Moscow cannot manipulate the CIS
By Messenger staff
Thursday, September 11
The Kremlin threatened many times that it would recognize the regions of Georgia whose separation it had worked so hard to achieve and on August 26 it did. It has announced publicly that is not going to reverse this decision. However the damage Russia has received so far from taking this illegal step is proving far more significant than the benefit.
Moscow created a situation where it could most readily implement its long-gestated plan to “rescue” the Ossetian and Abkhaz people from Georgian “aggression”. It was sure that at least 50 countries would immediately recognize the new Russian-sponsored entities, but luckily for the civilized world it miscalculated the reality.
Now even Russia’s CIS satellites are not willing to follow Russian diktat. Some of them see in the de facto annexation a direct or indirect threat to themselves as well. In Kazakhstan for instance 40% of the population is Russian. It would be easy for Moscow to distribute Russian passports to them and once again use all the tricks they have tried in Georgia. All you can say about Russia at present is that you cannot tell what it will do, or where it is likely to do it, next. The US and EU are categorically against its outrageous behavior and demand that Russia alters its decision to recognize parts of Georgia as independent states protected and financed by themselves.
The Christian Science Monitor recently commented that as soon as the Kremlin signed the document recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia vanquished Georgia became the victor. That is too strong. Russia is continuing to carry out the ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population. More than 100,000 IDPs have been forced to leave their places of residence. Those who did not flee are being forced to take Russian passports. The reality is that the population of the “sovereign” Abkhazia and South Ossetia are now Russian citizens! It is only a matter of time before that same population and its Moscow-puppet leaders will ask to join their “motherland.” Meanwhile Russia will create a military build up in the region creating a strong anti-NATO presence on the borders, or inside the borders, of its NATO-aspirant neighbours.
The independence of these breakaway “countries” has not even been recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church. It was recognized immediately by Hamas, and later by Nicaragua, a decision which made Moscow very happy, so happy it even stated that this marked the beginning of a new stage in Russian –Nicaraguan relations. Remember the phrase now, it may have serious consequences later.
The Russian leadership is stubbornly leading the country into confrontation with most of the world’s nations. Swimming against the tide could be difficult, and may be dangerous, even for such a monster as Russia.
Moscow created a situation where it could most readily implement its long-gestated plan to “rescue” the Ossetian and Abkhaz people from Georgian “aggression”. It was sure that at least 50 countries would immediately recognize the new Russian-sponsored entities, but luckily for the civilized world it miscalculated the reality.
Now even Russia’s CIS satellites are not willing to follow Russian diktat. Some of them see in the de facto annexation a direct or indirect threat to themselves as well. In Kazakhstan for instance 40% of the population is Russian. It would be easy for Moscow to distribute Russian passports to them and once again use all the tricks they have tried in Georgia. All you can say about Russia at present is that you cannot tell what it will do, or where it is likely to do it, next. The US and EU are categorically against its outrageous behavior and demand that Russia alters its decision to recognize parts of Georgia as independent states protected and financed by themselves.
The Christian Science Monitor recently commented that as soon as the Kremlin signed the document recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia vanquished Georgia became the victor. That is too strong. Russia is continuing to carry out the ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population. More than 100,000 IDPs have been forced to leave their places of residence. Those who did not flee are being forced to take Russian passports. The reality is that the population of the “sovereign” Abkhazia and South Ossetia are now Russian citizens! It is only a matter of time before that same population and its Moscow-puppet leaders will ask to join their “motherland.” Meanwhile Russia will create a military build up in the region creating a strong anti-NATO presence on the borders, or inside the borders, of its NATO-aspirant neighbours.
The independence of these breakaway “countries” has not even been recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church. It was recognized immediately by Hamas, and later by Nicaragua, a decision which made Moscow very happy, so happy it even stated that this marked the beginning of a new stage in Russian –Nicaraguan relations. Remember the phrase now, it may have serious consequences later.
The Russian leadership is stubbornly leading the country into confrontation with most of the world’s nations. Swimming against the tide could be difficult, and may be dangerous, even for such a monster as Russia.