In Fallout from Georgian Drone, Abkhazia Analogies Cut Two Ways, Kosovo or Chechnya

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
www.innercitypress.com/un4abkhazia052908.html

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 -- As the fallout of the unmanned aerial vehicle or drone shot down over Abkhazia on April 20 reaches into the UN Security Council, Georgia on Thursday disputed the UN's statement that its drone flights over Abkhazia violate its commitments in the so-called Moscow Agreement. Georgian Ambassador Irakli Alasania compared the drones to a camera in the hand of a photographer. He said Georgia has been forced to deploy its intelligence assets in light of Russian moves in Abkhazia. Inner City Press asked if, as the UN's report on the drone downing says, the flights violate the Moscow Agreement. No, Amb. Alasania said. Video here.

Inner City Press asked Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin to comment on this. "Illogical and strange," Amb. Churkin called it, that Georgia would be asking for a Security Council meeting based on a report which, in what Churkin calls its only statement of fact, criticizes Georgia for the drone flights. Churkin said that unanimity had not been possible on its request that Abkhaz representatives be allowed to attend the Security Council meeting, which will therefore be unbalanced, and held behind closed doors. He predicted that support was growing for Abkhaz involvement in the Council's meeting in two months on the UN's next Georgia report. Given the support in this dispute for Georgia, by the U.S. and others, consensus is hard to imagine.

Inner City Press asked Amb. Alasania, since Georgia is asking compensation, how much each drone costs. I don't know, he answered, that would be negotiated bilaterally with Russia. With Abkhazia -- said by a Georgian minister to have more weaponry than Syria -- claiming to have shot down seven drones, Inner City Press asked Amb. Alasania how many drones have been downed. We are speaking about the April 20 incident, Alasiania said.

There was a battle of analogies. Supporters of the Abkhaz side compare the situation to that of Kosovo, which was allowed to participate in Security Council meetings. Georgian Ambassador Alasania, on the other hand, urged Russia to withdraw its request for Abkhaz participation in the Council, saying this is "not in the best interest of Russia," as it would set a precedent for "other separatists" to participate -- a reference, it seemed clear, to Chechnya. The analogies of Abkhazia, then, can cut at least two ways. We will continue to follow this story.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un4abkhazia052908.html

Kosovo "Respects Dual Citizenship," But Dodges Abkhazia Question, Downed Drone Deferred

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
www.innercitypress.com/un1udis042108.html

UNITED NATIONS, April 21 -- Kosovo's prime minister Hashim Thaci was asked on Monday what he would do face with a request for recognition by the breakaway republic of Abkhazia. "We will see very carefully," he said, walking away from the microphone. Video here, at Minute 7:09.

The exchange highlighted the fall-out from Kosovo's February 17 unilateral declaration of independence and subsequent entropy in Georgia, even Bolivia and the Far East. Georgia has requested an emergency Security Council meeting on the situation in Abkhazia, including what it calls Russia's shoot-down of a Georgia unmanned drone. Monday morning Inner City Press asked Georgian Ambassador Irakli Alasania about reports the Abkhaz shot it down. We have proof, Amb. Alasania said. Asked about reports of electricity being cut to the Russian CIS peacekeepers, he said he hadn't heard about it. Video here.

Late Monday the Security Council decided that the requested Georgia meeting will be held Wednesday, although participation by the Abkhaz has still not been determined. Previously, Russia complained that the U.S. declined to grant visas to Abkhaz representatives. Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin late Monday alluded to countries which talk a lot about free speech but don't want all sides to be heard.

While many at the UN on Monday said there was "no news" in the Council's meeting on Kosovo, at the stakeout afterwards several things emerged. The UN Mission in Kosovo, which the U.S. says is winding down but Serbia and Russia say must remain, as apparently backed off from opposing Serbs in Kosovo voting in Serbian parliamentary elections on May 11. Since UNMIK's Joachim Ruecker never came to take questions from reporters, Inner City Press asked Kosovo's prime minister Thaci for his position on the elections. "We respect dual citizenship," he said, but "local elections" by Serbs in Kosovo "would be illegal."

Some say that these too will be allowed, and may even benefit UNMIK and Pristina -- how else would they know who to deal with, going forward, other than through elections? Inner City Press asked Serbian President Boris Tadic about the elections, and he said there "is no problem" with the parliamentary elections, and that about the local, they will talk to UNMIK.

