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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| "South Ossetia, payback for Kosovo" |
| 2008-08-11 |
| WARSAW -- Polish analysts and a part of the political scene are linking the South Ossetia crisis to that in Kosovo, Beta says. The current armed conflict in the breakaway Georgian region is seen as the Russian answer to the western recognition of Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence, the Polish media are saying. "This is the Russian answer to the recognition of Kosovo. That recognition was in fact a gift to Russia," Polish People's Party European MP Janusz Wojciechowski told TVN24. Wojciechowski, whose party is a partner in Donald Tusk's cabinet, warned that the case of Kosovo, where a part of the international community accepted the declaration of secession, "shows that it cannot be counted on double standards to pass". "Russia is using it now", he concluded. Warnings that the recognition of Kosovo will serve to the detriment of Georgia were heard in Poland as early as February this year. Bearing in mind the risks for Poland's allies in the Caucasus, Georgia above all, Warsaw's recognition of the Kosovo Albanians' secession was described as an irresponsible move by the legendary anti-communist leader and former Polish president, Lech Walesa. "Recognizing Kosovo will bring nothing but trouble. No one can be denied the right to self-determination, but only within the bounds of common sense," he was quoted as saying at the time. Walesa stressed in his statements to the Polish media that Kosovo was "with its irresponsible behavior, causing new divisions in Europe and globally and undermining international relations". |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #5 AlanC, I disagree and think Wilson was right. So we'll end up with a few Palestine basket-cases for every Austria and Hungary that is created. We can deal with it. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2008-08-11 19:52 |
| #4 I think there is little doubt Kosovo is the justification. From the start Russian was putting out the Kosovo rhetoric of ethnic cleansing, genocide, etc. The media is remarkably quiet on the fact Russian will now control access to Caspian Basin oil and gas (along with Iran) with all that implies for European energy supplies. Be careful what you sow, lest you reap the same. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2008-08-11 19:22 |
| #3 g: No sh*t, Sherlock? They would be equivalent if Russia gave a unified Ossetia its independence, and arranged for its admission to the UN, while keeping Russian troops in country to protect the south from Georgia. Otherwise, it's just another Russian land grab in a centuries-long tradition of such land grabs. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2008-08-11 17:35 |
| #2 This is what happens when "self determination" meets tribal sensibilities. Wilson really jumped the shark with his self determination rhetoric. How do you define self? Every two bit ethnic group (aka tribe) demands it's own postage stamp country. At least the Paki-wakis are honest and call it the FATA. We should have allowed / encouraged the UN to take over the old Yugoslavia and run it as an Administered Tribal Area until all the tribes agreed that they were a country first. (Whimsical ain't I?) This is what Iraq is struggling to overcome and they look as though they migh make it someday. We'll see. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2008-08-11 16:06 |
| #1 No sh*t, Sherlock? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-08-11 10:28 |