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The New York Times On Phantom States

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  • The New York Times On Phantom States

    THE NEW YORK TIMES ON PHANTOM STATES

    Tert.am
    17.08.11

    On the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of independence of South Ossetia
    and Abkhazia, The New York Times published an article on the menace
    the "phantom states" are posing to the world.

    The phantom states are "places that field military forces, hold
    elections, build local economies and educate children, yet inhabit
    the foggy netherworld between de facto existence and international
    legitimacy."

    Twelve unrecognized states with a total population of about 40
    million are existing in the world now. In the post-Soviet area they
    are Nagorno-Karabakh and Transnistria; in Europe, the Turkish Republic
    of Northern Cyprus; in the Middle East, the Palestinian territories
    in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; and the self-functioning territory
    of Somaliland.

    "Indeed, most phantoms survive in part because of external support.

    Moscow is the power broker in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, while
    Armenia holds sway over Nagorno-Karabakh," the newspaper writes.

    "Phantom countries frequently emerge from wars, and are sustained by
    the threat of further fighting... [They] stoke wars, foster crime,
    and make weak states even weaker...Phantom governments are often
    corrupt, run by warlords and plagued by drug trafficking and other
    illicit trade."

    "If phantom governments behave well, they should be offered a path
    toward legitimacy by the world's major powers," the newspaper writes,
    citing the example of Taiwan.

    "By insisting on territorial integrity, the United States and other
    countries forgo the chance to turn phantom states into responsible
    players. So long as phantoms are denounced as separatists or
    outposts of illicit commerce, the international community has little
    opportunity to hold their leaders accountable. And treating them as
    mere eccentricities means that phantom states have little reason to
    care about the international order.

    "Even when a phantom state becomes a genuine state, the problems don't
    necessarily end...To avoid another Eritrea, the international community
    should push phantoms to reform rather than focusing exclusively on
    seeking statehood. Otherwise, millions of the world's citizens will
    linger in legal and political limbo - rebels with a cause and soldiers
    with a ready-made grievance - while their neighborhoods remain at
    risk of war," the article reads.




    From: A. Papazian
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