Russia Recognizes Abkhazia, South Ossetia
August 26, 2008
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says Russia recognizes Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent.
The pledge comes after a resolution calling on President Medvedev to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia sailed through both houses of the Russian parliament on August 25.
“Taking into consideration the free expression of the will of the Ossetian and Abkhaz people, guided by the provisions of the UN Charter, by the 1970 Declaration On Principles Of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation Among States, the 1975 Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other basic international documents, I have signed decrees on the recognition by the Russian Federation of the independence of South Ossetia and the independence of Abkhazia,” Medvedev said.
“Russia calls on other nations to follow its example. It is not an easy choice, but it is the only possibility to save the lives of the people.”
The lower house, the State Duma, approved a second resolution on August 25 calling on parliaments worldwide to back independence for the separatist provinces.
Russia’s Security Council met in Sochi today in an emergency session to discuss the situation.
‘Violation’
The United States had warned against recognition. In a statement on August 25, U.S. President George W. Bush said recognition would represent a violation of UN resolutions. He also said it would undermine the cease-fire that halted the brief war that broke out between Georgia and Russia after Georgian forces invaded South Ossetia on August 7 after days of exchanging mortar and small-arms fire.
“I am deeply concerned by today’s [August 25] appeal to President Medvedev by Russia’s Federation Council and Duma, the upper and lower houses of Russia’s parliament, to recognize the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries,” Bush said. “I call on Russia’s leadership to meet its commitments and not recognize these separatist regions.
Russia’s missile cruiser, the”Moskva,” is on exercises in the Black Sea
Bush also reiterated Washington’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the main bone of contention between Moscow and the West following the cease-fire. While withdrawing most of its troops as called for in the agreement, Moscow has left some of its troops in Georgia proper.
David Merkel, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, reiterated the president’s message during an interview with RFE/RL’s Moldova Service on August 26.
“This is something that President Bush has spoken on, and he called on Russia’s leadership to meet its commitments and not to recognize these separatist regions. The United States, the EU, NATO all see great importance in recognizing Georgia’s territorial integrity,” Merkel said.
France, which brokered the cease-fire agreement, has called a meeting of EU leaders to be held on September 1. The following day, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney will travel to Tbilisi in a show of support for Georgia.
NATO Relationship
Meanwhile, in Moscow today Russian Ambassador to NATO Rogozin is expected to comment on Russia’s deteriorating relationship with the Western military alliance.
Rogozin on August 25 accused NATO of applying “double standards” on Russia and of departing from the “spirit of the partnership.”
Tensions have heightened further between the two powers with the growing presence of U.S. and Russian warships on the Black Sea. Two U.S. ships, including a destroyer, carrying humanitarian aid were heading for the port city of Poti, which still harbors a Russian military presence despite being outside the cease-fire’s “buffer zone.”
The deputy head of the Russian military’s General Staff, Colonel General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, who has previously questioned the nature of U.S. humanitarian aid, commented on the situation during a news conference in Moscow today.
“The actions of Russian troops in the conflict zone are directed at the unconditional fulfillment of the obligations that were made. And that’s why the excessive level of activity of NATO naval forces in the Black Sea — that continues to increase its groupings in the area — is a cause for bewilderment,” Nogovitsyn said.
Nogovitsyn also said ships of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet dropped anchor today off the Abkhaz capital of Sukhumi, with the task of taking “personnel, armaments, and military gear aboard and to transport them to Russia.” Earlier, Russian media had reported that Russian Naval ships, including the fleet’s flagship, the guided-missile cruiser “Moskva,” were conducting routine naval exercises on the sea.
Source: RFE/RL, August 2008
www.rferl.org/content/Russia_Recognizes_Abkhazia_South_Ossetia/1193932.html
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