International Law, Recognition and the Recent Practice of States in the Cases of Kosovo, South Ossetia and Abkhazia

Abstract

This work will examine the recent state practice of recognition in the case of Kosovo, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Recognition despite its purely declaratory role in nature has been instrumentalized to advance legitimacy quests by secessionist movements. The recognition acts and the secessionist movements have led to interpretations of international law in terms of secession, self-determination of peoples and the nature of recognition. Diverging interpretations of international law due to political motifs contribute to further freezing and inhibiting the resolution of conflicts. Increasingly, the question of contested statehood moves to the forefront in international relations, as law by itself is not able to provide adequate answers to resolve these conflicts. Recognition has filled this void to consolidate claims of statehood.

Keywords

• Secession
• Self-Determination of Peoples
• State Recognition
• Sovereignty
• Conflict Resolution

Uluslararası Hukuk, Tanınma ve Kosova, Güney Osetya ve Abhazya Örnekleriyle Devletlerin Son Tecrübeleri

Öz

Bu çalışmada Kosova-Güney Osetya-Abhazya örnekleriyle devletlerin tanınmasına yönelik son tecrübeleri incelenmiştir. Diplomatik tanınma, doğasında bütünüyle izah edilebilen bir rol barındırmasına rağmen ayrılıkçı hareketlerin meşruluk arayışını araçsallaştırmasını sağlamıştır. Tanınma girişimleri ve ayrılıkçı hareketler, uluslararası hukukun “ayrılma”, “halkların kendi kaderini tayini” ve “tanınmanın doğası” yönünde yorumlanmasına yol açmıştır. Uluslararası hukukun politik nedenlerden dolayı farklı yorumlanması, çatışmaların çözümünün dondurulmasını ve engellenmesini artırmıştır. Tartışmaya açık devlet olma girişimleri sorunu, hukukun tek başına çatışmanın çözümüne yeterli olamamasından dolayı gittikçe uluslararası ilişkilerin temel sorunlarından biri olmaya başlamıştır. Dolayısıyla diplomatik tanınma, devlet olma talebindeki iddiayı emniyet altına alarak boşluğu tamamlamıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ayrılma
• Halkların Kendi Kaderini Tayini
• Devletin Tanınması
• Egemenlik
• Çatışma Çözümü

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