[War] Russia: "Old Wounds that Need Healing"

[Michael Downey]

"Old Wounds that Need Healing"
President Leonid Nemerenko
Russian Federation
8 January 2014
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Nationalism. An accursed word that always left a bitter taste in
Nemerenko's mouth. A blinding sense of historical entitlement that had
been the primary cause of war and chaos in the post-Cold War era. No
country was innocent of its trappings, Russia in particular. The
bloated nationalistic ego of Putin had dragged the Federation into a
number of unwanted quagmires that Nemerenko had to fix.

Not that the President had a hatred for patriotism. That was in his
mind a different concept. Loyalty to one's state and culture was a
step apart from a blind desire to assert unwarranted and quite often
petty sense of 'us versus them.'

A particular thorn in Nemerenko's side was the ongoing Abkhazia
dispite. Abkhazia was a region of neighbouring Georgia that was
currently engaged in a long-running secessionist struggle against
central government in Tiblisi. In his infinite wisdom, Putin had saw
fit to back the Abkhazi for no better reason than to flaunt his
machismo. This combined with meddling in Georgia's internal politics
had put a great rift between Russia and the former Soviet republic
that at times had turned violent.

"Do you know what I realized when I woke up this morning?" he said to
Irena Denemetov, his Foreign Minister. "I don't really give a damn
about Abkhazia at all."

"A unilateral withdrawal of our support would be dangerous," cautioned
Denemetov, always the voice of reservation within Nemerenko's cabinet.

"Haven't we always said that peace and stability in the Transcaucasus
to be one of our primary foreign policy objectives?" said the
President. "How does destabilizing our relationship with Georgia and
inflaming a nationalistic feud benefit us at all?"

"I agree with your sentiment and firmly support the idea of bringing
the Abkhazia-Georgia conflict to a close, but I disagree with simply
withdrawing unilaterally and letting the Abkhazi fend for themselves.
In that event the Georgians will simply invade the moment our
peacekeepers leave the region. And THAT will bring instability to the
Transcaucasus."

Nemerenko begrudgingly nodded. "What is your proposal?"

"We immediately cease all political activity, positive or negative, in
Abkhazia. We will stop endorsing candidates and leaders in Abkhazia's
internal government. Two, we cease issuing passports to Abkhazi
nationals and let it be known that all existing passports will stopped
being renewed, starting one year from now. This will put political
pressure on Abkhazia; they have on year from now to start into
negotiations to peacefully reintegrate or separate from Georgia lest
their citizens become unable to ever leave the region, as neither the
UN or any member state recognizes Abkhazia as a sovereign nation."

"There are also a quarter of a million ethnic Georgians living in
Abkhazia that are being oppressed by the government there," mused
Nemerenko. "They can't vote, can't buy land, can't do business with
Georgia and are subject to harassment and even violence. I'll tell
Sukhumi that if they don't end this practice, I'll cut off all aid."

"In addition I think we need to bring in external moderation to help,"
continued Denemetov. "The Georgians don't trust us after so many years
of backing the Abkhazi, plus the other violations of their sovereignty
we conducted under Putin."

"The European Union," said Nemerenko. "I'll ask them to step in as
additional moderators. And if possible I'll ask them to dispatch
peacekeepers to join up with our troops in Abkhazia. The area is not
overly violent but our peacekeeping forces are highly distrusted by
the Georgians, and with good reason as we have already stated."

"I don't need to warn you that this will cause quite a stir," warned
the FM. "Even though we are only trying to force them to the
negotiating table to either peacefully reunify or peacefully separate,
Abkhazia will perceive our unwillingness to continue unilateral
support for their independence as a betrayal."

The President shrugged. "What are they going to do about it? Half
their national budget comes from Russia. No other nation, not the
Americans, not the EU, support their independence movement. I will
make it clear to Abkhazia that they are free to peacefully negotiate
either reunification or independence from Georgia but must do it in
that fashion: peacefully. Russia will no longer act as a silent
compatriot to a low-intensity civil war."
---

Actions:
1) Russia will no longer support the independence of the Abkhazia
region of Georgia and instead adopt a more neutral stance, encouraging
both sides to the negotiating table to peacefully determine if
Abkhazia will formally separate or reunify with Georgia.
2) Quietly threaten the Abkhazi government in Sukhumi: end the
mistreatment of Georgians living in Abkhazia or Russia will cut of all
financial aid.
3) Russia will no longer issue passports to Abkhazi nationals and will
cease renewing existing passports in one year.
4) Ask the EU to join Russia in mediating the dispute and if possible
send military units to join existing Russian peacekeepers, as Georgia
places little faith in Russia (sadly for good reason)

Reference:
Georgia-Abkhazia Conflict- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgian-Abkhaz_conflict
Abkhazia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abkhazia