articles detail the reactions from the the US, Europe, Georgia and Russia.
Sure, sure the Abkhaz and Ossetians don’t have official recognition by laws they didn’t write or politicans they didn’t elect, but still there must be something said for the act of creation that “recognition” brings. After all, three weeks ago Abkhazia and South Ossetia only mattered to those who gave a rat’s ass. Now all eyes are transfixed. They’re suddenly that little corner of the real life Risk board where, in the words of Mikheil Saakashvili in FT, Moscow is unfolding a plan “prepared over years” to “rebuild its empire, seize greater control of Europe’s energy supplies and punish those who believed democracy could flourish on its borders. Europe has reason to worry.” Little South Ossetia and Abkhazia are the pen from which Russia “redraw[ing] the map of Europe.” Who knew that the utterance of “recognition” could spark such discursive fury.
Saakashvili’s editorial is interesting on another level. It is a veritable denial of Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s actual existence. His words are an act of discursive erasure. This is already clear in his statement “This war was never about South Ossetia or Georgia.” He goes farther than this. “Over the past five years [Russia] cynically laid the groundwork for this pretense,” he writes, “by illegally distributing passports in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, “manufacturing” Russian citizens to protect” [Emphasis mine]. The Ossetians are essential phantasmagorias concocted in some Moscow OVIR office.
Real people? Nah . . . unless . . . Unless they are positioned as perpetrators. But even here, the Ossetians silence in favor of the Russians. Saak writes,
Since Russia’s invasion, its forces have been “cleansing” Georgian villages in both regions – including outside the conflict zone – using arson, rape and execution. Human rights groups have documented these actions.
But Mikheil, it was the Ossetian militias extracting some revenge that did these acts. Why deny them the little agency anyone is willing to afford them?
It is only through the agency of violence, retribution, and revenge that the Ossetian is now able to speak. Even from the Russian side the Ossetians are relegated to a passive position of “victims.” The Ossetian as the figure of the perpetrator or victim is his only existence. The Abkhaz too only speak the language of perpetrator. Saakashvili tells us,
Moscow also counts on historical amnesia. It hopes the west will forget ethnic cleansing in Abkhazia drove out more than three-quarters of the local population – ethnic Georgians, Greeks, Jews and others – leaving the minority Abkhaz in control. Russia also wants us to forget that South Ossetia was run not by its residents (almost half were Georgian before this month’s ethnic cleansing) but by Russian officials. When the war started, South Ossetia’s de facto prime minister, defence minister and security minister were ethnic Russians with no ties to the region.
This paragraph is quite revealing. The Abkhaz exist only as ethnic cleansers and the Ossetians, well they don’t even govern themselves. Their cause is merely a plot by “ethnic Russians with no ties to the region.”
Surely the Ossetian and Abkhaz reaction amounts to something? After all, they are fighting and dying, right?
As much as Saakashvili and others try to argue that Russia has “manufactured” the Ossetians or that this crisis is all part of Russia’s larger designs, someone must account for the fact that the Ossetians and Abkhazians are celebrating. Sure the laws, politicos, nations, and others needed for “legitimate” independence are silent, but there is something to be said the act of creation recognition brings.
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RIA Novosti- Global Voices: Russia
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Looks like President Medvedev is growing a pair of what Madeline Albright called “cajones” Go Russia!
As we all well know, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev did the deed and recognized the independence South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Independence from whom, I wonder? From Georgia and only Georgia, I bet.
Saakashvili is such an enormous git.
I wonder how long until he gets overthrown in a coup. Every other Georgian president has been.
I hereby propose that South Ossetia and Abkazia join into a federative state with Kosovo and East Timor.
I wonder how long until he gets overthrown in a coup.
I bet he outlasts Abkhazian independence.
“I bet he outlasts Abkhazian independence.”
Ok, I take the bet.
Since when few countries - US, UK, France and Germany - are “chorus”? The world is much bigger. If I was Medvedev/Putin I would be concern if China expressed it’s disappointment.
But for now I’m waiting for Chines “expression” over Saak’s 8 August “firework”. I’m sure they got mad. Now let’s see how they will hit balls of Saak and his friend on Potomac.
To Tim.
Strange question indeed. As SO and Abkhazia were part of Georgia - the only side they could declare independence was Tbilisi (pure logic).
