Alexei Ostrovsky: "Some political forces are ready to immediately recognize the unrecognized republics"

MP Alexei Ostrovsky, Chairman of the Russian Duma's Committee for CIS Affairs

MOSCOW (Tiraspol Times / Regnum) - Parliamentary hearings were held in Russia's lower house of Parliament, the State Duma, on 13 March 2008 regarding the settlement of territorial conflicts in the CIS territory. In the two weeks prior to the hearings, appeals for recognition were sent to Russia from the 'de facto' independent Republic of Abkhazia, Republic of South Ossetia, and the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (informally, Transdnestr or Transdniestria).

As one of the organizers of the hearings on the status of the unrecognized countries, Chairman of the Duma Committee for CIS Affairs Alexei Ostrovsky spoke with news agency Regnum on the possibility of a shift in the foreign policy of Russia vis-a-vis these states.

The State Duma has been criticized for often being late in its reactions to events happening in the world. These parliamentary hearings are an obvious exclusion.

" - Undoubtedly, we cannot but speak of a lucky coincidence – parliamentary hearings will be held after a unilateral proclamation of independence by Kosovo and consequent recognition of the territory by a number of major players in foreign policy. In the light of the changing geopolitical situation on the planet we can take a new look at the situation around Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transdnestr."

" - All participants will be able to absolutely openly define their positions. I am convinced that after the issue is discussed at the parliamentary hearings, the CIS Committee will complete and issue a final version of recommendations to the government of the Russian Federation."

As far as it can be seen even now, the hearings' participants have opposite opinions on the ways the situation has to be resolved.

" - It is true that the hearings participants have different approaches to resolving the situation around the unrecognized republics, and I am sure that in their reports they will display various approaches to changing the format of relations between countries. We can sort out several options of the format."

" - First of all, these are: recognition of unrecognized republics, non-recognition of unrecognized republics, and the possibility to switch to relations defined in the system of international law as a postponed status of republics. There are also other possible options, such as changing the format of relations between federal ministries and their counterparts in republics – this includes opening there Russia's missions and creating new ways of economic and military cooperation."

" - I think that during the presentations, parliamentarians will come up with a clear perspective that will be accepted by all the hearings' participants, and we will be able to find a compromise. There is no doubt, however, that the last word in working out the recommendations will be said by the State Duma's Committee for CIS Affairs."

What would be the optimal choice for Russia?

" - From Russia's point of view, the peaceful option of solving issues of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is advantageous. I think that the Russian Federation, in case Tbilisi desires to sit down at the negotiation table with the leaderships of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, could participate in the talks, ensuring that the reached agreements are observed. Russia is one of few states that has consistently advocated territorial integrity of all countries: Serbia, Moldova, and Georgia."

" - But acts performed by the Georgian leadership are contrary to the Russia's intention to solve the issue peacefully. The Russian Federation will define its position, depending on how the Georgian authorities act. Moreover, we have to keep in mind the fact that not everything is so obvious in the situation with the recognition of Kosovo, as some want to present it. Kosovo has been recognized by some leading nations, whereas other leading nations have not recognized it and are not going to recognize it."

" - The format of Kosovo's participation in international organizations is also important, as well as the rights that the territory will receive. Therefore, speaking of, as many, first of all, the media representatives, would like to speak of it, the decidedness of Russia's standpoint, supposing that Russia has to either recognize or categorically reject independence of the republics. The situation changes every day and every hour, so we cannot speak of the final position of Russia, I think that that would be premature."

Russia advocates observing norms of international law. But now we see in the Kosovo's example that existing norms are not being applied, and new law has not been created yet.

" - Unfortunately, we see that major states, while defining their geopolitics, have violated acting norms of the international law and recognized independence of Kosovo. The independence of Kosovo has become reality partly due to the fact that as early as 8-9 years ago, the US leadership, supported by their Western European partners, gave Kosovo's separatists a clear hint, signaling that it made sense for the latter to fight for independence of territory, allegedly their own, although it had traditionally been the territory of residence of the Serb people. And the signals that Kosovo Albanians received 8-9 years ago have led to the situation when recognition of independence became possible."

" - The Russian Federation is not involved in the policy of double standards, unlike our transatlantic and Western European partners. If we had no common position, the desire of the Russian leadership provided, independence of the unrecognized territories would have been announced and supported the next day after the proclamation of Kosovo's independence."

" - We have, however, some doubts about the future that awaits the unrecognized republics. There are some political forces who are ready to immediately recognize the unrecognized republics, there are forces who argue that recognition is impossible, there are forces who are studying the subject and will at some point come up with their decision. There is always time to take a certain step, but we always have to think about the consequences – first of all, for Russia. The Pandora's box that Americans have opened in Serbia can be projected to our country. So we have to, first of all, think of the interests of our own state."

Final recommendations of the hearings will be issued by the Committee later. But, as well as I understand, we can already discuss the project of the recommendations that will also be discussed at the hearings?

" - I would consider it expedient for the government of the Russian Federation to change the format of relations with unrecognized republics, which applies first of all, to the Republic of Abkhazia and Republic of South Ossetia. I have to point out that we in the State Duma believe that the situation around the Transdnestr Moldavian Republic is different. Whereas in the Transdnestr conflict settlement we can see certain positive trends, certain steps taken, allowing us to hope that the conflict will be resolved in the near future, the situation around Abkhazia and South Ossetia is entirely opposite."

" - We see that Tbilisi's leadership, first of all, president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili, is not going to solve the issue of the republics' status by peaceful means, by means of negotiations, by means of political coordination, but he consistently makes statements about his plans to solve the problem by military means. Russia's leadership understands a task of maintaining security of its citizens, including those residing abroad. And we cannot serenely watch how the position of the official Tbilisi is constantly becoming harsher towards the forced resolution of the issue, which is imminent with the threat to the life of our citizens living in South Ossetia and Abkhazia." (With information from Regnum)

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