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CONFERENCE

Abkhazia in the Context of Contemporary International Relations
  Pitsunda, The Republic of Abkhazia: June 29 - July 1, 2004

Abkhazia In Contemporary International System

Vladimir Kakalia
 

What is the relationship of Abkhazia with contemporary international system? The answer to this question can be found in the solution to the contradictions between common perceptions of both - Abkhazia, and the contemporary international system. These contradictions can be easily seen in the Caucasian regional context. This paper doesn’t attempt to answer all question regarding this problem. Also it doesn’t suggest some sort of solution to this problem. Only some principle issues regarding this relationship will be examined here.  

At the beginning the definitions of the ‘international system’ as an element of the system analysis is provided.  Following the definition of the ‘international community’ from the point of view of (not always fairly called) English school of International Relations. After that Abkhazia as a state is examined from the above-stated views. One of the key elements of the suggested discussion is the view on principle difference between the international community in European sense and the Caucasus region.

 
Definitions

The term ‘international system’ derives from the ‘system analysis’. It is used here in the context of the description and explanatory levels of analysis of the international relations. 

At the description level the ‘international system’ is one of the ways of reference to state or interstate system where on the level of state the groups and internal interests can be considered as subsystems[1], which form the foreign policy of the state, thus, forming the elements of international system. Two key processes characterize the international system – the conflict and cooperation. The efforts directed on regulation of these processes lead to establishment of rules and sometimes creation of the international or regional institutions – such as the United Nations, EU, CIS, etc. Though creation of these institutions does not solve all problems of the international system, their existence, certainly, modifies the nature of the system and it is possible to speak as about a mixed model when we talk about ‘international system’. 

At the explanatory level the ‘international system’ determines the behavior of the states in the sphere of the international relations.[2] The basic purpose of such analysis is to find natural characteristics in the system which all actors have to take account of. Security, as a rule, is considered as one of the corner stones of the international system because the essence of it remains anarchical by nature. K.Walts holds, that the structure of such system that limits potential for cooperation between the states and generates threat to security, leads to confrontation, arms race and war. Therefore, at the explanatory level of the analysis the elements of the system are secondary to the theories of the system the structure of which determines the behavior of its elements. Formation and reforms of such institutions as the United Nations, EU, CIS from the beginning of 90 years can be seen as an attempt to create such international system where its normative goal is based on development of potential for cooperation between the states. This identifies the normative aspect of contemporary international system as the dominant aspect of its development. Different kinds of peace-making and peace-keeping can be seen as one of the common characteristics of such development. 

Having identified conceptually the position of Abkhazia regarding the above-stated levels of the analysis, it is easier to consider the position and potential of Abkhazia as a component of “the international society”, or at least to identify obvious inconsistency between existing international system and demands of the ‘international society’. There is no consent on the definition of the world structure in the academic literature. However, the events of the decade since the end of the Cold War, on the background of the statements of the supporters of globalization and liberal capitalism who proclaim their victory, led many thinkers to support the concept of the ‘international society’ based on standard views and norms, and often these views are found in the academic literature.[3] Since Grotius put forward the concept of the "great community of the states”[4] the theoretical debate around this idea continues.[5] Such thinkers as Locke, Burke, Gladstone, Roosevelt and Churchill, saw existence of the states in community through functioning of such institutes as diplomacy, the international law, balance of power and the relationship of great powers. Such authors as V.Tishkov, P.Baev examine an acceptability of these principles to the post-Soviet space.[6] 

M. White has identified the international community as follows: 

« … It is habitual intercourse of independent communities beginning in the Christendom of Western Europe and gradually extending through the world. It is manifest in the diplomatic system; in conscious maintenance of balance of power to preserve the independence of the member communities; in the regular operations of international law, whose binding force is accepted over a wide though politically unimportant range of subjects; in economic, social, and technical independence of the international institutions established literary to regulate it. All these presupposes and international consciousness, a world wide community- sentiment.[7] 

Application of these ideas on a post the Soviet space resulted not only in formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States but also in significant move of Russia, and the CIS states in the direction of core principles of the European integration. However both the Caucasian region, and Abkhazia remain problematic from the point of view of such integration. This paper looks at Abkhazia in the context of contemporary international system, with the view on integration into contemporary international community.

 
Abkhazia 

According to Montevideo criteria (Convention of 1933) Abkhazia fits three out of four principles of modern state. She has certain territory, population and independent government. Thus the principles of the internal sovereignty of Abkhazia are fulfilled. Only the fourth principle is not - the opportunity to establish the relationship with other subjects of international law. No other state so far extended its formal recognition to the external sovereignty of Abkhazia. The reason for this is that the states of the former USSR have been recognized by the international community according to the Soviet territorial and administrative division. Whereas the sovereignty of Abkhazia has been created as the result of the conflict of Abkhazia with Georgia and military actions of 1992-93.

