Raad van Europa veroordeelt erkenning van onafhankelijkheid van Abchazië en Zuid-Ossetië door Rusland (en)

Press release - 602(2008)

Congress President Yavuz Mildon condemns recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia

Strasbourg, 28.08.2008 - "The recognition by the Russian Federation of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is a decision which I cannot but condemn," Yavuz Mildon, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, stated today.

"This act is not good news for Europe and particularly for the Caucasus, all the more so since the Russian military presence in the conflict zones is continuing.

"The Council of Europe Congress is convinced that the principles of regional autonomy, laid down in the European Charter of Regional Democracy*, offer a sound alternative to various national identity claims in Europe and constitute a positive basis of discussion for settling conflicts, while respecting the territorial integrity of States recognised by the international community. I regret that the Russian Federation, by a unilateral act, blocked any possibility of a peaceful resolution of claims of the Ossetians and Abkhazians in the framework of the Georgian nation. Besides, Georgia had committed itself, when it joined the Council of Europe in 1999, to negotiating with Abkhazia and South Ossetia a status guaranteeing them broad autonomy.**"

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  The European Charter of Regional Democracy , adopted by the Congress on 28May 2008, stipulates that "the relationship between regional authorities and central government shall _ entail respect for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state" (Article 9).

** Opinion No 209 (1999), adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27 January 1999.

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