At the UN's noon briefing on Monday, Inner City Press asked about reports that UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Jean-Marie Guehenno will travel to Belgrade for meetings. Afterwards an answer arrived by e-mail, that you "asked whether Jean-Marie Guehenno will visit Belgrade. Yes, he expects to visit Kosovo and the region soon, in his role as head of peacekeeping."

Later Monday, Inner City Press asked President Boris Tadic what Serbia would be asking Mr. Guehenno for. "I'm not going to meet Mr. Guehenno," Tadic said. "Some other members of our government are going to, they are in charge."

Sources tell Inner City Press that Guehenno requested a one on one meeting with Tadic, and was turned down. Meanwhile, on his way into the Security Council, UNMIK's Joachim Ruecker was asked, "Are you resigning?" He answered, "Should I?" For more on Ruecker, click here.

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1udis042108.html

As Georgia Says Sochi Olympics May Not Happen, Russia Calls it Far-Fetched, Georgia Speaks of Abkhaz Trenches

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at UN
www.innercitypress.com/un1abkhazia031108.html

UNITED NATIONS, March 11 -- "I won't see any Sochi Olympics happening," Georgia's Permanent Representative to the UN Irakli Alasania told Inner City Press on Tuesday, "if destabilization in region" continues. Ambassador Alasania had criticized Russia's lifting of sanctions against Abkhazia, a move that some have related to the Winter Olympics planned for 2014 in Sochi, fifty miles from Abkhazia.

Inner City Press asked Amb. Alasania about a quote by the chairman of the Georgian parliament temporary commission for the restoration of territorial integrity, Shota Malashkhia, that "if Russia continues to act in the same manner as currently, the Sochi Olympics will resemble that in Moscow in 1980."

While declining to comment directly on the statements of the legislative branch, Amb. Alasania went beyond the implicit boycott call to say that the Olympics might have to be canceled altogether. If the destabilization on the ground continues, he said, "I don't see how the Olympics can proceed." Video here, from Minute 12:47.

Inner City Press asked U.S. Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad about the Georgian statement that the Sochi Olympics might have to be cancelled. U.S. entertainer Mia Farrow has called for a boycott, citing Darfur, of the upcoming Beijing Olympics; filmmaker Steven Spielberg himself boycotted participation in the Games. After initially declining to say anything, Amb. Khalilzad when pressed said "I have no comment on that... with regards to the Olympics issues." Video here, from Minute 5:54

Afterwards another Council diplomat told Inner City Press that the idea of boycotting the Sochi Olympics due to a dispute about Abkhazia or South Ossetia was "reminiscent of the Cold War." But there are those who say a new Cold War is brewing.

Russia beat out South Korea to win the 2014 Winter Olympics. Inner City Press asked Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin about Amb. Alasania's statement that the Games might have to be cancelled. Amb. Churkin laughed and called it "a far-fetched statement... I'm surprised that he made it." Video here, from Minute 4:09. Then again, Russia claims that its lifting of sanctions on Abkhazia has nothing to do with other countries' recognition of Kosovo's declaration of independence.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, asked by Inner City Press about any link between Abkhazia and Kosovo said of the latter that as an '"ethnic" secession, Kosovo "is a first, which is another way of saying precedent... Precedents aren't announced, precedents just happen." Video here.

The commander of the Georgian peacekeeping operations, General Mamuka Kurashvili, has accused Russian peacekeepers in Abkhazia of digging new trenches. Inner City Press asked the UN Spokesperson at Tuesday's noon briefing if the UN Mission in Georgia had any information in this regard, and later received a response that " UNOMIG has sent patrols to most of the reported locations. In most cases, the reports proved false. At several Abkhaz posts UNOMIG observed that 'light' works had been carried out to improve fortifications. There were also increase in manning levels at the Abkhaz posts following the February 29 incident, in which three Abkhaz police officers were wounded by a mine; the levels returned to normal as of March 7."

When Inner City Press later on Tuesday told a Permanent Five Council member diplomat about this "light fortification" work, the response was that rather than Russia using Abkhazia to gain leverage vis-a-vis Kosovo, they are using Kosovo to do what they want in Abkhazia. Other than from Olympian heights, how would one know?

And see, www.innercitypress.com/un1abkhazia031108.html