Demonstraties in Oekraïne #13 Onrust op de Krim

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With tensions rising in Crimea and pro-Russian forces controlling the peninsula's main airports, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called on Russia to "not violate the Budapest Memorandum." So what is the "Budapest Memorandum" and what does it have to do with Crimea?

What exactly is the "Budapest Memorandum"?

The "Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances" is a diplomatic memorandum that was signed in December 1994 by Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

It is not a formal treaty, but rather, a diplomatic document under which signatories made promises to each other as part of the denuclearization of former Soviet republics after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Under the memorandum, Ukraine promised to remove all Soviet-era nuclear weapons from its territory, send them to disarmament facilities in Russia, and sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Ukraine kept these promises.

In return, Russia and the Western signatory countries essentially consecrated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as an independent state. They did so by applying the principles of territorial integrity and nonintervention in 1975 Helsinki Final Act -- a Cold War-era treaty signed by 35 states including the Soviet Union -- to an independent post-Soviet Ukraine.

Which principles in the Helsinki Final Act, reiterated in the "Budapest Memorandum," are relevant to the current situation in the Crimea?

In the "Budapest Memorandum," Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States promised that none of them would ever threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. They also pledged that none of them would ever use economic coercion to subordinate Ukraine to their own interest.

They specifically pledged they would refrain from making each other's territory the object of military occupation or engage in other uses of force in violation of international law.

All sides agreed that no such occupation or acquisition will be recognized as legal and that the signatories would "consult in the event a situation arises which raises a question concerning these commitments."

Is there anything legally binding about the "Budapest Memorandum" regarding Russia's obligations to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity?

"That's actually a much more complex question than it may sound. It is binding in international law, but that doesn't mean it has any means of enforcement," says Barry Kellman is a professor of law and director of the International Weapons Control Center at DePaul University's College of Law.

"The 'Budapest Memorandum' follows the Helsinki Final Act and essentially reiterates its provisions. There are confidence building measures and then a host of other broader obligations – primarily negative obligations. Don't interfere."

Kellman concludes that there are a host of other sources of international law that oblige Russia to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity -- including the provisions of the CSCE treaty and the UN Charter.

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EuromaidanPR twitterde op vrijdag 28-02-2014 om 17:08:21 10 armed unknown soldiers have captured #Crimea National TV Radio company building -5cannel |PR News #Ukraine reageer retweet

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 14:40 schreef Re het volgende:

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dan zien ze er verdomd professioneel uit

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 14:41 schreef theNull het volgende:

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Hebben die ook gevechtshelicopters dan?

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 17:09 schreef SuicideErrorist het volgende:
Nou, gaat het Westen nog langer de slapjanus uithangen of gaan ze ook daadwerkelijk op hun strepen staan? Alsof het leger van Oekraïne überhaupt een kans zou maken... mocht het uit de hand lopen.

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Staunton, February 28 – Despite discussions in Moscow, Kyiv and the West about what the Kremlin plans to do in Crime, Vladimir Putin’s plans for “separating Crimea from Ukraine” are “perfectly transparent” and are likely to go ahead if they are not blocked by some unexpected development, according to Leonid Radzikhovsky.

In today’s “Nezavisimaya gazeta,” the Moscow commentator says that Putin has based his plans on the following calculus. First, “it is obvious that the majority of the population of Crimea is psychologically completely ready” for this, the Crimean Tatars being the clear exception (ng.ru/blogs/leorad/krymskiy-plan-putina.php).

“Once a majority of a society WANTS to separate,” Radzikhovsky says, “then the mechanism of separation is obvious: a REFERENDUM” [stress here and below in the original). To set the stage, someone – and it’s “not important” whether these are Ukrainian Berkuts or Russian special forces – seizes the Crimean parliament and force it to call a referendum.

That body sets a date: May 24, which just happens to be the day before the elections of a new Ukrainian president. “It is clear that after the referendum in Crimea, practically NO ONE will vote for the president of a FOREIGN government of Ukraine. That is YOUR president, NOT OURS. OUR president is Putin.”

The Russian military provides cover for this with its “’unscheduled maneuvers’” and thus “without a single shot, in view of the OVERWHELMING superiority in numbers and technology,” it and Moscow wins The exercise ends on March 7, but “the lesson” has been delivered, and the Black Sea Fleet remains in place.

There is finally “the most delicate moment: the LEGAL one,” Radzikhovsky says. Moscow has twice signed on as a guarantor of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. How is it going to get around this? It turns out that Viktor Yanukovich provides the Russian government with just “the fig leaf” it needs.

