Georgia's Secessionist De Facto States

From Frozen to Boiling

Author(s): Stacy Closson
Editor(s): Jeronim Perovic, Robert Orttung, Matthias Neumann, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Issue: 40
Pages: 2-5
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen
Publication Year: 2008

Relations between Russia and Georgia have reached a new low. At the center of their quarrel are Georgia's secessionist regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. As Russia and Georgia accuse the other of troop movements in and around the secessionist territories, the UN, EU, OSCE, and NATO meet to determine their response. Critical to these deliberations are several underlying developments, which would benefit from an independent review. These include economic blockades of the secessionist territories, Russia's military support for the secessionists, the issuance of Russian passports to secessionist residents, and declarations of independence by secessionist regimes. In these circumstances, it has become difficult to contain the conflicts without resolving them. However, as conflict resolution has proven impracticable, it is time to consider altering present arrangements in order to prevent an escalation of violence.

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