(post-Soviet and post-Yugoslavian countries)
Europe sounds as attractive and alluring to such a great number of people. And everybody knows where Europe is and where to go there. But on fact, people know about powerful historical states а France, UK, Germany, Italy and etc. How many people can show on the map where are Republic of Kosovo, Seborga, Transndniestria (Pridnestrovian Republic), Northern Cyprus, South Ossetia, Sealand or Nagorno-Karabakh? Or do this country exist all? Who lives there?
There are 50 independent states, most of which are highly recognized and developed, that any person can name, and some countries that many people do not know or do not want to know.
Unrecognized states of the European territory are at the center of attention of politicians and scientists. This is primarily due to the forthcoming decision of the "Kosovo issue" and its alleged effect on inducing a number of frozen conflicts in the former Soviet Union - in Transndniestria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh.[1]
The existence of the unrecognized states in Europe is directly related to the processes of disintegration of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, and several ethnic armed conflicts in the 1990s, which still have not received a political management. Unrecognized states are small geographically, the population sparse, even by European standards. The leader among the unrecognized states of these parameters is Kosovo, whose leaders control today the area about 11 000 km2 with a population of nearly 2 million people. Ethnic Albanians make up a significant majority, Serbs, Croats, Hungarians, Turks, Roma and other ethnic minorities are to 100 thousand people. [1], [2]
Transndniestria controls a territory of 4163 sq.km with a population of 555.5 thousand people. Abkhazia covers an area of 8600 sq.km with a population of 250 thousand people. In Nagorno-Karabakh population of 146.6 thousand people who manage to retain an area of 11,000 sq.km, taking into account the six occupied districts Azerbaijan. South Ossetia has a territory of 3900 sq. km, and its population is 70 thousand people - the smallest of the unrecognized states.[2], [3]
However, three of the four states (excluding Transdniestria), geographically located outside Europe, they are located on the southern side of the Caucasus mountain range that separates Europe from Asia. On this basis, the Transndniestrian conflict can be attributed to the sphere of the European periphery, and three others - to the area of European borderland.
The size of controlled territory and the number of inhabitants of unrecognized states have a great military and political significance. Many of these states have been able to conquer and hold large areas or only through military and economic aid of neighboring countries, allies, or intervention by the international community.
For this moment the presence of "large areas", by the standards of the unrecognized states, allows them in some cases to a full-fledged political bargaining in the course of trying to resolve "frozen conflicts". This situation is typical for Abkhazia, Kosovo, Nagorno-Karabakh.[7] In Transdniestria, population density and geographic location has huge significance in the controlled areas (located mostly on the left bank of the Dniester).[5][6] The situation in South Ossetia, geographically is the most vulnerable. Its position and small population does not contribute to strengthening too. The potential return of refugees on the territory of the unrecognized states can significantly change their ethnic composition. Therefore, when negotiating the refugee issue is always one of the most difficult.
Unrecognized states in the Europe and the borderlands, in many ways are full-fledged states. They are long-established and functioning institutions of public administration, the mechanisms of its formation (first of all election), a number of political and legal institutions, which are present in every independent state: the army, security forces, its own system of law, citizenship. On these territories have their own economic systems, their own financial and tax systems.
Non-recognition of the state by the international community has a negative impact on its legal status and operational capabilities. Such states are not able to active economically, cannot sign commercial contracts and implement multilateral investment and infrastructure projects. Unrecognized states count only on humanitarian aid of the international community, when social and cultural projects, cooperation with various countries and regions in infancy. Therefore, existence and development depend on a political and legal recognition of a state.
And as for Kosovo, Abkhazia, Transdniestria, South Ossetia, they are pretty old, but Prospects for change of a status (a recognition of independence, irredenta, power absorption, the return to original state with conflict resolution) in all states are different.[12]
Kosovo has the most promising in the term of possible transformations of the existing status. It's about getting independence in one form or another, since U.S. and the European Union are also interested in this.[4] It seems that Serbia would only delay such a decision or negotiate for some of the political and economic concessions (the integration of Serbia into the EU or Kosovo's division of territory).
Abkhazia, Transdniestria and South Ossetia can rely on partial, incomplete recognition by Russia[10], but their future prospects are not obvious. Such a "semi-independent" will not be recognized by the United States, European Union, India, China and many other states.
