Vedomosti: The imperial tradition of self-affirmation through territory enlargement may lead to destabilization in Russia

puls.md, Moldova
20.09.2006

The notorious international Russian daily "Vedomosti" characterizes
the policy of extending Russia’s territory through the annexation
of the separatist regions of Transdniester and Southern Osetia as
backward for the XXIst century.

"Instead of supporting the aspirations to "gather territories",
Russian politicians should rather explain that the annexation of the
autonomies without the agreement of Georgia and Moldova is a violation
of international law and, respectively, of the Russian Constitution",
stated the newspaper.

According to the newspaper, any unilateral action from the side of
Russia can attract a chain reaction in the Caucasian region. "After
South Osetia comes Abkhazia, the situation in Adjaria and in
Georgian villages inhabited by Armenians will get tenser", warns the
international daily newspaper Vedomosti in its column dedicated to
Russian policy in Transdniester.