Medvedev: Kosovo as justification

Dmitry Medvedev mentioned the case of Kosovo in justifying Moscow’s decision to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia. “We did like the other countries did with Kosovo and other problems,” the Russian president told the BBC, without going any further into detail. Medvedev: Kosovo as justification Earlier he said that Kosovo was a special case and that it should not be compared with the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia’s independence was in line with international law, he said, pointing out that “each case of recognition was special” and that the situation in Kosovo was “special”, but that so too was the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Medvedev told Russia Today that his colleagues had spoken of Kosovo as a “special case” or “casus sui generis”. "Each case of recognition is special in its own way. Kosovo has a special situation, as do South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” he reflected. "And if we talk about our situation, it is perfectly obvious that the decision we made was to prevent genocide, to prevent the extermination of the people and to help them to survive,” said the Russian president. Previously, Medvedev told Western media that Russia’s position that Kosovo did not have enough basis to be recognized as a subject of international law had not been shared by a large number of countries, and that “a significant number of countries still recognized Kosovo as an independent state.” "In the times of ethnic cleansing and genocide—in the early 90s and recently—the situation is different and it gives grounds for the application of the UN Charter, the Convention from 1970, and the Helsinki Act as a basis for recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia," Medvedev told western media. He said that Russia did not intend to meddle in “other situations, other conflicts, but that it had an obligation to protect its interests. It makes perfect sense,” Medvedev said. Once again accusing Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili of organizing “genocide” in South Ossetia, Medvedev said that Moscow had had to react to protect its citizens in the breakaway region. “Russia prevented murder and tried to preserve the unity of the Georgian state. But, after the genocide organized by the Saakashvili regime, “the situation changed, and the most important thing was to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe,” said the Russian president. Dmitry Medvedev (FoNet, archive)

Medvedev: Kosovo as justification

Earlier he said that Kosovo was a special case and that it should not be compared with the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia’s independence was in line with international law, he said, pointing out that “each case of recognition was special” and that the situation in Kosovo was “special”, but that so too was the situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Medvedev told Russia Today that his colleagues had spoken of Kosovo as a “special case” or “casus sui generis”.

"Each case of recognition is special in its own way. Kosovo has a special situation, as do South Ossetia and Abkhazia,” he reflected.

"And if we talk about our situation, it is perfectly obvious that the decision we made was to prevent genocide, to prevent the extermination of the people and to help them to survive,” said the Russian president.

Previously, Medvedev told Western media that Russia’s position that Kosovo did not have enough basis to be recognized as a subject of international law had not been shared by a large number of countries, and that “a significant number of countries still recognized Kosovo as an independent state.”

"In the times of ethnic cleansing and genocide—in the early 90s and recently—the situation is different and it gives grounds for the application of the UN Charter, the Convention from 1970, and the Helsinki Act as a basis for recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia," Medvedev told western media.

He said that Russia did not intend to meddle in “other situations, other conflicts, but that it had an obligation to protect its interests. It makes perfect sense,” Medvedev said.

Once again accusing Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili of organizing “genocide” in South Ossetia, Medvedev said that Moscow had had to react to protect its citizens in the breakaway region.

“Russia prevented murder and tried to preserve the unity of the Georgian state. But, after the genocide organized by the Saakashvili regime, “the situation changed, and the most important thing was to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe,” said the Russian president.