kosovo precedent

8/10/2019 Kosovo Precedent

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CAUCASIANREVIEWOFINTERNATIONALAFFAIRS

VOL. 3 (1) WINTER2009

CRIA 2009

KOSOVOPRECEDENT- APPLICABLEMANYPARTSOFTHEWORLD,

BUTNOTDIRECTLYINTHESOUTHCAUCASUS

A COMMENT

by Dominik Tok!"o#$

Ab!%#&'%

When it recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in August 2008,

Russia implicitly referred to the independence of the Republic of oso!o, "hich "as

recognized by most of the #$ member states and by a total of %& states of the '(2 $)member states by *anuary 200(+ ut is it really feasible to compare the t"o cases "ith

each other- What arguments has .the West/ used in order to ustify the recognition of

oso!o- What legal arguments are there to ustify the Russian position- 1his paper

"ill take a closer look at the argumentation on both sides of the debate before it "ill

analyse the reasons for the fact that a large number of states ha!e so far reected the

idea of ackno"ledging oso!o, South Ossetia and Abkhazia+ 1he paper "ill conclude

that for specific reasons, it is difficult to argue that the recognition of oso!os

independence set a clear precedent for the t"o breaka"ay pro!inces of 3eorgia+

4o"e!er, oso!o might ha!e set a precedent for more reasonable cases, "hich

e5plains much better "hy the process of oso!os recognition has come to astandstill+ 1his is no good ne"s for the go!ernment in 6rishtina, "hich needs further

recognition in order to become a member of !arious international organisations+

T() In!o*&b) Di!!)n% in In%)#n&%ion& L&+

The issue o !" i"#e$e"#e"% &oso'o e"%ee# %he #e!%e i" i"%e"!%io"!* e*!%io"s i" +u"e 1999

,he" UN Se-ui% Cou"-i* Reso*u%io" 12// es%!*ishe# !" i"%e"!%io"!* %us%eeshi$ i"

&oso'o. Si"-e %he" !" eo%s h!'e ee" !#e &oso'o A*!"i!"s !"# i"%e"!%io"!*

o!"is!%io"s %o es%!*ish ! u"-%io"!* s%!%e i" %he oe Sei!" $o'i"-e (,hi-h i% s%i** is

!--o#i" %o UNSCR 12//). The s%!%eui*#i" $o-ess i"!** *e# %o %he #e-*!!%io" oi"#e$e"#e"-e %he &oso'!" $!*i!e"% !"# o'e"e"% i" Feu! 2004 !"# i%s

e-o"i%io" ! *!e "ue o EU ee s%!%es sho%* !%e,!#s. Those s%!%es !ue

%h!% &oso'o !%e %he !%o-i%ies i" %he $!s% -!" "e'e e-oe !" i"%e!* $!% o Sei! !!i"

!"# ee %o %he ih% o se-essio" ,hi-h is #ei'e# o %he $i"-i$*e o se*#e%ei"!%io" o

$eo$*es. This is o"e o %he $i"-i$*es i" i"%e"!%io"!* *!, !"# is -o"%!#i-%o %o %he $i"-i$*e

o s%!%e so'eei"% !"# %ei%oi!* i"%ei%. 5o%h -o"-e$%s !e $i"-i$*es o %he UN Ch!%e6

Whi*e A%i-*e 1 !ues %h!% %he 7ie"#* e*!%io"s !o" "!%io"s (!e) !se# o" es$e-% o

Dominik Tolksdorfstudied in ochum, 1urku and erlin+ Since *une 2007, he "orks as a researcher for the

entre for Applied 6olicy Research 9A6: in ;unich on #$


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%he $i"-i$*e o e8u!* ih%s !"# se*#e%ei"!%io" o $eo$*es 1 A%i-*e 2 !ues %h!%7!**

:ees sh!** e!i" i" %hei i"%e"!%io"!* e*!%io"s o %he %he!% o use o o-e !!i"s% %he

%ei%oi!* i"%ei% o $o*i%i-!* i"#e$e"#e"-e o !" s%!%e (;).2Thee is !" o"oi" #e!%e i"