Despite everything, the Moscow analyst says, “It turns out that he is the LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT, and the authorities in Kyiv are ILLEGITIMATE.” That means if Yanukovich says the referendum is legitimate, Moscow can argue that it is living up to its obligations – and he implies that many in the West will be unlikely to challenge that.

Indeed, Putin has already signaled that this is the way he plans to grow by his statement that “it is necessary to continue TO HELP Ukraine.”

But what about the US and NATO? According to Radzikhovsky, the Kremlin leader knows that these are “Russophobes, aggressors and enemies” who are constantly plotting against Russia. And he has managed to convince many in his own country and not only there that this is the case. In any case, they are unlikely to challenge Putin’s “Crimean plan” in a serious way.

That is because it will appear to be “WITHOUT FORCE ... will be practically a gift, and will easily SKIRT AROUND ‘international law.’” All of Russia will be “delighted,” the West will come to “recognize” the new reality, and at least most of the residents of Crimea will be “happy.”

What will Putin require for his “complete happiness?” The answer, Radzikhovsky points out, is “a great deal.” But no one wants to think about that or about the way that this Kremlin move on Crimea opens the way to other actions that many may not like but could find it harder and harder to oppose.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 16:52 schreef WitteMuur het volgende:

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De politie in Kiev verdedigde ook belangrijke gebouwen, maar dat werd hun niet in dank afgenomen...

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 17:30 schreef opgebaarde het volgende:

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Ja en vreedzame demonstranten en passerende burgers werden in elkaar geslagen en zelfs drie vermoord.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 18:01 schreef Confetti het volgende:

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Als een honderdtal Friezen een gemeentehuis bezetten en onafhankelijkheid gaan eisen ga je Friesland ook niet zomaar afstaan.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 18:03 schreef ZwartmetSuiker het volgende:

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Tenzij Duitsland ineens mee komt helpen.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 17:09 schreef SuicideErrorist het volgende:
Nou, gaat het Westen nog langer de slapjanus uithangen of gaan ze ook daadwerkelijk op hun strepen staan? Alsof het leger van Oekraïne überhaupt een kans zou maken... mocht het uit de hand lopen.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 18:01 schreef Confetti het volgende:

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Als een honderdtal Friezen een gemeentehuis bezetten en onafhankelijkheid gaan eisen ga je Friesland ook niet zomaar afstaan.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 17:30 schreef opgebaarde het volgende:

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Ja en vreedzame demonstranten en passerende burgers werden in elkaar geslagen en zelfs drie vermoord.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 18:01 schreef Confetti het volgende:

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Als een honderdtal Friezen een gemeentehuis bezetten en onafhankelijkheid gaan eisen ga je Friesland ook niet zomaar afstaan.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 14:27 schreef von_Preussen het volgende:

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Hoezo moeten wij het als verloren beschouwen? Het is nooit 'westerse' grond geweest.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 18:03 schreef JaJammerJan het volgende:

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Ja en politie-agenten die probeerden te voorkomen dat openbaar eigendom in brand werd gestoken.... werden zelf in brand gestoken. Voor een groot deel 'verdienden' de demonstranten dat geweld.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 18:11 schreef WitteMuur het volgende:

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Waar is het bewijs dat passerende burgers in elkaar worden geslagen?

En ik zie ook geen bewijs dat er vreedzame deomstranten in elkaar werden geslagen.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 18:01 schreef Confetti het volgende:

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Als een honderdtal Friezen een gemeentehuis bezetten en onafhankelijkheid gaan eisen ga je Friesland ook niet zomaar afstaan.

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Op vrijdag 28 februari 2014 18:19 schreef opgebaarde het volgende:

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Wat voor bewijs zou jij aanvaarden wat niet strookt met jouw wil? Filmpjes niet, onafhankelijke waarnemers niet... Reageer gewoon niet met zo'n vraag

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EuromaidanPR twitterde op vrijdag 28-02-2014 om 18:35:38 BREAKING NEWS #Russian military blocked headquarters of the #Ukrainian Navy in #Sevastopol - http://t.co/m7X9ZsGicH |PR News #Crimea reageer retweet

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EuromaidanPR twitterde op vrijdag 28-02-2014 om 18:23:37 Ukrtelecom lost communication with its #Crimean branch.The reason: communication nodes were blocked by unknown - crimeaSOS|PR News #Ukraine reageer retweet