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Protestors in demanding recognized independence in a big demonstration held Tiraspol, the capital of Transdniestria, in 2006

SUKHUMI (Tiraspol Times) - Foreign Ministers Sergei Shamba of Abkhazia, Valeri Litskai of Transdniestria, and Murad Dzhioyev of South Ossetia signed a joint declaration at a meeting in Sukhumi on Saturday, in which they reaffirmed the self-proclaimed republics' resolve "to follow the norms and principles stipulated by the UN Charter and other international legal acts determining the contemporary world arrangement."

"The people's right to self-determination is a sovereign and unalienable right of the peoples of Abkhazia, Transdniestria, and South Ossetia, and ignoring the people's will should be viewed as a violation of human rights guaranteed by international legal documents," the declaration says.

The ministers also called for "settling all disputable issues exclusively through peaceful methods and without using military, political, economic, or informational pressure."

Dispute settlement through peaceful means

That all disputes, including territorial issues, must be settled exclusively through peaceful means without pressure of any kind is a big step in comparison to the early 1990s when the countries had to defend themselves against attacks by troops sent into their territory by their larger neighbors, Georgia and Moldova.

Today, all three areas are under relative peace due to cease-fires which have held for more than fifteen years. Underneath the peace, however, heavy pressure tactics are employed by neighboring Moldova and Georgia, who conduct political, economic and informational warfare at the international level.

The reference to economic pressure refers to trade blockades which are currently in place against all three states. In the case of Transdniestria, private companies are not allowed to export their products freely from the country unless accompanied by documents which can only be issued by customs officials in Moldova and which can be revoked at any time.

The reference to informational pressure refers to coordinated campaigns which attempt to portray the countries misleadingly, and as something which they are not. In the case of Transdniestria, government authorities in Moldova have repeatedly stated that "Transnistria produces weapons" and that it is a "black hole" engaged in smuggling. None of this is true, and Moldova has never been able to produce any evidence despite repeated requests.

Democratic government institutions

As one more argument for independence, the three foreign ministers point to the fact that their territories are already under effective self-government with existing, functioning government institutions in place. This is known under international law as the principle of effectivités and it has often been the determining principle in resolving previous cases of territorial disputes, for instance at the International Court of Justice.

"Over the time of Abkhazia's, Transdniestria's, and South Ossetia's independent existence, they have set up efficient governance systems guaranteeing free exercise of human rights and stability of democratic government institutions," the joint statement from the three new and emerging countries says.

The foreign ministers "have called on the international community to respect sovereign rights of the peoples of these republics and support Abkhazia's, Transdniestria's, and South Ossetia's recognition as sovereign states." (With information from Interfax)

See also:
» United Nations petitioned by Pridnestrovie, two other unrecognized countries [1]
» Frozen conflict countries call Europe "undemocratic" for not hearing their side [2]