%he s%u# o i"%e"!%io"!* *!, o" %he 8ues%io" o ho, %o o'e-oe %he !iui% o %he UN

Ch!%e !"# i%s %,o -o"%! $i"-i$*es.

e-%e# %hose s%!%es %h!%

o$$ose %he e-o"i%io". The ee %o %he $i"-i$*e o s%!%e so'eei"% !"# !ue %h!% %he

e-o"i%io" h!s se% ! #!"eous $e-e#e"% o i"%e"!%io"!* *!, !"# i"%e"!%io"!* se-ui%.

:!" o %he !*so -o"si#e %he i"%e'e"%io" i" &oso'o i" 1999 !s ! e!-h o %he $i"-i$*e o

"o"i"%e'e"%io" i" i"%e"!%io"!* *!, ,hi-h is -o"%!i"e# i" A%i-*e 2 o %he UN Ch!%e

s%!%i" %h!% 7%he U"i%e# N!%io"s o i%s ee s%!%es !e "o% !**o,e# %o i"%e'e"e i" !%%es

%h!% !e esse"%i!** ,i%hi" %he #oes%i- >uis#i-%io" o !" s%!%e.3

A*%houh %he "o o "o"i"%e'e"%io" is o"e o %he ?e $i"-i$*es o %he UN Ch!%e i% ,!s

i" $!-%i-e o%e" 'io*!%e# #ui" %he Co*# W! o%h su$e$o,es %he US !"# USSR. I" %he

$os%Co*# ,! e! %he $i"-i$*e ,!s o%e" su$ese#e# %he -o"-e$% o hu!"i%!i!"

i"%e'e"%io". This is !se# o" %he !ue"% %h!% %he so'eei"% o s%!%es !*so i"-*u#es %he

es$o"sii*i% %o $o%e-% i%s -i%i=e"s. I %he s%!%e !i*s %o #o so i% is %he es$o"sii*i% o %he

i"%e"!%io"!* -ou"i% %o i"%e'e"e i" o#e %o $e'e"% e"o-i#e ,! -ies e%h"i-

-*e!"si" !"# !ssi'e hu!" ih%s 'io*!%io"s. The 7Res$o"sii*i% %o @o%e-% -o"-e$% ,!s

!#o$%e# %he UN Se-ui% Cou"-i* i" A$i* 200 !"# -oi%s %he Se-ui% Cou"-i* %o !-% i"

o#e %o $o%e-% -i'i*i!"s i" !e# -o"*i-%s.


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CRIA 2009

%!-? i" %he #i$*o!%i- s$hee. I" O-%oe 2004 i% !-hie'e# !" !eee"% i" %he UN e"e!*

Asse* %h!% %he I"%e"!%io"!* Cou% o +us%i-e (IC+) ,i** ou*!%e ! "o"i"#i" !#'iso

o$i"io" o" %he *e!*i% o &oso'oGs #e-*!!%io" o i"#e$e"#e"-e o Sei!. Due %o %his

!" s%!%es %h!% h!'e "o% e% e-o"i=e# &oso'o ,i** $o!* ,!i% ,i%h ! #e-isio" u"%i* %he

o$i"io" o %he IC+ is e*e!se#. This ih% %!?e !% *e!s% ! e!. A*so %he EU ,hi-h -*!is %os%e"%he" %he UN h!# %o !--e$% %h!% &oso'os i"#e$e"#e"-e is s%i** !" u"eso*'e# *e!*

issue !"# -ou*# o"* #e$*o i%s $o*i-e !"# u*eo*!, issio" i" &oso'o u"#e %he ue**!

o %he UN issio" !"# %hus 7s%!%us "eu%!*.

M&ny S%&%)! F) %(&% %() R)'oni%ion o$ Ko!o*o +i D)!%&bii) %()i# O+n

Bo#")#!