Obtaining of formal independence for Transdniestria and South Ossetia are even less real due to geopolitical reasons. In the case of Transdniestria[9], Russia still has great possibilities of resuscitation strategy combining Moldova and Transdniestria.[11],[12] South Ossetia has strong economic case for reunification with Georgia.
Nagorno-Karabakh is least likely to change the status. This situation is mainly determined by the position of the U.S., EU, Russia, Iran and Turkey. They are generally interested in maintaining the status quo in the conflict zone, and the political possibility of territorial exchange, which could pave the way for a political solution, remains negligible.[8]
Overall, those unrecognized countries play role of independent players in the regional and international politics and their influence on political processes are quit noticeably. Even more than influence of microsites such as Vatican, Monaco, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Malta, and Andorra. The new era of globalization made long-lasting existence of unrecognized states possible. Maybe soon it will be legally, but now, it is what we call statelessness.[13],[14]
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1) “Unrecognized Europe” by Andrei Bolshakov
International trends – Journal of International Relations Theory and Worls Politics.
2) “Frozen Conflicts in the Black Sea – South Caucasus Region” by Vladimir Socor. Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies
3) “Engagement without Recognition: A New Strategy toward Abkhazia and Eurasia’s Unrecognized States” by Alexander Cooley and Lincoln A. Mitchell http://www.twq.com/10october/docs/10oct_Cooley_Mitchell.pdf
4) "Foreign Missions in Kosovo". Government of Kosovo, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
http://www.mfa-ks.net/?page=2,50
5) “Democratisation Programme, Moldova, Transnitria and European Democracy Policies" by Jos Boonstra, Senior Researcher
6) Souprime Council of Pridnestovian Moldavian Republic . Official website. http://www.vspmr.org/?Lang=Eng
7) "Permanent Representations". Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Official website.
8) BBC Country Profiles: Regions and territories: Nagorno-Karabakh.
9) Transnistria wants to join Russia (translated title). KM.ru
10) "Abkhazia: Ten Years On" or “Transdniestria is Europe’s black hole” . BBC
11) "South Ossetia opens embassy in Abkhazia" The Tiraspol Times
12) "Regions and territories: Abkhazia". BBC news
13) Carnegie Endownment for International
nrecognized States Are Like the Flu, Not Cancer”
by Yevgeny Shestakov,Alexey Malashenko http://carnegie.ru/publications/?fa=42762
14) “Unrecognized Countries and European Integration” by Yuri Shevcov Agency of Political News
Victoria,
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting issue. Something which you highlight, and which I think is worth discussing further, is that geographic location seems to matter - especially if you happen to share a border with a locally powerful state (like Russia or Ethiopia) which is able to push for you to be recognized. This is important because we are often tempted, in this era of globalization, to assume that all countries are equally 'far' from one another; but in practice, this is not always the case.
Another important issue, talking of globalization, seems to be economies. I know that Transdniestra, for example, has a very globalized economy, especially in the field of military goods: and this industry would be adversely affected if formal statehood was achieved. Statehood, it seems, has costs as well as privileges:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/15/world/africa/15somalia.html?pagewanted=all
Perhaps by examining at how each of the unrecognized states we are interested in makes its money, might help us understand which of them are pushing hardest for statehood?
Money is important, but I think countries cannot realize all their economic hopes when they are recognized. And to gain at least small part of recognition, they should have "friends" or at least some country who shares theit political views.
ReplyDeleteIf to talk about inequality, I think everything is right. Countries, even that almost eveyone has UN membership, should not be equally powerful. For examle how Palau can be equal to the USA? As there is no actual equality i the UN ( those 5 permanent members of the Security Council do not seem to be equal to other 187 members), the world should be under the control of the greatest economies.
We already has an example of economic crisis that covered all countries. It took its begining from the USA, the greatest economy, on which a lot of countries were dependent. But, if to imagine, that there is no American money field, ow economic relations would look like? I guess there will be fewer countries, because it is impossible to develop own economy in a small country without international economic relations. It is even difficult for big states. Close states in practice develop[ in regression.
And location really matters. First of all there are a lot of regional organisations with different objectives. Thus, all of them have some kind of different goals. Historically, wars happen between neighbors. Even WWII had it begining in the "close to each other" Europe. Again, trade, is a really important aspect of international relations and it is much easier and cheaper to establish trade with neighbor, than have, for, example, transatlantic trade.
Another thing, it is historical location. Of corse, if countries used to be united, they have a lot of in common, and one, that more powerful, usually not wish to loose "extra" territories and resources.