The authorities of Georgia, Russia, other countries, and such institutes as the United Nations, EU, the CIS and others deal with Abkhazia de factor for more than 10 years. The authorities of Abkhazia independently make their decisions, which are taken into account at the level of the international system. For example, any decisions on the presence of the CIS peacekeepers and military observers of the United Nations in the zone of Georgia-Abkhazia conflict are impossible without coordination with de factor authorities of Abkhazia. To some extend bilateral relations of other states in the relationship to Abkhazia develop in the similar manner. The Russia - Georgia talks on such issues as electricity, railway or communications are unattainable without the consent of Abkhazia. There can be many more examples of de factor consideration of Abkhazia by the international community. Thus, from the descriptive point of view de factor external sovereignty of Abkhazia is realized. 

However there is no direct interaction between expressions of Abkhazia’s de factor sovereignty and international system. Natural characteristics of the ‘international system’, which correspond with the acting elements of Abkhazia as a state, can be found in not direct mechanisms of interaction developed in aftermath of Abkhazia-Georgia war. For example, there is no opportunity for Abkhazia to express her opinion in the United Nations through a formal representative, however the authorities of Abkhazia have direct access to the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations and an opinion reaches the United Nations and its corresponding departments. Abkhazia has not developed recognized diplomatic relations with the governments of states which have serious influence on the region, but Abkhazia has agreed to participation of Russia, Germany, France, Great Britain and the USA to play the role of Friends of the Secretary General of the United Nations on the settlement of Georgia-Abkhazia conflict. The ambassadors of these and other states visit Abkhazia on a regular basis. Also Abkhazia develops direct links with polities outside the international system – Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia and Transdnestr Republic in the context of conflict resolution on the post Soviet space, as well as Taiwan, Switzerland, some countries of Latin America, Europe and the Middle East in the context of search for the ways out of impasse. Abkhazia has direct economic and cultural links with some subjects of Russian Federation on the basis of economic cooperation and traditional ethnic and cultural ties. It is possible even to speak about gradual development of economic relations with Georgia.

Absence of direct interaction between Abkhazia and international system slows down developments in Abkhazia, but nevertheless this interaction gains strength. All of the above-described expressions of Abkhazias’ sovereignty are outside obvious influence of existing international system. Possibly the absence of threat to security is determining such state of affairs. Thus, from the conceptual point of view, the existing international system and external sovereignty of Abkhazia are in circumventing (indirect?) interaction. The behavior of Abkhazia in the regional environment in the relationship to the international system does not contradict its basic principles and values. 

Next problem in this context is the establishment of Abkhazia within community of states. The problem of peaceful settlement of the Georgia-Abkhazia conflict within the norms accepted by the international community is on the forefront of such development. This question has to be addressed in the wider context of functional international community in the entire Caucasus region if we accept here that the situation there is interdependent and there is no solution to one of the conflicts without solution to the other. In turn this development is directly related to the perception of the region by newly formed Europe.
 

The Europe and Caucasus  

The latest European integration represents perhaps most successful example of integration of states in a regional context. The comparison of the main principles of European integration to the relationships between the Caucasian states, as well as some features of the civil society in these regions hopefully will help to identify some principle questions that can spell light on the formation of «the international system» in the Caucasus region. 

The existing international system has not provided environment for cooperation in the Caucasian region. It is not without a reason that the Caucasus is associates with confrontation, security threats, conflicts and wars. On one hand, the absence of the functional international system in the Caucasus is one of the reasons for such state of affairs. But on the other hand the attempts, both by peoples and states of the Caucasus independently to build the mutual relations have not developed into formation of regional institutions capable of addressing effectively existing issues. The relations between the states of region exist primarily on a bilateral basis, though other institutions such as CIS, OSCE, СЕ and the United Nations play their role in providing a common ground for the states with no relationship (for instance Armenia and Azerbajhan. Though these institutions have little influence on the states of the region and the regional conflicts. There ma be many reasons for this, but most important one – in my view - is structural, and cultural discrepancy between existing international system based first of all on the European principles to what today the Caucasus is. 

The contemporary system of the European interstate relations was formed within, at least, five centuries. Despite of constant wars in Europe during this period, it is possible to speak about European system based on the certain principles where the key ones’ are: Christianity - as the dominating ideology, and capitalism - as a basis of its economy. Also one of the important factors is that the majority of European powers at the center of the European economy are former empires. Though the Christianity today is not the dominating ideological factor in the European Union, today it is more likely to be a neo-liberalism, but actually it is dominating cultural tradition in the majority of countries at the center of the European Community which has provided important grounds for the initial debate.  

Another interesting observation in Europe is that till very recently there was no common European identity. Also it is important to note that after European powers formed European Union they continue to operate independently on the international scene. Today the conflicts in Europe are normally addressed through interstate institutions. It is only since the end of the Second World War that Europe began its way to formation of public culture based on cooperation. Today it is possible to speak about European Union to stretch from the Atlantic to Pacific oceans on the basis of the same fundamental principles. Hopefully one day the Caucasian states will find their place in this great society of states. 

The Caucasus region is arranged in exactly opposite to Europe manner. There has never been any system of interstate relations comparable to European one. Peoples of the Caucasus exercise different branches of Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. Though these religions have no significant impact on the social construction of the region, except perhaps some areas of the North Caucasus where some radical Islamic sects find some ground. Peoples of the Caucasus usually form multi-confessional and multiethnic societies on a secular basis, as, for example, in Abkhazia.  

