Russia won`t accept unipolar world - Medvedev

AFP Photo / Vladimir Rodionov

Medvedev Says Russia Won't Accept Unipolar World

Russia Today, September 1, 2008, 5:36

Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev has outlined five principles guiding his foreign policy in the wake of the recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. He said Russia recognises international law but won’t accept decisions ‘made by one country solely’.

In a joint interview with Russia's three major television channels, Medvedev said that, first of all, Russia recognises the supremacy of international legal fundamentals, which define relations between civilised nations.

"Second, the world must be multi-polar. Single polarity is unacceptable," Medvedev outlined.

"Russia cannot accept a world order, where decisions are made by one state, even such a serious one as the United States,” he said.

Such a world is unstable and might lead to conflicts, the President said.

Thirdly, Russia does not want confrontation with any country. "Russia does not intend to isolate itself. We will be developing as friendly relations as possible with Europe, the USA and other nations," Medvedev added.

The protection of life and dignity of Russian citizens "no matter where they live" is an absolute priority, Medvedev said.

“We will also be protecting the interests of our business community abroad. It should be absolutely clear to everyone that anyone committing an aggression will be repelled," Medvedev said.

The fifth principle is Russia's interests in friendly regions.

He also added that Russia's recognition of independence South Ossetia and Abkhazia is irreversible.

“From the legal view point, the new states have appeared. The process of their recognition may take quite a long time. But this will not change our position in any way. We’ve made our decision irreversibly. It is our duty to provide for peace and order in the region. That’s what we’ll be basing our actions on,” Medvedev said.

He said that Moscow's agreements with the two regions envisaged military as well as economic support.

Abkhazia to restore air links with Russia

Meanwhile, the Republic of Abkhazia is to restore regular flights between its capital Sukhum and Russia, the head of Sukhum airport told RIA Novosti news agency on Sunday.

Last week Russia recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states following the Georgia-South Ossetia conflict.

President Dmitry Medvedev said the military conflict in South Ossetia had killed every hope for the peaceful co-existence of Ossetians, Abkhazians and Georgians within one state.

He also called on the international community to acknowledge the republics:

“I signed decrees on the recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by the Russian Federation. Russia calls on other countries to follow its example,” Medvedev said.

To watch Dmitry Medvedev's announcement in full, please follow the link

Russia’s message was that it has tolerated enough, watching mutual agreements violated and numerous provocations attempted by the Georgian leadership.

With its offensive against South Ossetia, Georgia put an end to the peace talks and the efforts the sides have been working on for almost twenty years.

“Given that Mikhail Saakashvili, having put his signature on a modified form of the Moscow principles, continues to ignore them, we are convinced that recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is the only feasible step for the survival and security of these nations,” said Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia have had de-facto independence from Georgia since the early 90s.

When Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed its independence, they thought they had a precedent to defend their cause but they lacked a crucial factor - the support of the U.S. and the EU.

“In both cases the centre started the war - Belgrade under Milosevic against Kosovo, and Tbilisi under Gamsakhurdia against Tskhinval and Sukhum. In both cases agreements about the end of hostilities were reached. In both cases peacekeeping forces were deployed. In both cases negotiation mechanisms were created. Since then Belgrade has never questioned these mechanisms or tried to destabilise the region by using force. The international negotiating mechanisms were abolished by the actions of Kosovo’s Albanians and their western supporters,” Lavrov pointed out.

As the Georgian military launched an attack against South Ossetia, the U.S. threw its full support behind Georgia and accused Russia of a disproportionate response.

NATO is now sending its vessels to the Black Sea to provide humanitarian aid.

The U.S. and some NATO members are ready for an anti-Russian coalition.

Possible sanctions include not letting Russia into the WTO and boycotting the Winter Olympics 2014 in Sochi.

In 1980 the U.S. boycotted the Summer Olympics in Moscow, as a response to the Soviet Union entering Afghanistan to fight the Taliban - the same Taliban that NATO has been fighting since 2001.

Russia says the main goal of the recognition is to provide security for its own citizens in the region and the people of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Moscow had a first-hand promise from Mikhail Saakashvili that he would never use force and a ceasefire agreement, which Georgia violated shelling Tskhinval.

With another promise and peace plan in its hands Russia is not taking any more chances.

Russia has already initiated procedures to establish diplomatic ties with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and the Abkhazian Parliament is in favour of signing a wide-ranging cooperation agreement with Russia.

Meanwhile, massive celebrations have been held in both newly-recognised republics. South Ossetian and Russian flags flooded the centre of Tskhinval, and in Abkhazia there was firework display in Sukhum.

To watch more about the celebrations, please follow the link

Putin: Russia won’t be isolated

Russia Today, August 30, 2008, 0:37

Russia will not be isolated because it protected its citizens and upheld its peacekeeping mission, the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said. In an interview on German TV, Putin suggested that if Russia had not responded to Georgian aggression, there could have been a tragedy along the scale of what happened in the former Yugoslavia.
“I think a country like Russia, that protected its citizens, and fulfilled its peacekeeping duties, won't be held in isolation, no matter what our partners think within the limits of their bloc. Europe and the U.S. are not the whole world,” he said.

He recalled the Srebrenica massacre, when thousands were killed when Dutch peacekeepers didn't intervene in the Balkan war.

The Prime Minister insisted that the Georgian government should be held responsible for its action.

“Speaking about the Georgian leadership, people who wreck the territorial integrity and national identity of their country with their actions shouldn't be ruling that country, be it big or small. They should resign straight away,” he said.

”Of course, it's up to them, but we all remember the precedents that we have in history. Let's remember how U.S. troops entered Iraq, and what they did with Saddam Hussein for destroying several Shiite villages. Here, ten Ossetian villages were destroyed right out,” Putin told ARD TV.

"Aren’t you aware of what’s been going on in Georgia in the last few years? The mysterious death of Prime Mnister Zhvania, fighting with the opposition, the violent dispersal of protest demonstrations, holding a national election during a practical state of emergency, and now this criminal action in South Ossetia with many casualties. You call it a democratic country, negotiating with it, and thinking it should be admitted to NATO and the EU?"

Putin said the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict should be dealt within the frame of international law.

“We don’t have any special rules of our own by which we are going to play. We want everybody to play by the same rules. These are called international law. But we don’t want anyone manipulating them - playing it one way in one region, and another way in another region, to suit their own interests. We want to have the same rules for everyone, which would take into account the interests of all members of the international community”.

Putin underlined that Russia wants neighbourly relations with other countries.

"Russia isn't out to aggravate the situation, or to put pressure on anyone. We want good neighbourly relations and partnerships with everyone," he said.

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