Peace-keeping or Piece-keeping: Analysis of the Russian Approach to the Resolution of the Abkhaz Conflict
Abstract
In August 2008 an armed conflict between Russia and Georgia broke out. As a result of this conflict the independence of the separatist provinces Abkhazia and South Ossetia was recognised by Moscow and protected by the Russian military power.
The Russian armed forces, however, had been engaged in either province since the collapse of the Soviet Union largely in the role of peace-keepers. This article analyses the peculiarity of the Russian peace-keeping in Abkhazia and its effect on the mitigation or escalation of the conflict in Abkhazia.
The analysis is focused on three main factors: First, weak central control over the Russian forces in the province; second, inadequacy of the utilised peace-keeping methods; and, third, promotion of Russian national interests. The latter factor appears to be the most significant one.