Today.az, Baku, 14 Aug 2008 – Day.Az interview with historian and member of Azerbaijan Milli Mejlis (parliament) Jamil Hasanli.
President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev said that Russia has never been an outside observer in the Caucasus. Moreover, this country has been a stability guarantor in this region for centuries. The way the “guarantor” attains stability was once more demonstrated on Georgia’s example. What do you think about the statement of the Russian President?
Certainly, I can not agree with the formulation of the question. During Russia’s coming to the Caucasus there has been only 20-25 states in the world in the early 19th century. Now there are over 200 of them, that is the rise in the number of states occurred with the growth of national self-conscience by separate peoples. The borders of the British Empire were once limitless and now there are many independent states on its place, while a greater part of the Near East countries emerged after the Osman Empire collapsed.
This process seems to proceed with great difficulty in Russia. Therefore, those, who rule Russia, come out from such a position.
I consider such an approach inadmissible. I think if Russia had preserved relations, based on civilian and productive cooperation with the countries, emerging with the USSR collapse, it could have done these ties better than they are now. Georgia is not a country which is possible to be retained by force. On the whole, referring to the world practice, I would to note that no one has ever managed to keep control over any people by force.
Georgia is longing to join NATO. Azerbaijan has also chosen the course for European integration as a priority. Considering Medvedev’s announcement, Russia does not intend to accept the loss of control over the former USSR countries and it will hinder it by all means, even by use of force.
First of all, it should be noted that the policy of Russia’s open aggression against Georgia, is not a good event. This precedent will undoubtedly create additional problems for countries, which chose integration with the West.
At the same time, the abovementioned is not a unilateral process. By its actions Moscow gave grounds to Georgia for this country to fully separate from former USSR area, leave the CIS structures and join western coalitions.
Is Georgia’s accession to NATO inevitable?
Today Russia has no right to protest against Georgia’s NATO accession. I think it will be the main consequence of the events around South Ossetia. Georgia gor a serious international support, this country will be admitted to NATO and will put its territorial integrity under the security cover of the North Atlantic Alliance. It can become one of the main consequences of the events.
The worst thing is that Russia has no considered policy on the Caucasus, it does not have a line, meeting the national interests of the Caucasus population. Sovereign countries should not be treated like this. South Ossetia is an integral part of Georgia, while Russia appoints their citizens as Prime Ministers and other officials there. This way is not admissible.
It was in 1921. Now it is 2008. Time changes but approaches do not. What Bolsheviks once did is now done by the leadership of present-day Russia with the use of the same means. Moscow does it under pretense of ensuring security in South Ossetia, though Russia has no right to do it in line with international law. This is an approach from position of force. This is an event making our regional countries ponder over their fate.
Bombing of civilians of Georgian settlements by Russian forces and use of aviation fully contradicts to international law and intergovernmental relations. I think Russia should disavow this erroneous policy under pressure of the world society.
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