:os% -ou"%ies %h!% o$$ose &oso'os i"#e$e"#e"-e !ue %h!% i"%e"!%io"!* *!, !"# %he

%ei%oi!* i"%ei% o !** -ou"%ies us% e es$e-%e# !"# %h!% %he &oso'o issue shou*# eeso*'e# %houh $e!-eu* e!"s -o"su*%!%io" !"# #i!*oue e%,ee" %he -o"-e"e# $!%ies.

Fu%heoe %he EU #oes "o% h!'e !" oi-i!* u"iie# $osi%io" o" %he issue6 S$!i" ee-e

C$us S*o'!?i! !"# Ro!"i! #o "o% e-o"i=e &oso'o.

The *e!*is%i- #e!%e o'esh!#o,s %he !-% %h!% %he o$$osi" s%!%es su-h !s Chi"! os%* e!

%h!% e-o"i=i" &oso'o ,ou*# os%e %he #e!"#s o i"oi% $o$u*!%io"s ,i%hi" %hei

%ei%oies o (u%he) !u%o"o ih%s. This is !*so %ue o soe Euo$e!" -ou"%ies6 Whi*e

%he S$!"ish o'e"e"% e!s u%he -o"*i-%s ,i%h %he 5!s8ue !"# C!%!*!" i"#e$e"#e"-e

o'ee"%s Ro!"i! !"# S*o'!?i! h!'e *!e


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CRIA 2009

Ai-! o eB!$*e $!%* i" %he -o"*i-% i" D!u. A"o%he eB!$*e is %he Deo-!%i-

Re$u*i- o Co"o ,hee %he R,!"#!" e"e!* L!ue"% N?u"#! h!s !ue# %h!% %he

i"%e'e"%io" o his %oo$s i" E!s%e" Co"o ,!s %o $o%e-% %he Tu%si $eo$*e i" "eihoui"

R,!"#!.

Thee !e %o #!%e o"* ! e, Asi!" -ou"%ies %h!% h!'e e-o"i=e# &oso'o. Foe ees

o %he So'ie% U"io" *i?e &=s%!" o &!=!?hs%!" usu!** h!'e -*ose e*!%io"s ,i%h Russi!J

u% %he !*so e! se$!!%is% o'ee"%s ,i%hi" %hei o," o#es (!% *e!s% 2K o %he &!=!?h

$o$u*!%io" is e%h"i- Russi!"). I"#i! o$$oses &oso'os i"#e$e"#e"-e e-!use i% e!s %h!% su-h

! #e-isio" ,i** %ih%e" %he si%u!%io" i" &!shi. I" Si L!"?! %he -i'i* ,! e%,ee" %he

(Si"h!*ese) o'e"e"% !"# %he Lie!%io" Ties o T!i* Ee*! ,ho #e!"#

i"#e$e"#e"-e o %he T!i* eio"s i" %he "o%h !"# e!s% o %he -ou"% is s%i** o"oi". I"

I"#o"esi! %he -e"%!* o'e"e"% h!s >us% se%%*e# ! -o"*i-% ,i%h %he $o'i"-e o A-eh ,hi-h

s%i'es o i"#e$e"#e"-e. I"#o"esi! is ! u*%ie%h"i- s%!%e ,i%h u-h oe $o%e"%i!* o

se-essio"is% o'ee"%s. Chi"! ,hi-h h!s "e'e e-o"ise# T!i,!" !"# ,hi-h is h!'i"

#ii-u*% -o"%!i"i" i"#e$e"#e"-e o'ee"%s i" Tie% ,i** -e%!i"* "o% !--e$% &oso'osi"#e$e"#e"-e.

