UN ACTIVITIES IN THE SETTLEMENT OF THE 2008 RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN WAR
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/1728-2640.2024.158.9
Keywords:
Russian-Georgian war, role of the UN, Security Council., occupation, resolution, UNOMIG, GeorgiaAbstract
Background. In August 2008, the world witnessed the escalation of the military conflict between Russia and Georgia, which was the result of several complex preconditions and geopolitical relations. The events of that time were marked by a sharp aggravation of the situation in the Caucasus and determined new realities in international relations. The topicality of the article lies in the attempt to consider the problem of war through the participation of the UN in it and to assess the effectiveness of its work in conflict resolution. In addition, an attempt was made to assess the capabilities of the Security Council and the UN in general that could influence the development of events in the region.
The purpose of this paper is to trace and evaluate the role of the UN in the settlement of Russia's war against Georgia.
Methods. During the research we used the following research methods: systematic – for a comprehensive study of the problem of the powers and work of the UN and the Security Council on conflict resolution as a whole; analysis – by breaking down the research area into its components, participants, and chronological aspects in order to study them comprehensively; historical and content analysis – to consider the content of documents, resolutions, reports, etc. on the UN's work on the issue; induction and deduction to form a conclusion based on all the material.
Results. The study examined the main events that took place on the eve of the war, as well as the reaction of the international community, including the role of the UN and its efforts to stop the violence and facilitate a diplomatic settlement. In addition, important resolutions and decisions adopted by the UN were analyzed. Important aspects of the relations between Russia and Georgia are revealed, as well as certain difficulties regarding the possibilities of conflict resolution at the global level and the role of international organizations in ensuring peace and stability in the region.
Conclusions. Thus, the analysis concludes that in August 2008, Russia, in violation of the principles of international law, intervened in Georgia's internal affairs by using military force and recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia's actions provoked an immediate reaction from the international community, but the UN's actions in this conflict were not effective enough. Even after urgent meetings of the Security Council and appeals for compliance with the ceasefire agreement, Russia used its veto power to block a resolution to extend the UMONIG mission in the region. Subsequent attempts to resolve the conflict through the General Assembly have not led to concrete action, and the situation remains unresolved. The main aggravating circumstance is the inconsistency of Russia's actions with international norms, which keeps Georgia's sovereign territory under occupation and threatens international stability in the region.
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Section I. Purposes and Principles, Article 1. Charter of the United Nations.
