The Myth of Russia's Caucasus Success
Boris Nemtsov, Form. Dep. Min. of Russia | August 28, 2009
The Kremlin's strategy has not brought peace to the Caucasus. ++ Russia’s failure can be blamed on Vladimir Putin’s cynical deals with influential clans in the North Caucasus, the elimination of democratic procedures and the recognition of the independence of breakaway Georgian republics Abkhazia and South Ossetia. ++ The Kremlin has to learn that the ongoing problems in the Caucasus can only be solved "with honest policies based on the rule of law, democracy and respect for the rights of citizens."
Sun, Aug 30th 2009, 19:26
Joćo Vargas
1) "... cynical deals with influential clans... "
This has been the modus operandi of all majors powers in Caucuses for centuries, if not millennia... all the way back to Romanov, Ottoman, Safavid, Khazar, Sassanian and Median times. So you must be implying that the Caucasus has been one massive failure throughout its entire history?
2) "... elimination of democratic procedures... "
How can you eliminate something which had never existed before? If the entire Caucasus ever had "democracy", then we would have to go back to the ancient Greek city-states of Phasis (modern day independent Republic of Georgia, near Poti), Pityos and Dioskurias (both in modern day independent Republic of Abkhazia, near Pitsunda and Sukhum respectively). As far as anyone is concerned, all of the North Casucaus subjects of the Russian Federation and the independent Republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Georgia, Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan are way far from democratic.
3) " ... recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia... "
This is more a failure of Georgia's government, Saakashvili's policies have effectively Cypriotized his country for possibly years and decades to come.
4) "... with honest policies based on the rule of law, democracy and respect for rights of citizens... "
I'm sure everyone fell for that line during the Rose Revolution.