Russia–South Ossetia relations

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Russia–South Ossetia relations
Map indicating locations of South Ossetia and Russia

South Ossetia

Russia

Russia–South Ossetia relations (

bilateral relationship between Russia and the Republic of South Ossetia, a disputed region in the South Caucasus, located on the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic
.

Background

recognized by only 5 UN recognized states. In the aftermath of the conflict Russia extended citizenship to many of South Ossetia's citizens.[2][3]

Following several months of increased tensions in the region,

French President Nicolas Sarkozy brokered a ceasefire agreement.[citation needed] Under the terms of the agreement, Russia agreed to withdraw from security zones in Georgia proper by 10 October. Russia completed the withdrawal on 8 October 2008.[9]

Russian recognition of South Ossetia

Presidential Decree No. 1261, dated 26 August 2008, by President Dmitry Medvedev, recognizing the independence of South Ossetia
President Medvedev announcing that he has signed decrees recognising independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (in Russian) Transcript in English.

On 21 August 2008, the same day as a similar event in

diplomatic relations with them.[citation needed
]

On 26 August 2008, President Medvedev signed

UN Charter, the 1970 Declaration on the Principles of International Law Governing Friendly Relations Between States, the CSCE Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and other fundamental international instruments in issuing the decree, and further stated, "(t)his is not an easy choice to make, but it represents the only possibility to save human lives."[11] Eduard Kokoity described the Russian decision to recognise South Ossetian independence as "noble", and stated that it would contribute to stability in the entire South Caucasus region.[12]

Many high level Russian politicians including

Vesti in August 2009, Sergey Lavrov stated that Russian recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia was not planned when the 2008 war began.[citation needed
]

As a result of the Russian recognition of Abkhazian and South Ossetian independence, Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia on 29 August 2008,[14] and declared that it regards South Ossetia and Abkhazia as occupied territories.[citation needed]

Bilateral relationship

Diplomatic ties

South Ossetian embassy in Moscow
Letters of Credence
to President Medvedev on 16 January 2009.

Russia and South Ossetia established

Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow.[15]

On 25 September 2008, President Medvedev signed an

Letters of Credence to South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity on 16 December 2008.[citation needed] Dmitry Medoyev, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Republic of South Ossetia to Russia was appointed by Eduard Kokoity as South Ossetia's first ambassador to Russia on 13 January 2009.[17] Medoyev presented his credentials to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 16 January 2009.[18]

Russian embassy in South Ossetia in 2009.[19]

Political ties

President Medvedev with President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity on 30 April 2009 after signing an agreement on joint efforts to protect the state border of the Republic of South Ossetia
Tskhinval
on 13 July 2009.

Eduard Kokoity said during talks with

Russian Federation.[21] Lavrov's position was also mirrored in August 2009 by Dmitry Medoyev, who stated that "South Ossetia will be building an independent state".[22]

On 17 September 2008, Russia and South Ossetia signed a

the Kremlin in Moscow. According to Eduard Kokoity sets out the long term basic objectives and principles in all areas for the strategic partnership between South Ossetia and Russia.[23][24] In a statement after the signing of the treaty, President Medvedev warned Georgia that "another military adventure" would lead to a "regional catastrophe".[23] The treaty was ratified by the State Duma on 29 October 2008.[25]

In September 2008, United Russia and the Unity Party signed a strategic partnership in order to increase political cooperation between Russia and South Ossetia.[26]

On 30 April 2009, Russia and South Ossetia concluded negotiations and signed a border protection treaty at

Russian Border Guards patrolling and securing the South Ossetian borders, until such time as the South Ossetian government had set up its own service.[citation needed
]

President Medvedev made a working visit to Tskhinval on 13 July 2009, becoming the first Russian leader to visit South Ossetia.[27] The visit, which was criticised by Georgia,[citation needed] saw Medvedev confirming that Russia would increase contacts with South Ossetia and would implement numerous projects to assist in the rebuilding effort in the Republic.[28]

Following Medvedev's visit,

Sergey Shoygu and Minister of Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliyev travelled to South Ossetia on 21 July 2009, where they attended the opening of two rural police stations, and attended the signing of an interagency agreement between the two countries prosecutorial agencies.[citation needed
]

On 7 August 2009, Dmitry Medvedev in an interview for the documentary In August 2008... stated that Russia would continue to develop bilateral ties with South Ossetia "regardless of whether somebody likes it or not."[29][30]

Military ties

Tskhinval
on 13 July 2009

The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance which was signed in September 2008 came into force on 20 January 2009, and stipulates a Russian guarantee of military intervention in case South Ossetia should be attacked.