A*%houh os% o %he ee s%!%es o %he O!"is!%io" o %he Is*!i- Co"ee"-e (OIC)

#e-*!e# %hei so*i#!i% !"# su$$o% o %he &oso'o A*!"i!"s os% o %he h!'e "o%

e-o"ise# @ish%i"!s i"#e$e"#e"-e (eB-e$% o Ah!"is%!" A*!"i! Tu?e Se"e!* %he

U"i%e# A! Ei!%es !"# :!*!si!) !ui" %h!% i"%e"!%io"!* *!,s us% e es$e-%e#. The

s%i-%"ess o %he :us*i s%!%es o" %he issue e-!e !$$!e"% ,he" &oso'o ,!s "o% !#i%%e#

%o $!%i-i$!%e i" !" OIC -o"ee"-e i" C!io i" No'ee 2004. The o$$osi%io" o %he

:us*i s%!%es -!" !i"* e eB$*!i"e# %he A!Is!e* -o"*i-%. :os% o %he :us*i s%!%es

#o "o% h!'e oi-i!* #i$*o!%i- e*!%io"s ,i%h Is!e*. 5 e-o"isi" &oso'o %he :us*i

s%!%es ,ou*# !*so -oe u"#e $essue %o !-?"o,*e#e Is!e* i" %he *o" %e. 5e-!use o %he

-o"*i-% ,i%h %he @!*es%i"i!"s Is!e* #oes "o% e-o"i=e &oso'o ei%he.

Ko!o*o &n" So.%( C&.'&!.! C&!)! ) H"y Com/&b)

Whe" Russi! e-o"i=e# Sou%h Osse%i! !"# A?h!=i! !s i"#e$e"#e"% s%!%es %he o'e"e"%

i" :os-o, !ue# %h!% %his is ! -o"se8ue"-e o %he u"i*!%e!* Wes%e" o'e i" %he -!se o

&oso'o. 5u% i% is 8ues%io"!*e i &oso'o !"# %he oe eoi!" $o'i"-es !e -o$!!*e

-!ses. Fis% o !** &oso'os *e!#es h!# soe ih% %o -*!i so'eei"% !s %he Huos*!'i!"

-o"s%i%u%io" o 19/ es%!*ishe# %he So-i!*is% Au%o"oous @o'i"-e o &oso'o ,hi-h ,!s !#e !-%o e$u*i- ,i%hi" %he e#e!%io" ,i%h ! se!% i" %he Fe#e!* @esi#e"-.


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CRIA 2009

Re!#*ess o %hese !-%s %he Russi!" !ue"%!%io" %h!% &oso'o se% ! $e-e#e"% o

A?h!=i! !"# Sou%h Osse%i! is "o% 'e -o$ehe"si*e. :os-o, h!s "o% !#hee# %o %he

$i"-i$*e o s%!%e so'eei"% ,hi-h i% h!# s%i** #ee"#e# i" %he &oso'o -!se >us% soe

o"%hs e!*ie. 5 usi" ! $o*i%i-!* !ue"%!%io" i"s%e!# o !" !ue"%!%io" !se# o"

i"%e"!%io"!* *!, Russi! h!s *os% u-h o i%s -e#ii*i%. I% is "o ,o"#e %h!% %he Sei!"o'e"e"% e>e-%s %he Russi!" #e!"# %o !-?"o,*e#e %he so'eei"% o Sou%h Osse%i! !"#

A?h!=i!.

I" -o"%!s% %o Russi! 5e*!#e i"sis%s o" %he !i#!"-e o i"%e"!%io"!* *!, !"# i% is e!s %o

,i" !**ies o" %his issue. This h!s *ess %o #o ,i%h *e!* !ue"%s u% ,i%h %he si$*e !-% %h!%

!" o'e"e"%s e! %h!% ! #e-isio" %o e-o"i=e &oso'o ,i** s%e"%he" se$!!%is%

o'ee"%s ,i%hi" %hei o," %ei%oies. Thee is -e%!i"* soe *oi- ehi"# %his !"# o"*

%ie ,i** %e** ,h!% -o"se8ue"-es o i"%e"!%io"!* $e!-e !"# se-ui% !e e!** -o""e-%e# ,i%h

&oso'os i"#e$e"#e"-e.

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