Engaging Eurasia's Separatist States: Unresolved Conflicts and de Facto States

By Dov Lynch

In the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, secessionist forces carved four de facto states from parts of Moldova, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Ten years on, those states are mired in uncertainty.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1929223544
• ISBN13: 9781929223541
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: United States Institute of Peace Press
• Length: 170 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Great Example of Realpolitik

Dov Lynch's book is an excellent analysis on the status of the Post-Soviet de facto states of Pridnestrovye, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabagh. The book briefly covers their histories and current status of media-labelled "frozen conflicts" (they are anything but), and as it is a book on international relations Lynch gives some ideas on how these unrecognized separatist regimes can be dealt with. What sets this book apart is the author and his lucid mind. Lynch says to avoid looking at the reasons or histories of how these conflicts started, rather he argues looking at the four highly different situations as they are now and going from there. Lynch writes that these statelets are indeed important, as they are nerve centers of regional instability and hubs of intense organized crime. The author goes on to highlight the increased roles that international organizations need to fill in order to solve the delicate balance between these breakaway states and their metropolitan rivals. Coexistence under federal structures seems the undercurrent, and although the author knows that is highly or positively unlikely in most of these places, he advocates workable solutions that resonate this theme. It remains to be seen whether the UN will step up to the plate, as the EU and OSCE have been doing in dealing with these little-known regions. The main thing here is that Dov Lynch calls for recognizing the situation as it is in each of the four distinct de facto states. This is a great example of realpolitik being put to good use (potentially). Perhaps the author could produce a similar volume on Iraq soon. Short on history, but long on realistic, common-sense conflict resolution thought processes. Pretty heavy reading.

Fresh, Thoughful Analysis

Lynch brings us a nuanced look at the current conflict situations in the region. A must read for students and professionals in Former Soviet Area Studies, International Conflict Resolution, and Foreign Policy.

Offers solutions to seemingly abstract issues of statehood

Engaging Eurasia's Separatist States: Unresolved conflicts And De Facto States by Dov Lynch (Research Fellow, European Union Institute for Security Studies) draws upon the author's travels, familiarity with local political, military, and economic dynamics, and access to the leaders of the recent secessionist states South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Transnistria, and Nagorno-Karabakh. Discussing the international community's role and scrutinizing a range of options to resolve the status of de facto states and prevent violence, Engaging Eurasia's Separatist States is a vital and welcome contribution to modern political science shelves. Dov Lynch is a voice that urgently needs to be heard, as it offers solutions to seemingly abstract issues of statehood that can be literally a matter of life or death for those living within the states.