Russia-Abkhazia-Ossetia: Treaty of Amity, or the decision of accession?

Yesterday in Moscow, Dmitry Medvedev met Sergei Bagapsh and Eduard Kokoity. The meeting was the signing of a bilateral treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Already the reaction of the Presidents new Caucasian republics could be seen, how important is for them this time. Bagapsh and Kokoity looks set signature on the white sheets of paper and waited with excitement when their zaviziruet Russian president.

Once the contract were fastened signatures, Russia officially gained its new full-fledged allies in the international arena. President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev all happened so commented: "This is certainly a historic event to which we all went very easy, and peoples of these republics in the literal sense of the word deserve."

He further added that "development is a logical consequence of a chain of events that occurred in the region since the beginning of 90 - ies, and, of course, an extension of the efforts taken by Russia, starting from 8 August."

President of Abkhazia, Sergei Bagapsh praised efforts by Russia to restore peace in the region. On the prospects of further development of the Caucasus republics, he made the following statement: "We will do everything to build a democratic, legal state, where there is no place wars, which will be respected all the rights and freedom of small nations, we guarantee their lives, its Constitution" .

South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity in his speech emphasized the importance of the adoption of this treaty for the region as a whole and to South Ossetia in particular. During his speech, Kokoity said that "this document is for the people of South Ossetia great importance and historical scale, not only because we (the residents of South Ossetia - approx. The Moscow Post) concluded a basic political treaty with one of the leading world powers, but also because this treaty creates a solid foundation of security guarantees for our country and the Caucasus region in general. "

And so whether independent Abkhazia and South Ossetia?

Overall, the result of the signing of the treaty became binding legal rights and responsibilities of the parties.

The agreement captures all sides of the state - from domestic policy and energy to military strategy and international security issues. However, all items under this contract all of the above issues new Caucasus republic must be addressed with looking back at Russia.

Thus ensuring the security of Abkhazia and South Ossetia falls almost entirely on the shoulders of Russia. This provision is clearly reflected in paragraph treaty, to discuss security Caucasian republics. In particular, the treaty states that "in order to ensure the safety of the contracting parties, as well as peace and stability in the Transcaucasus region, each of the contracting parties will provide the other contracting party the right to use and improve its armed forces military infrastructure and military bases (facilities) to its territory. "

Besides the economy of Abkhazia and South Ossetia would also integrated into the Russian financial system: "The parties will seek to achieve a high degree of economic integration and for this purpose will be to develop trade and economic cooperation, take measures for the unification of energy and transport systems, communication systems and Telecommunications ".

Also, residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia if desired calm will be able to obtain dual citizenship. In addition, all citizens of those republics, in the event of them abroad, will be serviced by Russian diplomats: "Every citizen of the republic of Abkhazia has the right to defend the territory of a third state, where there is no republic of Abkhazia, on the part of diplomatic missions or consular posts in the Russian Federation same conditions as nationals of Russia. "

Dependence or independence?

A close examination of the document showed that Abkhazia and South Ossetia in fact entered into the Russian Federation, after the integration process in its financial, military and diplomatic structure. So, in fact, the new Caucasus republic, in fact, merged with Russia.

However, Russia has left the new republics of the Caucasus main thing - the freedom to conduct its own policies. Thus, Moscow could not be taken to influence legislation in the republics or completely determine the foreign policy of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Overall, the new legal status of new Caucasian states can be interpreted in two ways. Perhaps this ambivalence in the understanding of the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia definitively no longer only when they can be declared a large number of countries and are able to ensure their safety.