Russia: First, solve older self-determination issues before Kosovo

Konstantin Kosachev, head of Duma's int'l affairs committee, wants to know why Kosovo has a deadline and similar conflicts don't

BELGRADE (Tiraspol Times) - A deadline is not required for solving the Kosovo problem. Similar situations in other parts in the world have been going on for far longer, and don't have any deadlines, Konstantin Kosachev, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian Duma, told the Večernje Novosti daily newspaper.

Located between Ukraine and Moldova, the republic of Transdniestria (officially called Pridnestrovie) has waited for international recognition since its declaration of independence in 1990, seventeen years ago. This is more than twice as long as Kosovo which so far has been outside Serbian rule for a mere eight years.

Kosachev, whom the newspaper described as one of the main creators of Russian policy towards Kosovo, said that the older conflicts should be solved before Kosovo.
He also said that Russia is clear its unequivocal objection to setting any deadlines during renewed negotiations.

" - The Palestine issue has taken several decades to resolve. The process is still ongoing and no one makes a tragedy out of the fact that the solution for Palestine was not reached by a set deadline,” he reminded, while also pointing to the fact that the problem of northern Cyprus had been present for years.

Aspiring nations

Half a dozen nations around the world are currently awaiting international recognition and all of them are older than Kosovo.

One of the cases which were mentioned by Konstant Kosachev was Palestine, whose people aspire to separate statehood. Even though they are currently under Israel's control, and therefore do not meet the criteria for sovereign statehood under international law, several dozen countries - mostly from the Arab world - have already recognized Palestine diplomatically.
Palestine has been waiting for its own state for more than fifty years.

On the divided island of Cyprus, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is a "de facto" country which is so far only recognized by Turkey. Functioning as a separate independent state, it meets the requirements for statehood under international law. Its inhabitants has been waiting to be let into the international community for more than thirty years.

In Transdniestria (officially: Pridnestrovie) the 550,000 inhabitants have been waiting 17 years for international recognition of independent statehood. Other unrecognized states on the post-Soviet space include Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia which have so far existed with a real, albeit unrecognized, independence for between fifteen and sixteen years.

Among the world's unresolved entities which aspire to internationally recognized statehood, Kosovo is one of the newest. Its current status came into being in 1999.

In other parts of the world, issues such as Western Sahara have been going on for more than thirty years, while the inhabitants of Somaliland - the only stable and democratic part of Somalia - have been waiting sixteen years for the world to take notice.

" - Kosovo should be no exception. Negotiations should last as long as it takes for both sides to reach a compromise. Therefore, Russia’s stance is clear—no deadlines whatsoever,” Kosachev underlined.

US prefers self-determination, not territorial integrity

Staking out the democratic position where the will of the people takes precedence over existing borders, the United States supports self-determination for new countries versus the incompatible principle of territorial integrity of metropolitan states.

Speaking for the Radio Free Europe, US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said that he wanted Kosovo to become independent in 2007.

" - We are trying very hard to support the proposal for Kosovo to become independent in 2007. This is the position of our country”, Burns was quoted as saying.

In Austria, political leaders now support the position of Russia and insist that a deadline is inappropriate.

Like Russia, Austrian Social Democratic Party whip Josef Cap also can't understand why a deadline is needed for Kosovo. On Wednesday, he said that setting a deadline for completing the negotiations on the future status of Serbia's southern province is counterproductive and that Austria should show restraint regarding the Serbian province, especially given its history in the Balkans.

Unlike Pridnestrovie, Kosovo is not currently "de facto" independent. Kosovo is currently governed as a United Nations protectorate where foreign administrators have veto power over anything that the local parliament decides. Pridnestrovie, on the other hand, has already governed itself for the past seventeen years and is in full, sovereign control of its internal affairs. (With information from Tanjug)

See also:
» When will Russia apply "The Reverse Holbrooke?"
» Kosovo diplomat: Transnistria has more reasons for independence than Kosovo
» "Transnistria independence before Kosovo" says top Washington expert
» Transdniester and Kosovo should be treated the same, says Putin
» Igor Smirnov: "We have a stronger case for statehood than Kosovo"

Opinion and commentary:
» Kosovo independence far riskier than independence for Transdniestria