Russia, Rebel Georgia Region Sign Treaty; West Alarmed

[Purveyor]

Source: REUTERS


Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and the leader of Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov shake hands during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, March 18, 2015.

March 18, 2015 1:26 PM
MOSCOW—

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty with Georgia's rebel South Ossetia region on Wednesday that almost completely integrates it with Russia, alarming Georgia and the West a year after Moscow took over Crimea.

Tbilisi described the "alliance and integration" treaty as a "move aimed at annexation" and the United States and European Union said they would not recognise the agreement, which the EU depicted as a threat to regional security and stability.

Under the deal, signed in the Kremlin by Putin and South Ossetian leader Leonid Tibilov, a former KGB official, the region's security forces, military, economy, customs service and border guards will be deeply integrated with those of Russia.

Russia won a five-day war with Georgia in 2008 over the fate of South Ossetia and another rebel region, Abkhazia. It formally recognizes both regions as independent states and signed a similar treaty with Abkhazia last year.

Read more: http://www.voanews.com/content/russia-rebel-georgia-region-sign-treaty-west-alarmed/2685545.html

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U.S. Does Not Recognize Russia's Treaty With Rebel Georgia Region: State Dept

Reuters

WASHINGTON: The United States does not recognize legitimacy of the treaty signed on Wednesday between Russia and Georgia's rebellious South Ossetia region, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said.

"The occupied regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are integral parts of Georgia, and we continue to support Georgia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/World/2015/Mar-18/291290-us-does-not-recognize-russias-treaty-with-rebel-georgia-region-state-dept.ashx

[jtuck004]

1. Under the heading of "Not Really News" from above..."WEST ALARMED".

That's like discovering gravity.

[pampango]

2. More redrawing of European borders thanks to an aggressive military. Some things never change. n/t

[leveymg]

3. If I recall, there was an awful lot of that going on a mere 20-25 years ago in the region.

None of the borders over there are exactly what I would call permanently fixed.

[Igel]

7. Mostly they kept the administrative borders.

The last actual redraw in the area was in the late 1910s and early 1920s.

Some rebel movements based on "ethnic groups must stick together and have control over their ethnic territory" happened, but that was mostly Armenians and Azeris. That, of course, was a set up when the borders had been drawn the previous time. (Stalin was as good as the Ottomans and the Horde when it came to making sure that problematic groups were divided and pitted against each other; Tito was pretty good at it, too. So was Stalin's posthumous acolyte, Saddam H.)

In the case of the S. Ossetians, though, it's not like they're reuniting with the mass of their ethnicity over the "ethnicities must form monolithic ethnic and geo-political groups". Part of it is ethnic hatred--something we want to ignore in Bosnia, delight in in Serbia and in this case, it would seem. Part is buying the bribes and PR. Abkhazia is the same way, and once the tensions are highlighted media control keeps the ethnic rage and suspicion at a fever pitch.

[leveymg]

9. This one fits that norm - not an actual change in state name/borders.

The last great redivide came almost entirely at the expense of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia - two names we don't hear anymore. Both are much reduced to their former imperial cores - Russia and Serbia. One should hardly be surprised if the re-expansion urge hits them after a quarter century.

Speaking of re-expansion, the former Caliphate seems to have reemerged after a long dormancy, and it is that entity with Saudi money and Qatari muscle that seems to have benefited the most at the expense of the former Russian and Slavic empires. Of course, they aren't entirely satisfied with absorbing the Azers and a few Muslim Stans. It's now onward to Damascus and across the Levant. After the attack in Paris, the full extent of the Moorish advance as far north as Eire comes back into focus. Of course, being excellent navigators, the historical bounds crossed the Horn as far east as Indonesia, and came to the Americas in great numbers in the holds of wooden ships. The world is a big place, but so are the treasuries of Arabia.

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. Long live Yugoslavia!

[DFW]

5. Putin practically did this deal years ago

When S. Ossetia had their civil war to break away from Gruzin, either Putin was going to save them, or Tbilisi was going to tame them back into submission. When Russia told Tbilisi, "hands off, they're ours now," and backed up their threat with military might, Tbilisi had no choice but to accept the loss of territory. Making it official won't change what has been the case de facto for years now.

[PatrynXX]

6. ie Xenia Onatop....

will be rooting for Goldeneye 2 with Pierce Brosnan since the Cold War is coming back... and all that hangs in the balance is who has more Dash Cams showing who can't drive .

[Blue_Tires]

8. Just a month late:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141018575

[Turbineguy]

10. South Ossetia

is a black hole for government support. They rebelled against Georgia because Georgia was too stingy with the dole checks.