ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 17 2007
Breakaway republics form united stand on settling conflicts
17.06.2007, 12.55
CHISINAU, June 17 (Itar-Tass) – The foreign ministries of four
self-proclaimed states – the Dniester republic, Abkhazia, South
Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh – signed the Declaration on principles
of a peaceful and just settlement of conflicts in the territories of
Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Its text was circulated on
Sunday by the Foreign Ministry of the Dniester republic.
The document runs that conflicts should be settled only by peaceful
political means on the basis of respect for positions of all the
sides of a conflict and unconditional recognition of the right of
peoples to self-determination. It precludes the use of any forms of
pressure at negotiations, including military, information, economic,
diplomatic and other measures.
Its authors called for respecting the will of the peoples of
Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, the Dniester republic and South Ossetia,
which mapped out their way of development during supreme
manifestations of direct diplomacy – nation-wide referendums.
They also agreed to set up guarantee systems of a post-conflict
settlement, including outside, internationally-legal and economic
guarantees, as well as guarantees of security of peoples and
observance of human rights as well as to ensure clear-cut and
unconditional implementation by the sides in conflicts of assumed
obligations.
The conclusive part of the document expresses conviction that
`respect of these principles by all subjects of the international
community, including Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova, will create
adequate prerequisites for the earliest and just settlement of
conflicts and will be a common contribution to strengthening of
international stability and protection of human rights’.
Following the signing of the document, Dniester Foreign Minister
Valery Litskai noted that while the Kosovo problem would be discussed
at the UN, the CIS breakaway states would draft one more joint
statement which would be forwarded to the UN Security Council.
He expressed opinion that an inevitable gain by Kosovo of
independence would create a precedent for self-proclaimed post-Soviet
republics which look much more preferable, taking into account
maturity of their state institutions.
`We are 17 years old, while Kosovo is only seven. Kosovars are far
from international democratic standards so far. They are still to
hold elections and to form political institutions,’ Litskai noted.