The Breakup of Georgia: Fragmentation or Settlement Fringe?

Abstract

This article analyzes the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as a result of the August war of 2008 between Russia and Georgia. We hypothesize that a new form of political entity is being shaped. This political creation is a laboratory of human and political geography. It remains a borderland, but which is neither prohibitive nor permissive; it is a “settlement fringe,” qualified by integration or abandonment. The first part of this paper discusses “settlement fringes” to extract its defining features in the 21^st century. In the second part, we discuss the perceptions, intentions and policies of the central actors towards their periphery, because the role of the State and of its political elite is central in the creation of a settlement fringe. This role tends to establish influence through the creation of supporting infrastructure, so investment in peripheral regions by Russia and Georgia is a critical indicator. The third section will focus on the situation on the ground in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Cooperative practice between the unilaterally-declared independent republics and Georgia, despite continuing tension between the latter and Russia, is taken as an indicator that the Caucasus is shaping up to be a borderland which is neither prohibitive nor permissive, neither integrated nor completely subjected to the pull of Russia, and this, in spite of Europe's relative disinterest.

Funding

This research was completed with the financial support of PARTEQ Research and Development Innovations.

Notes

1 13. For the first time in modern history, global competition takes place on a civilizational level, whereby various values and models of development based on the universal principles of democracy and market economy start to clash and compete against each other. Cultural and civilizational diversity of the world becomes more and more manifest.

14. The reverse side of the globalization processes is the increased emphasis on civilizational identity. Desire to go back to one's civilizational roots can be clearly seen in recent events in the Middle East and North Africa where political and socioeconomic renewal of society has been frequently carried out under the banner of asserting Islamic values. Similar processes can be observed in other regions as well, which makes it a priority for world politics to prevent civilizational fault line clashes and to intensify efforts to forge partnership of cultures, religions and civilizations in order to ensure a harmonious development of mankind. In these circumstances imposing one's own hierarchy of values can only provoke a rise in xenophobia, intolerance and tensions in international relations leading eventually to chaos in world affairs. Another factor which negatively affects global stability is the emerging trend towards international relations dominated, as in the past, by ideological factors.

15. Another risk to world peace and stability is presented by attempts to manage crises through unilateral sanctions and other coercive measures, including armed aggression, outside the framework of the UN Security Council. There are instances of blatant neglect of fundamental principles of international law, such as the non-use of force, and of the prerogatives of the UN Security Council when arbitrary interpretation of its resolutions is allowed. Some concepts that are being implemented are aimed at overthrowing legitimate authorities in sovereign states under the pretext of protecting the civilian population. The use of coercive measures and military force bypassing the UN Charter and the UN Security Council is unable to eliminate profound socioeconomic, ethnic and other antagonisms that cause conflicts. Such measures only lead to the expansion of the conflict area, provoke tensions and arms races, aggravate interstate controversies and incite ethnic and religious strife.

2 Italics from the authors.

3 The independence of the breakaway regions of Georgia is not necessarily Russia's aim, according to Gorgadze. This would fit logically with Russia's opposition to the separatism of Chechnya and Dagestan. In truth, Russia may have been extremely reluctant to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which explains why it did so two weeks after the Russo-Georgian cease fire in August 2008.