Parallels between Kosovo and South Ossetia “inappropriate” – Medvedev
Published: 20 October, 2009, 20:32
Edited: 26 October, 2009, 17:53
TAGS: Conflict, Meeting, Medvedev, Kosovo, Russia, Ossetian War, Politics
Dmitry Medvedev has warned against inappropriate parallels between the Kosovo events and last summer's Georgian attack on South Ossetia. He said, however, both events proved the failure of the European security system.
The Russian President, who is on his first official visit to Serbia, made his remarks in a speech to the Serb parliament.
“We are categorically against drawing parallels between the Balkan events and the events in the Caucasus,” he said. “As concerns South Ossetia – it’s our unambiguous, absolutely clear position – it about repelling direct military aggression. And what was done by Russia after that, was done in full accordance with the UN Charter.”
Medvedev said that Russia would give “all forms of support to the two young Caucasian states” – Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Moscow recognized the independence of the republics shortly after the Georgian attack.
Meanwhile, Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in February 2008 and the events that followed "have confirmed the inadequacy of attempts to adjust the solution of complex international problems to considerations of notorious political expediency".
"We consider it unacceptable to do what was done in the Kosovo precedent – to use the lack of progress at negotiations as the reason for unilateral actions, including recognition of new international legal entities," Medvedev said.
The Russian leader said the solution to the Kosovo problem should be based upon “the international law, decisions of the UN, resolutions of the UN Security Council and, primarily, Resolution 1244”.
"Russia is ready to continue giving to Serbia all necessary assistance in defending its national interests," he said.
President Boris Tadic, for his part, said Serbia is not going to change its stance on Kosovo.
Talking to journalists after a meeting with Medvedev, he said "We will calmly wait for the verdict of the International Court [on the Kosovo status] and will then be ready to start the talks with Albanians on the future of the autonomy”.
”But Serbia will never – directly or indirectly – recognize Kosovo independence," the Serbian president said.
Medvedev calls for drafting rules on conflict settlement
Medvedev suggested that a new European security treaty should lay down clear rules for the prevention and peaceful settlement of conflicts.
"Lessons of the past warn us against repeating former mistakes and seeking far-fetched pretexts for altercations. Instead, we should unite in the face of new threats,” he said.
“That is the reason for the Russian initiative for a new, efficient system of European security and a related treaty,” he went on.
“In fact, we suggest legalization of the political agreements reached at the OSCE and the Russia-NATO Council. These agreements imply that security of one country cannot be ensured at the expense of others," Medvedev said.
The Russian president said that the Balkan crisis and last August's events in the South
Caucasus, “which resulted from the aggression of the Saakashvili Regime”, showed that the existing security system was inefficient and needed modernization.
“The drafting of the European security treaty would start the formation of equal security on the Euro-Atlantic space and provide equal and reliable guarantees for all countries, regardless of their affiliation to particular military units," he said.
Rewriting WW2 history is “disgusting”
Medvedev’s visit to the Serbian capital coincides with the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade from Nazi Germany. Addressing the Serbian parliament, the Russian leader said attempts to equally blame Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union for the beginning of WW2 are “disgusting”."Europe failed to deter the Third Reich. A number of states supported and even fought for the Hitler regime. Some countries chose collaboration and helped the Hitler military machinery with supplies,” Medvedev said.
He went on to say, “The responsibility of those political administrations is also obvious: the number of victims of the Nazis might have been much smaller if not for their support."
"Everyone, especially those who are trying to rewrite history for their advantage, must remember that,” Medvedev stated.
The Russian leader said “Distorting history is an unpleasant or even disgusting business”. He added that Russia considers such attempts “as disregarding the Nuremberg Trials and a blasphemy as regards victims of the most terrible war of the 20th century."
20.10.2009, 19:54
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2 comments
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My opinion is clear I did not agree with the taking of Serbia’s sovereign territory this harks back to the early part of the 20th century when might was right. We can only guarantee a stable Europe if each nation large or small respects the integrity of its neighbour’s boarders even if it’s a neighbour that we don’t get on with, this is where the international community step in to help broker a compromise. Even if the process is painfully slow as was the case in Northern Ireland. For the reasons above I also disagree with Russia forming two pro Kremlin satellites by forcefully taking Georgian sovereign territory. I find Medvedevs position lacks any moral authority he manipulates international law to try to prove Russia did nothing wrong. But in reality both Serbia and Georgia lost sovereign territory to more powerful forces both events have weakened European security. And the chances of a major conflict are now higher than they were before.
In my opinion a European security system does not exist at present. There may be various EU–NATO military arrangements, there may be some other specific and partial arrangements but none of these is truly European nor do they offer equal security for all European countries. The OSCE, put aside the name (Organization for Security and Cooperation of Europe), has proved to be futile if not counterproductive in its activities. Even more, in many instances it has been subject to various manipulations favoring positions and the partisan interests of certain countries. It has played a negative role during the Yugoslav crises, abandoning the Final Helsinki Document's principles on sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of internationally recognized state boarders. It has also violated the principle of consensus, introducing a new “principle” – “consensus minus one”. It’s Mission in the Serbian Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, at the end of 1998 and beginning of 1999, known as the Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM), acted rather as an extension and preparatory vehicle for the 1999 NATO military aggression than as a civil diplomatic mission as defined by the Yugoslavia–OSCE October 1998 Agreement. A European Security system should be a matter of right and the duty of all and each European country and not a monopoly of any regional organization, be it NATO or any other. All European countries should have equal guaranties for their own security. A European Security System should be worked out through diplomatic consultations which will take time and effort, and be finalized at the European Summit Conference adopting a European Security Treaty.