I have a good tie to eat, Tim
Or should we set the fund? Money could be spend to upgrade Sean’s blog from shared hosting to dedicated server
SOAKETo - South Ossetia and Abkazia Kosovo and East Timor. Nice one!
Well, it was never going to be likely that any of the states that recognized Kosovo would admit they made a mistake. There’s plenty of hoists and petards to hand around.
Maybe there is another benefit to Moscow recognizing SO&A. It makes it much more unlikely that the West or any other big state will throw international law (Kosovo) to the wolves again. NATO wouldn’t want the kurds to get uppity. Speaking of which, Turkey (NATO’s most important member in Europe)is very quiet about the situation, quite a dilemma n’est pas?
I really now wish I hadn’t read the Fred Weird piece in CSM, it is such dreck.
As for ethinc cleansing, there’s plenty of that to go around, including the west’s hands in the former yugo (unofficially speaking, one side always deserves it more).
Ann Garrels of NPR has been interviewing from SO:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94057377
This piece was followed this morning by another on how the Georgian conflict has thwarted hopes for BP’s work-around-ru gas pipeline.
I was listening while reading Sean’s excellent PT piece. Loved the ‘Iron Man’ tie in. It was a stereophonic reminder of the corporate greed that underlies everything here.
Ann Garrels gained my respect from her reports from Bagdad too.
Hey Sean, how about bowing to your adoring audience and arranging an audio stream of you reading your articles? You could set up a SRB franchise, the T-Shirts would go down a storm!
Meanwhile, Philip Hammond (on Sp!ked - v.good and thoughtful website) on recognition:
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/5658/ The politics of recognition
“If I was Medvedev/Putin I would be concern if China expressed it’s disappointment.”
Ivanov, it seems that China has expressed some disappointment with Russia’s recognition. Nothing surprising about that, considering that China has the Tibet and Taiwan issues to contend with.
(And my personal view is that yes, Tibet and Taiwan should be independent if that is what most of the people living there genuinely want. At this point in time, of course, it may be too late for both of them. There are more and more Chinese settlers in Tibet. And the Taiwanese may want their independence, but they also don’t want to be crushed militarily.)
Kolya.
Could you provide a link to China’s disappointment?
Would be also interesting to know how you know what people of Tibet and Taiwan wants (not saying that Taiwan IS independent).
Ivanov, earlier in the day I read somewhere that China was not happy about Russia’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia’s independence. Just now I checked on google and found conflicting information. It seems that China is playing a balancing game here. This piece summarizes what I found:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iIIubcNJWN9e0ZjOLWxvOe_cH66w
As to Tibet and Taiwant, I think there is absolutely nothing controversial in what I have said. The vast majority of Tibetans, real Tibetans, would like to be independent. Now, though, with China’s colonization of Tibet, there are fewer and fewer Tibetans living in Tibet. And no, I’m not a Dalai Lama groupie and don’t have a “Free Tibet” bumper sticker. It’s simply one of those issues that I sort of followed ever since I was a kid (because my parents also followed it.) About Taiwan, it’s also clear that if the Taiwanese felt they had a real choice between living as an independent state versus being absorbed by China’s current regime, most of them would chose independence. They are not stupid, though, and know that China would not go for that, so they try not to provoke China too much.
What I think is sadly amusing, big states categorically deny any similarities between the regional conflicts in the Balcans and Caucasus and insist that each conflict needs to be considered independent of all others. US and EU insist that Kosovo has nothing in common with South Ossetia, while Russia insists that Abkhazia and South Ossetia have nothing in common with Chechnya.
That seems to be the only point of agreement so far, that a regional conflict must be considered unprecedented and treated special if some big state involved in it says so.
Considering the political clout of the big states, they are most likely to prevail and any future attempts by some pesky independent observers to draw any parallels between diverse regional conflict will be simply dismissed out of hand. But then, that’s how it always was.
Kolya, I couldn’t interpret following Chines statement as disappointment.
From my experience with China/Japan this means “Do what you want to do but please don’t drag us into that mess pleeeeease”
Just compare this statement with hysteria of Condy or Milliband. “Почувствую разницу” (с)
I assume that you haven’t spoken with any “real Tibetian” recently. Me neither. I knew one Tibet guy though. Well, he’s never been in Tibet and living very different from “real Tibetian” life. But he is “Free Tibet” person of course. When I see the “Free Tibet” sticker I wish I have another one - “Free Tibet but lock idiots first”
In last election in Taiwan pro-China party won (as I heard). There is no other option for Taiwan but to integrate with big China. And they are doing it - under the rug. Because they are smart enough to understand that country number one is now China not USA.
