Sergey Taran: "The visit card of Russia's external policy are military actions against other countries"

- How would you comment on Russia's actions in the Georgian-South-Ossetian conflict?

- It is impossible to have two points of view in this issue: we are all witnessing the direct aggression of Russia against Georgia and initiation of the Russian-Georgian war by the Kremlin. This view is supported by the United States, European Union, Ukraine and the whole world society. It means the possibility to speak of Georgia's victory, which proved to the world society that the point is not the clash between separatists in South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the one hand and Georgia on the other hand, but Russia's intervention into Georgia.

It is now clear to all that Russia is not a stability factor in the Caucasus and the peacekeeping mandate of the Russian troops in this region should be annulled. It means that there is a need to deploy different peacekeeping forces, which are really neutral and ensuring peace in the Caucasus.

And one more thing. It is quite obvious that Russia will attempt to implement the script, similar to that in Georgia, in other Caucasus countries. Therefore, it is now important for the world society to develop a single opinion in the issue of curbing Russia's empire ambitions.

- Does it mean that you do not rule out possible Russia's aggression against Azerbaijan?

- Something of the kind was observed in the years of Karabakh war, when Russia supported Armenia, hindering the restoration of the territorial integrity of your country and supporting separatism. Moreover, it is impossible to speak of the idleness of the world society. It is not silent and it openly condemns Russia's actions in Georgia.

But I think only diplomatic methods would not do. It is necessary to attain economic sanctions on Russia and deployment of international peacekeeping forces in the area of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict.

- So, you think that the said conflict will anyway have sad consequences for Russia...

- If earlier Russia claimed for a place in the G8 and for the right to be called a country, which is a factor of stability in the world, now after its open aggression against Georgia, such ambitions and claims of Russia seem inappropriate. Now Russia will be regarded as a potential aggressor, which means that the fiasco of the Russian diplomacy is obvious.

It is clear to all that the visit card of the Russian external policy are military actions against other states. In the result the European countries will be cautious with the strategic and economic cooperation with Russia. For example, this country will never again be regarded as a reliable partner in the issue of energy sources supply, as it is quite obvious that sooner or later this issue may transform into a certain political pressure of the Kremlin on the country, receiving Russian energy sources.

- Which conclusions can be made by separatists throughout the former USSR, especially Karabakh separatists, supported by Russia?

- The conclusions are obvious: yes, Russia's military assistance is not ruled out, but it can have serious consequences for them. It is enough to analyze the consequence of what has happened in South Ossetia to realize that the population of this region of Georgia will be the most unsuccessful party in the clash between Moscow and Tbilisi. There are victims, people flee their homes in an attempt to escape to neighbor countries. Therefore, the separatists in other points of former USSR, especially Karabakh separatists should be aware that they can be deprived of the possibility to live where they do if they further rely not on common sense but on Russia's support.

/Day.Az/