Nikolay Makarov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, confirmed in November 2008 that the full complement of 3,700 Russian soldiers had been deployed to South Ossetia, in accordance with the mutual assistance treaty.[citation needed] After the signing of the 30 April treaty, Russian Border Guards were sent to South Ossetia and began patrolling the border with Georgia.[31]

In June 2009, Makarov stated that it was likely that the Russian military presence in South Ossetia would be reduced, but that the development and staffing of the Russian military base near Tskhinval would proceed as planned.[

Russian Border Guards have eased tensions in Georgian populated areas of the Republic.[citation needed
]

The "alliance and integration" treaty signed between Russia and South Ossetia in March 2015 formally incorporated the South Ossetian military into the Russian Armed Forces.[32]

Economic ties

Due to its small population and lack of

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin,[34] in March 2009, Russia allocated 2.8 billion rubles from the Russian federal budget, as part of agreements between the Russian Ministry of Finance and its South Ossetian counterpart, which were based on the treaty signed in September 2008. Russia also allocated an additional 8.5 billion rubles to South Ossetia in order to assist in rebuilding housing, social amenities and utilities which were destroyed or damaged during the 2008 war.[citation needed] According to Eduard Kokoity, seventy percent of residential housing and eighty percent of administrative buildings in Tskhinval were destroyed in the Georgian shelling of the city in 2008, but this could not be confirmed.[citation needed
]

Plans of integration with the Russian Federation

Russian military bases in South Ossetia as of 2015

On 30 August 2008, Tarzan Kokoity, the Deputy Speaker of South Ossetia's parliament, announced that the region would soon be absorbed into Russia, so that South and North Ossetians could live together in one united Russian state.[35] Russian and South Ossetian forces began giving residents in Akhalgori, the biggest town in the predominantly ethnic Georgian eastern part of South Ossetia, the choice of accepting Russian citizenship or leaving.[36] However, Eduard Kokoity, the then president of South Ossetia, later stated that South Ossetia would not forgo its independence by joining Russia: "We are not going to say no to our independence, which has been achieved at the expense of many lives; South Ossetia has no plans to join Russia." Civil Georgia has said that this statement contradicts previous ones made by Kokoity earlier that day, when he indicated that South Ossetia would join North Ossetia in the Russian Federation.[35][37]

The South Ossetian and Russian presidents signed an "alliance and integration" treaty on 18 March 2015.

North Caucasus Federal District.[39] The Associated Press described the treaty as calling for "nearly full integration" and compared it to a 2014 agreement between Russia and Abkhazia.[38] The Georgian Foreign Ministry described the signing of the treaty as "actual annexation" of the disputed region by Russia, and the United States and European Union said they would not recognize it.[40][41]

In another move towards integration with the Russian Federation, South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov proposed in December 2015 a name change to "South Ossetia–Alania" — in analogy with "North Ossetia–Alania", a Russian federal subject. Tibilov furthermore suggested holding a referendum on joining the Russian Federation prior to April 2017, which would lead to a united "Ossetia–Alania".[42] In April 2016, Tibilov said he intended to hold the referendum before August of that year.[43][44] However, on 30 May, Tibilov postponed the referendum until after the presidential election due in April 2017.[45] At the name change referendum, nearly 80 percent of those who voted endorsed the name change.

On 30 March 2022, President Anatoly Bibilov announced his intention to begin legal proceedings in the near future to integration with the Russian Federation.[46]

See also

References

  1. ISBN 9780765615688.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link
    )
  2. ^ Owen, Elizabeth; Lomsadze, Giorgi (8 August 2008). "Georgia: All-out war looms in South Ossetia". Eurasianet. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
  3. ^ Dzhindzhikhashvili, Misha; Birch, Douglas; Abdaladze, George; Heintz, Jim; Isachenkov, Vladimir; Berry, Lynn (10 August 2008). "Georgian troops pull out of South Ossetian capital". Washington Post. Tbilisi. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
  4. ^ Stepanova, Ekaterina (November 2008). "South Ossetia and Abkhazia: Placing the conflict in context" (PDF). Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2009-08-09. ( at WebCite)
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  7. Presidential Press and Information Office
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  12. ^ "Эдуард Кокойты: "Решение России о признании Южной Осетии и Абхазии – это благородное и выстраданное нашими народами решение"" (in Russian). Cominf.org. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
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  17. ^ Президент РЮО подписал указ о назначении Посла РЮО в РФии Дмитрию Медведеву. (in Russian). Cominf.org. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-04.
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  20. Tskhinval
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  23. ^
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  35. ^
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  46. ^ "Breakaway Georgian Region Seeks to Be Putin's Next Annexation". Bloomberg.com. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.

External links