About respondent
What meaning has in fact such action of Russian Federation and what consequences followed for non Georgian population and for secessionist republics themselves and for Moscow as well? About such issues news agency GHN talked with Mamuka Areshidze, expert in Caucasian questions.
Mamuka Areshidze: This step of Russian Federation is a continuation of annexing. Moscow did the same what happen with Kosovo. I think that from the legal point of view the recognition of independence of Kosovo was nonsense, and this case is not to be a precedent.
It must to be said that Putin said more than once that after the recognition of independence of Kosovo he will do the same in the post soviet area. And he did it. I think that the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was a response of Russian Federation to the actions of the West, but not the response to the Georgian government's actions.
If Russia would act more actively against the recognition of Kosovo at due time, it would be more effective. But we get what we get after the recognition of Kosovo.
-What positive and negative results get Russian Federation after this decision?
- Moscow showed its strength to the world. That for Russia the international community is not very important. And nobody knows how long Russia will not care about the international community.
The second advantage which Russia gets is that Russia showed to the Caucasian people that in case of disobedience all of them will be punished, as in case when Russia recognized South Ossetia. This (punishment) happen as well with Chechnya.
-What about the minuses?
- The negative side for Russian Federation is that Russia became an unreliable player. Because of the recognition of conflict regions very serious disagreements aroused in the CIS area. It is a serious failure for Russia that the members of CIS Belorussia, Kazakhstan and Armenia despite of being the strategic allays of Russia abstained from recognition of Tskhinvali and Abkhazia.
The second disadvantage for Russia is that such actions of Russia provoked the West for negative actions against Russia.
- What actions?
- The fact, the world economic crisis exists is not under question, but the part of the crisis is provoked artificially. For example the theme of the prices for oil - this is inspired. This makes crisis in Russian economics. More over the West is trying to use mistakes of Russian Federation, exactly as Russia uses mistakes of Ukraine to achieve desirable ends. However it must to be said that West is slow and passive to implement all necessary actions step by step.
I would like to note that the position of politicians who believed that Russia may became an ally by the positive and friendly attitude towards Russia weakened significantly. Those who believe that Russia must be punished are in more strong position. However the West needs Russia for own interests for example in connection with China.
So I think that Russia has more disadvantages than advantages by the recognition of independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. But this does not mean that our position will be improved.
I would like to note that this entire nightmare what happen with us was inspired by some Western backstage policy.
- What interests may be for the Western countries in Georgian conflict regions?
- The factor of helping in starting the events, among them from the USA. I have a reliable information that a range of Western politicians were trying even before the war to show to Abkhazia the advantages of Western choice, in turn they promised Abkhazians to put pressure over Georgian government in recognition of independence. Exactly because of this factor, when Russia has seen that Abkhazian position is unreliable towards Russia, it filled territory of Abkhazia with Russian Army. Abkhazian government did not express it out but was inclined to choose the Western direction. The West in turn would not break its promises, and would finance the region.
What about the Georgia, now it is in the terrible situation. I think that all these advantages and disadvantages what the Russian Federation has, have nothing to do with Georgian position in the future, because Georgia suffered not only from Moscow but as well from one part of the Western politicians.
I believe that only the government which is oriented to the national values can improve the situation. But it is very early to think about this.
-And finally. Despite of everything on August 26 all Russian military elite and secessionists are celebrating the recognition of independence.
- Lujzkov is exploited by Russia for fixation of its imperialistic positions. Let's think about events in Crimea. Lujzkov is a figure who will be used by Kremlin as it wishes.
By the way namely Lujzkov expressed the idea to construct a village in the territory of South Ossetia which will be named "Moscow". But their conscience was not quite clear and they decided to construct the village not exactly over the ruins of Georgian's homes but a bit further. According to my information in that village the families of those militaries have to been settled which have to live there.
A person who projected this village is very interesting as well. Valeri Kaloev is an architect of the village - he is a Deputy Minister of Construction in South Ossetia. It is a person who was sentenced for 5 years of imprisonment for murder of Swiss dispatcher. Kaloev arrived to Switzerland and murdered him. The case was that the airline from Vladicaucas to Europe, full of children, crushed, and that dispatchers' mistake was a main reason for the catastrophe.
Lela Bagdavadze