Open you eyes, guys!
Ivanov, when I wrote about China playing it both ways, I mean this sort of thing:
“China’s foreign ministry reiterated, however, its concern over Russia’s decision to recognise two breakaway Georgian provinces as independent states, and experts were split on how to interpret the Dushanbe statement.”
Otherwise I really don’t know which way China is leaning.
About Tibet, yes I have spoken to Tibetans recently. Surprisingly there are several Tibetan families living in my town. As you can guess, they are very anti-China. They came as refugees. For some reason (probably federal bureaucracy), for its small population Vermont has a surprising number of refugees. There are several Bosnian families that came here in the 1990s and the newest batch are refugees from Sudan.
As to Taiwan, my point was that if the Taiwanese really had a choice, they would rather be independent. But they are smart and pragmatic. They know that China can make their life very miserable if they press for total independence and that, besides words, there is nothing that the US will do about it.
“Surprisingly there are several Tibetan families living in my town. As you can guess, they are very anti-China. They came as refugees.”
Bastards! They are living in Vermont instead of “free” Tibet because of China!!!
PS. BTW when did they come to US? And are they ready to go back to Tibet tomorrow if China decides “to free” Tibet?
Strange question indeed. As SO and Abkhazia were part of Georgia - the only side they could declare independence was Tbilisi (pure logic).
Oh yes, they are independent from Georgia all right. But I wonder if they will be independent in the manner that Kosovo is, or whether they will simply become part of the Russian Federation. My guess is the latter, within a year or so. Some independence.
Tim, you are probably right, but the main point is that Ossetians (well, the vast majority of them), prefer to be under Russia than under Georgia.
Ivanov,
I don’t know when they came here and don’t know how many of them will choose to go back. I cannot say that I’m a close friend of any of them, but I recently chatted with a couple of them who work at our local High School (the one my daughter attends).
“My guess is the latter, within a year or so. Some independence.”
I doubt it, since they don’t want it. The South Ossetians, on the other hand, do.
Are you serious or just joking? Kosovo independence - what’s this?
S.Ossetia and Abkhazia ARE independent for 15 years now. They are more STATES that Georgia.
Tim, you are probably right, but the main point is that Ossetians (well, the vast majority of them), prefer to be under Russia than under Georgia.
Without a doubt, but that isn’t really the question any more. The question is do Ossetians want to be independent or part of Russia? I’d guess the latter, but notice that nobody’s asked them. Sovereignty over Ossetia passing from Georgia to Russia is an odd form of independence.
Better guess when Kosovo become part of Great Albania, Tim.
Okay: never.
Next!
I doubt it, since they don’t want it.
And you think that the Abkhazians not wishing to become part of Russia is enough to prevent it happening anyway? I don’t share your confidence.
Kolya.
This might be interesting for you
http://ameller.livejournal.com/213876.html
“I’d guess the latter, but notice that nobody’s asked them.”
Tim, are you deaf and blind? They DECLARED independence. Russia just recognized their independence. Same as with Finland in 1918.
What you prefer to eat - your tie, hat or socks?
They DECLARED independence.
Yes, that’s right: from Georgia. Russia recognised their declared independence from Georgia. The question is, does Russia recognise their independence from Georgia and everybody else, i.e. Russia, or just their independence from Georgia? Time will tell.
Texas can declare independence from USA only, right?
Scotland can declare independence from UK only, right?
The Moon can declare independence from the Earth.
Whether Texas joins Cuba, Scotland - Ireland, Moon - Mars are another matters.
Texas can declare independence from USA only, right?
Yes. But it does not follow that a Texas independent of the US will necessarily be independent of anyone else, i.e. Mexico. The Baltic states found to their detriment that independence of Nazi Germany did not entail independence from the USSR.
Whether Texas joins Cuba, Scotland - Ireland, Moon - Mars are another matters.
Yes. And it is precisely that “other matter” which I talking about.
“And you think that the Abkhazians not wishing to become part of Russia is enough to prevent it happening anyway?”
I think it probable. Just on the level of cynical power politics, I don’t see what Russia would gain from it.
Of course, I didn’t think they would recognize the place either.
