Proclamation of Crimea independence shall have no influence on Russia’s stance towards Kosovo, both domestic and foreign experts believe. .
Professor in the international law at the Faculty of Political Sciences Predrag Simic explains that Russia shall certainly not change its stance, i.e. it shall not recognize Kosovo.
– The Russian Embassy announced several days ago that it would not recognize Kosovo and that it respected the UN SC Resolution 1244. Actually, Russia has practically left to the USA to decide if the international law should be respected or separatist groups should be recognized from case to case – Simic says.
He explains that by recognition of Kosovo and the court’s stance, the UN Charter has been broken to pieces.
– The world started looking like a vehicle without a driver. That is why we have today ‘new Kosovo cases’, i.e. Abkhazia, Ossetia, Crimea and who knows what else in the years to come – Simic adds.
Tim Judah, a journalist of the London Economist and an expert in the Balkans says that the question if the decision by the Crimea Assembly as the one by Kosovo will result in any changes in international relations is ‘excellent, but nobody knows a reply to it’.
– The declaration on independence proclaimed by the pro-Russian parliament of Crimea and the Russian policy are nothing new. The Russian policy has changed since 2008 by recognition of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia. As we have seen that changed nothing in the Balkans – Judah says. Although Kosovo Government supports territorial integrity of Ukraine and privately is very excited by what it might mean for Kosovo, Judah believes that nothing shall come out of it either sooner or later.
– On a long-term basis countries should decide to clean the legal mass we now have, although at the moment there are no indications that this is going to happen. That is why Crimea is risking being isolated as Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh are. Let us hope that the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo shall make it possible for Kosovo north avoid such destiny – Judah concludes.
Grizunov: There are double standards
Sergey Grizunov, a Russian journalist and an expert in the Balkans says that it seems to him on the basis of statements given by the Russian officials that the situation with Kosovo is being used in support to policy regarding the Crimea issue.
– At the moment I see nothing that would indicate that Russia shall recognize Kosovo. For me Kosovo issue is no doubt disputable and it has serious consequences. I am afraid the consequences regarding Crimea shall be far more serious – Grizunov says.
