ABKHAZIA, TRANSDNIESTRIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA PREPARE JOINT RECOGNITION APPEAL
Tiraspol Times & Weekly Review
Feb 27 2008
Moldova
Transdniestria and two other states are preparing their own requests
for establishing diplomatic relations with others. This comes after
the self-declared Republic of Kosovo has received select recognition
from almost 15% of the world’s countries. Residents in the unrecognized
countries are now asking: ‘Why Not Us?’
Residents of Tiraspol, the capital of Transdniestria (shown), are
asking: ‘Why Not Us?’, after Kosovo was recognized by the U.S.SUKHUMI
(Tiraspol Times) – "If anyone thinks that Abkhazia, South Ossetia and
Transdniestria will stop after the recognition of Kosovo, they are
making a big mistake," announced Abkhazia’s President Sergei Bagapsh
right after Kosovo unilaterally declared independence against the
wishes of Serbia.
Along with his counterpart in Transdniestria – President Igor Smirnov
– he is now preparing a joint appeal for recognition of the states,
turning their current ‘de facto’ reality of independent statehood into
a formal ‘de jure’ situation after nearly two decades in legal limbo.
In both Abkhazia and Transdniestria, residents are now asking: If
Kosovo can be recognized as an independent state, why can’t we?
" – Kosovo is a precedent," declared Bagapsh, saying that Abkhazia,
Transdniestria and South Ossetia would submit requests for the
recognition of their independence to Russia, the United Nations and
the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). At the same time,
however, he stresses that the countries have a better case for
independent statehood than Kosovo, both historically and legally
under international law.
" – We said one and two years ago that the recognition of Kosovo was
immaterial to us. We started our independence campaign earlier and
would continue it to the end," Bagapsh said.
Four unrecognized countries Along with South Ossetia, Nagorno Karabakh
and Transdniestria, the new and emerging Republic of Abkhazia is one
of the four former Soviet regions that declared their independence
in the 1990s and fought for their independence but that have not yet
been recognized as states. Officials and citizens alike are now saying
that Kosovo would create a legal precedent that they too could follow.
" – If they recognized Kosovo, how are we any worse?" said Nodar
Sheoua, a student in Sukhumi, as reported by Reuters.
Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on Sunday. Less than 15%
of the world’s countries have given formal recognition to Kosovo.
Western backers of Kosovo’s independence claim that it does not set a
precedent, but the former Soviet nations call this a double standard
that will now be harder to defend.
Home to more than 200,000 people, Abkhazia has run its own affairs
since a fierce war for independence right after the break-up of the
Soviet Union. The mountainous state, which borders Russia to one side
and Georgia to the other, has its own flag, elected government and
armed forces.
Transdniestria announces new era has begun Abkhazia’s democratically
elected president, Sergei Bagapsh, said at a news conference last
week that his de-facto country was just as entitled to recognition
as Kosovo.
" – We will shortly apply to the leadership of Russia, the CIS
countries, the UN and other international organizations to recognize
our independence," Bagapsh said.
Transdniestria, which seceded from Moldova before Moldova even was
an independent country, said Kosovo proved that international rules
on the inviolability of borders "were receding into history."
" – Kosovo’s recognition produces a new system of measures that we
believe should be applied to all countries," said Yevgeny Shevchuk,
speaker of the Transdniestrian parliament, told the press.
"A new era has opened in international relations," said Yevgeny
Shevchuk, adding that arguments against independence for various
regions would now be put to the test. "A new system of international
relations was formed the moment part of a country, based on a series
of historical developments, decided to live independently, and this
country can gain recognition." (With information from Reuters)