This past weeks we have seen one of the most critical situations in Europe since the war in Kosovo. While the world was amazed with the world records of Phelps and Bolt in the Olympics, in the Caucasus , in Georgia, a conflict for the control of the breakaway provinces of Osetia and Abkhazia has bring back Cold War memories. An impulsive and irresponsible move from the president Mikheil Saakashvili sending attacks against the separatist was the perfect excuse for Medvedev to ocupate the country. From Russia Vladimir Putin, officially on the second line but still considered the most powerful man in the country, accuses the U.S. of orchestrating the Georgian war to benefit McCains election. Since the disintegration of the USSR in 1990, Russia has lost influence in East Europe and Southwest Asia. Poland, Czech Republic have signed military treaties with the U.S. , the Baltic republics, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary are now full members of the E.U. , while Ukraine is looking towards NATO and E.U.It is well known the strategic location of Georgia, a country where gas and oil pipelines make their way to Turkey and the West. Control of energy sources and transportation could be a reason, but also political control. It is an answer to the Western countries after their recognition of Kosovo last year, all in name of the protection of the russian citizens. But more conflicts are ready to begin in the region. Russia control a few ports in Ukraine and Crimea where it hosts its still powerful Black Sea Navy.
I was a few days ago in Estonia and Lithuania, the local media observe this conflict with special attention, specially due to the fact that many russian citizens work and live there. The current world market and energy crisis is also affecting these young democracies, and that could bring instability to the region.
Will Russia also use the force to recover control of the old Soviet Republics ?, that's very unrealistic, but Russia is still a big player to be taken into account, nobody wants to comeback to the Cold War era , but we want to believe , and in name of the peace, that the international community will try to use their finest diplomacy tactics to bring back balance in this conflict. Sakorzy and the E.U. made some efforts to address the situation, even forcing the signature of a treat to guarantee the retrieval of the russian troops, but they still control a third of the georgian territory. This situation of apparent violation of the international law will pass without change because the world has no moral authority to bring peace and justice, while still allow people like Mugave stay in power, or shut the eyes while innocent people was killed in Tibet a few months ago.
Too many fronts , too many conflicts, but we still have hope and a long way in front of us ...
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