The traditional economy in region was based on agriculture. Peoples of the Caucasus have never independently developed any city structures that are comparable to European. The region was heavily influence by all sorts of empires. Nearly all of the industrial infrastructure of the Caucasus is created during the Soviet period. On the one hand during this period Caucasus has achieved some sort of peak in the economic development, but on the other hand the heritage of economic logic of Soviet Union and market economy of new independent states, in a context of globalization have little to do with traditions of the peoples of the Caucasus region. The Soviet administrative-territorial division has been recognized by the international community and on this basis the construction of the international system in region began. However till now there is no evidence that the interstate system inherited from the Soviet times have any chance to be transformed into society of states. 

The society of the Caucasus, despite big differences in the languages, religions, economic development, political structure and demography has one common cultural basis developed in the region over extremely long period of time. It is difficult to tell what was the reason for such unique phenomenon. It is possible, that these peoples have formed, so-called ‘valley cultures’ that stably existed without much change of their social or economic structures in relative independence of the processes occurring on nearby plains. Perhaps common principles of the survival have played main role in formation of common mythology based on universal values.[8]  

Strong ties characterize peoples of the Caucasus. When Georgia has moved its army into Abkhazia in August 1992, the Confederation of Mountain Peoples of Caucasus mobilized and has entered groups of volunteers in structure of which there were representatives of many peoples of Caucasus into Abkhazia: Cossacks, адыги, abasins, kabardians, Circassians, ossets, Chechens and many others. They rendered essential help to Abkhazia in her struggle for independence. The Soviet heritage as well as international system that have divided Abkhazia and peoples of the Northern Caucasus, were not able to break the social fabric which played so critical role in influencing the balance of power in the region. 

Having said the above it is possible to draw a conclusion that the existing international system in Europe and the Caucasus was created and developed in very different conditions. In this context it is also possible to say that Europe played the founding role for the whole of the international system whereas for the Caucasian peoples it was the Soviet Union. Considering the fact that contemporary Caucasus represents a security threat to Russia, the relationship of Abkhazia as well as other regional polities with Russia should be seen not as a traditional imperialism coming from the position of strength, but a quasi-imperialism issuing from the position of weakness.[9] The resolution of conflicts on the territory of the former USSR is one of the main tasks of such imperialism. In this sense the interests of Russia both in Abkhazia and in Georgia coincide. That makes basis of influence of Russia on the conflict.  

The limitations of this paper do not allow comparing many aspects of the interstate and social relations in the Caucasus and Europe. However it is certainly possible to draw a conclusion that existing international system in Europe and the Caucasus develop in very different conditions and manner. If Europe played the core role in formation of the international system – for the Caucasus region this factor is the Soviet Union. The Caucasus today represents a security threat to Russia. The view on the relations between the Caucasian states and Russia should be considered in the light of the relationship between former Empire with her former provinces, where the point of view of Russia on region is not the traditional imperialism based on force, but it is quasi-imperialism based on the position of weakness. Conflict management in the geopolitical space of the former Soviet Union is the single most important activity of this quasi-imperialism.[10] In this sense the interests of Russia in Abkhazia, Georgia and other Caucasian polities coincide and form the basis for Russia’s presence and influence on the region. In this context the role of Europe in the region remain to be identified. 

As was stated above the Caucasus represents a political body with its own unique structure where the relationship to the existing international system is not plane and straight. However this does not necessarily mean that the existing international system is not capable to address the challenges, which concentrate in the region. The values of the contemporary international community are obvious. They are - protection of human rights, liberalization of economy, removal of restrictions on movement of people, commodities and capital, development of civil society institutions. Only construction of functional ‘international society’ in the Caucasus will allow achieving settlement to the conflicts and will provide environment for steady development.

The basic obstacles to integration of both Abkhazia, and the Caucasus into the international community are imbedded in lack of common strategy in achieving this goal. The basic elements of the international society which have to be agreed upon by all of the political bodies in the region are the diplomatic system, balance of power, the attitude to war, applicability of the international laws, and also relationship to great powers and unions.  Unfortunately today there is no evidence that the polities of the region make effort in achieving this normative goal that lead to integration and cooperation in region.
 

Conclusion 

Abkhazia was formed as a sovereign, independent state as a result of necessary self-defense of her population from external aggression in 1992-93. Abkhazia realizes the sovereignty de factor. There is no formal relationship between Abkhazia and  international system. However they interact indirectly. Absence of common views on such elements of the ‘international society’ as diplomatic system, balance of power, international laws, and also the relations to the great powers and unions is the basic obstacle to the settlement of the conflict with Georgia and integration of Abkhazia into the world community.

P.S. The analysis expressed in this paper is based on the assumption that Abkhazia has achieved internal sovereignty. The events in aftermath of elections held in Abkhazia on 3 November 2004, the degree of Russian involvement and influence on Abkhazia as well as the second round of elections held on 12 of January 2005 question the degree of independence of newly elected authorities of Abkhazia. Thus further discussion regarding the relationship between Abkhazia and International system has to take into account this important consideration.

 

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