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Sergei Bagapsh, president of Abkhazia, anticipates recognition of his country and of Transdniester after Kosovo sets a precedent

SUKHUMI (Tiraspol Times) - Claims about the so-called "uniqueness" of the Kosovo case are "unsound" and an impending recognition of Kosovo independence will accelerate the same process for Abkhazia and other unrecognized countries, says Sergei Bagapsh, the president of Abkhazia, in an interview published this week in the Russian press.

" - The fate of Kosovo has been ordained, thus our fate will also be determined in the nearest future…And if such a decision [recognition] is taken towards the end of the year, it will untie the hands of other countries for recognizing Abkhazia, Transdniester, Nagorno Karabakh, and South Ossetia," said Bagapsh, adding that his region has "even more historical and legal grounds for independence than Kosovo."

Abkhazia has been 'de facto' independent for fifteen years but is subject to an unresolved territorial claim by neighboring Georgia. In a parallel case, Transdniester (officially: Pridnestrovie) has been 'de facto' independent for seventeen years, notwithstanding an unresolved territorial claim by neighboring Moldova.

Historically, Abkhazia was a separate kingdom and not part of Georgia. It has a language and a people which are distinct from Georgia. In Soviet times, it was a separate SSR - with a status equal to Georgia - until dictator Josef Stalin, himself from Georgia, turned it into a subordinate part of Georgia against the will of the inhabitants.

In Transdniester's case, Stalin is also to blame. Historically, Transdniester has never been part of any independent Moldovan state at any time in history. From 1924 to 1940, Transdniester was an autonomous republic with Tiraspol as its capital. Moldova was part of Romania. In an act of war, Stalin took Moldova from Romania and added it onto the existing republic, while in the process moving the capital to Chisinau. In its declaration of independence in 1991, the new Republic of Moldova denounced this act as illegal.

" - How do you explain the fact that something which is possible for Kosovo, is impossible for South Ossetia or for Pridnestrovie?" asked Sergei Bagapsh in an interview with news agency New Region.

" - What are we, another skin-color? Another species?"

Double standards govern int'l relations

According to Abkhazia's president, it is obvious that double standard govern international relations in the way different unrecognized states are treated. He dishes out blame equally to the United States, the European Union and even Russia.

" - Of course the double standards in big politics influence our case as well, but Russia's position was constructive from the very beginning," Bagapsh said.

He added that while many in Abkhazia were upset that Russia favored Serbia's territorial integrity and opposed recognition of an independent Kosovo, this position of a large country towards a geo-strategic partner, in this case Serbia, "is understandable."

And now, Bagapsh said, if the international community does not heed Russia's objections, Moscow will be able to rightfully say: "We didn't want this precedent, but now that you made your decision on Kosovo recognition in violation of international norms, what hinders us from recognizing Abkhazia?"

Pointing out another case of double standards - this time by the EU - Bagapsh also commented on Georgia's most recent scheme which involves setting up a puppet phantom-government in South Ossetia, in order to create the appearance of two parallel administrations in the same territory. This fictitious government is led Georgia-funded Dmitry Sanakoyev but has no popular backing or widespread support among the voters of South Ossetia.

" - But why has Dmitry Sanakoyev been invited to speak in front of European parliament members, while the true leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are shunted aside? It reflects poorly on the West," says Bagapsh.

" - Neither South Ossetia's President Kokoity, nor I, nor our foreign minister have ever appeared in the European parliament. There everything is so simple: Georgia requested and Sanakoyev was offered a tribune to speak. And after that, how should we treat Europe and the US, if they are always just listening to only one side of the conflict?" he asked. (With information from The Messenger)

See also:
» Abkhazia, South Ossetia to UN: "We're next" [1]
» Igor Smirnov: "We have a stronger case for statehood than Kosovo" [2]
» Kosovo and Transdniester both reject "political games" over their independence [3]