Rossiya TV, Moscow
Sept 6 2008
RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA, SOUTH OSSETIA WILL BE "SLOW" – RUSSIAN
FOREIGN MINISTER
[Presenter Sergey Brilev] Against this background [reference to the
preceding report on Nicaragua’s recognition of Abkhazia’s and South
Ossetia’s independence], until recently it seemed strange that
countries that are much closer to Russia, its allies under the
Collective Security Treaty, are dragging their feet. Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have been putting
off issuing statements on Georgia. At the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation
Organization] summit in Dushanbe, the first talks with them on the
matter were held. But there were also the Chinese there, who, owing to
their agenda in Taiwan and Tibet, are much less inclined to have a
flexible approach to the subject of territorial integrity.
Finally, at yesterday’s summit of the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty
Organization] in Moscow, the Georgian position was condemned and
Russia’s actions approved. But there are still questions.
[recorded interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
followed]
[Brilev] Even Russia’s closest allies are in no rush to recognize
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. How critical is this?
[Lavrov] I think that this process will be slow. Recognition is an
individual move, it is individual on the part of every individual
state, rather then being some collective procedure. We see it as very
important that at the meetings in Moscow over the past few days a
principled step has been made, without any ambiguity. It was clearly
stated who had started all this. As at the SCO summit, unequivocal
support was expressed for Russia’s specific actions and its role in
establishing peace and stability in the region. And you know what
actions we undertook to this effect. By the way, they included
recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as the only way in the
circumstances to ensure their security and their very survival.
[Brilev] Unwittingly, the CSTO, if not recognizes Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, hints that it is not a bad thing –
[Lavrov] Since it unequivocally supports our actions to establish
peace and stability, these actions [?their support] are being seen and
heard of by everyone.
[Brilev] According to you, is it probable that Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, in the wake of Russia’s recognition of them as sovereign
states, may become part of the Russian Federation?
[Lavrov] You know, these republics are not asking for this. We
responded to their direct appeal to recognize their independence, to
sign treaties with them on friendship, cooperation and mutual
assistance, and until then to ensure their security by deploying on
their territory our military contingents to maintain peace. This is
precisely what we have done, and we shall sign additional treaties and
agreements with them in the immediate future. We have received no
other requests from them.
[Brilev] And the last [question]. If possible, in terms of effect on
everyday life. What does it mean to break diplomatic relations with
Georgia? How will this affect ordinary people?
[Lavrov] Of course, it is a bad thing for ordinary people, people for
whom it is part of their life to travel regularly to Georgia, to
travel from Georgia to Russia or vice versa. This will create problems
for them as regards getting a visa. But virtually two days after
diplomatic relations were broken, the Georgian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs said that, on instructions from President [Mikheil]
Saakashvili, they were going back to issuing visas to Russian
nationals directly at the airport. It is an illogical approach because
it shows how superficially the Georgian leadership treats decisions
affecting relations with Russia. At first, to show the whole world how
cool they are, i.e. we are breaking diplomatic relations, and then,
having realized the consequences for almost a million Georgians living
in Russia, they want to push us towards a situation whereby relations
are, so to speak, broken but things continue as normal. It does not
work like this. As they say, dead means dead.
[Brilev] In other words, the Georgians said one thing and –
[Lavrov, interrupting] So far we ourselves cannot understand what
exactly they want. But all this does not look serious and, most
importantly, it shows that ill-thought-out statements are made and
ill-thought-out decisions are taken, but people suffer as a result.
[Brilev] Thank you, Sergey Viktorovich.