It is very logical step. Otherwise it would be de jure Georgian territory. This fact would allow some “international peacekeeping forces” to be deployed there (or make such attempts). But now they are “independent” and free to choose who will protect them. And I doubt that anyone in Europe would like to go there except Estonia or Poland maybe…
This is what makes US so mad. Because plan was to push Russia out of Caucasus - either by Georgian army or by “international” troops. But now the matter is how at least to push Russian army out of Georgia itself. (lol)
As Putin said “Не надо пугать. Не страшно совершенно”.
“It is very logical step. Otherwise it would be de jure Georgian territory.”
No it wouldn’t. It would be de jure independent. It could be de facto something else, but independent it would be.
Nevre mind Ivanov, I misunderstood you.
First - think.
Then - write.
Then - think over.
After that - click “Submit”
PS. I should print this rule on A0 paper and place in front of me on the wall aslo… (I mean - also of course).
Culpa felix non est.
Kto ne rabotaet - tot ne est!
Mann ist, was man isst.
Texas did not and cannot declare independence from the US … let’s clear that myth up first. Texas declared itself independent of Mexico and was absorbed into the US. Texans like to spread this idea that their constitution allows for them to declare themselves independent again; however, their constitution does not trump the rule of law in the US. This is part of what the US Civil War established - the law of the federal government is greater than the law of the states.
The same logic applies to current international laws for territorial integrity, which both the West and Russia apparently only want to apply to cases or situations that they support. Hypocrisy reigns supreme. Yes, this is the fault of Kosovo. Yes, we knew this was coming.
The West’s position on South Ossetia and Abkhazia will remain unchanged, and Russia will absorb the territories into Russia, under the pretense that it is the fastest way to normalize the lives for people in those territories. The latest headlines from SO confirm this and that is why Russia has been handing out Russian passports like Halloween candy in those territories (compare to what it is like to get a Russian passport anywhere else).
It should be pointed out that regardless of what the remaining people in South Ossetia and Abkhazia want now, Georgians have been fleeing those areas where they were once the majority or significant fraction (especially true in Abkhazia) since 1991/1992. Their vote won’t be counted, if one is taken in any referendum. Move your feet, lose your seat. Georgians who fled in conflicts during that time still wish to return, and their only mechanism to return to what they consider their homeland is for those territories to be returned to Georgia. Fat chance … as Lavrov basically said, those territories are dead to you, Georgia.
Kosovo opened up the door to this mess, although the comparisons are weak, at least in terms of the violence and body count that ultimately resulted in Kosovo independence. Russia continuing to crack the door open is not going to please numerous other nations with internal ethnic groups/territories problems themselves (Tibet? Basque?).
The situation has evolved into rule by gun … if you have the military might to retain a region (see Chechnya) you may keep it. If you do not (see Kosovo, South Ossetia, Abkhazia) you can not.
For the record, and as a big “fuck you” to all Texans, (which, lets face it, can never be said often enough) Vermont was an independent nation from 1776 to 1791. Vermont has a much stronger history of independent thought, being the first state to outlaw slavery. Vermont has a much stronger independence movement than anything you would ever hear from the greasy fat lazy fucks that occupy Texas. Google “Second Vermont Republic”.
Spoken as a true native son of Vermont.
“Move your feet, lose your seat. Georgians who fled in conflicts during that time still wish to return, and their only mechanism to return to what they consider their homeland is for those territories to be returned to Georgia.”
I think the problem here is not the Russians, but the Abkhazians and Ossetians, who would likely kill those people. They will simply not accept being part of Georgia.
You have an intractable problem here that will not be solved by making the morally right decision, because there is none.
“Their vote won’t be counted, if one is taken in any referendum.”
Sort of like in Chechnya, that.
Good comment, W. Shedd. I assume that many people in those circles are now privately regretting that they were in such a hurry to recognize Kosovo. It’s not that there were no warnings that such a decision will open up a pandora’s box.
Canada should send peacekeepers to Vermont.
Don’t give the Canucks a pretext to invade, Kolya.
So what’s Vermont’s equivalent of Alamo?
“So what’s Vermont’s equivalent of Alamo?”
Ben & Jerry’s last stand. We all die for ice cream.
Don’t mess with people from next door, NH. They either live free or die.
Who now remembers Quemoy and Matsu?
Shh.
US government types (and others) that remember about it hope that nobody else will.