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The Wall Street Journal
Aug 3 2014
'Freezing' Lawless Regions Invites Hot Conflict
We need better strategies for dealing with Gaza and other black holes
in the international security system.
By Brenda Shaffer
Aug. 3, 2014 4:39 p.m. ET
The downing of Malaysia Airlines 3786.KU +9.09% Malaysian Airline
System Bhd Malaysia RM0.24 +0.02 +9.09% Aug. 4, 2014 10:56 am Volume
(Delayed 15m) : 175.41M P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap RM3.68 Billion
Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee N/A
0.240.230.220.2110a11a12p1p2p3p4p 08/03/14 German Businesses Warm to
Iran 08/03/14 Conflict in East Ukraine Claim... 08/03/14 Lufthansa to
Resume Flights to... More quote details and news >> 3786.KU in Your
Value Your Change Short position Flight MH 17 over rebel-held
territory in eastern Ukraine on July 18 illustrates the dangers that
ungoverned territories present to international security. A
significant number of territories are currently without an accountable
authority and present dangers to their neighbors and others. We need
better strategies to get rid of these black holes in the international
security system, or prevent them forming.
Currently lawless or unaccountable territories arose in different ways
and for different reasons. Some territories, like the Gaza Strip, have
been transferred to governance under nonstate entities with limited
legal authority. Some ask to be recognized as states, such as the
Palestinian Authority, yet do not want all the responsibilities of
statehood, like limiting militia activity within their borders.
In other places, due to the activity of separatists, states are unable
to assert their legal sovereignty. Such areas include the
Armenian-supported region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan, and the
Russian-engineered "breakaway" territories of Abkhazia in Georgia and
Transnistria in Moldova. All three are effectively ruled by a neighbor
who prefers to maintain the illusion of separation in order to derive
benefits without consequences.
In some instances, accepting territories without legal, liable
governments has become a preferred method in the international system
to avoid hard choices on conflict resolution. For over 20 years since
the Soviet breakup, four disputed regions--in Moldova, Azerbaijan and
two in Georgia, including South Ossetia--have been left in this limbo.
The U.S. and most other nations continue to formally recognize them as
the legal territory of recognized states from which they broke away.
But in many cases the international community simply ignores the
status quo because it provides an illusion of peace.
Enlarge Image Close
Associated Press
The convenience of "freezing" conflicts instead of resolving them
comes at a cost. These ungoverned territories are centers of illicit
activity, including money laundering, counterfeit goods, human
trafficking and the drug trade. They are often havens for terrorists
and criminals. Individuals inside and outside often derive financial
benefit from unregulated economies in these areas, where taxation is
nonexistent. Since banks in these regions may not be registered with
states, no one is technically running afoul of international treaties
and no one can be sued for illicit activity.
It is time to ensure that each such disputed territory has a return
address so that it is liable for its actions. There should be a
separation between legal sovereignty and security responsibility: If a
state supports a militia or force that operates in another area--like
Iran's Hezbollah or Russia's client militias in Ukraine and regions of
Georgia--then Tehran and Moscow are the return addresses.
This distinction is important for leverage. Most of the states that
support rebels in other territories are signatories to international
treaties and conventions related to prevention of terror-financing,
production of counterfeit goods, banking regulations, human
trafficking and more. If this activity takes place in the regions run
by their surrogates, the backing state is liable. Political
fabrications, such as so-called independent Abkhazia or
Nagorno-Karabakh or the People's Republic of Donetsk, should not be
used by neighboring states to circumvent responsibility for their own
actions in creating these unstable regions out of another state's
land.
But the rest of the international community has responsibilities too.
States whose sovereignty is threatened should be supported by the
international system to assert their authority throughout their
territories. The U.S. and Europe in particular should not encourage
states under siege to negotiate with rebels, but with their state
sponsors. More broadly, the international community should not
encourage the establishment of entities with limited authority in lieu
of the resolution of conflicts, as happened with the Palestinian
Authority.
To prevent the creation of other non-governed territories, the U.S.
should not contribute to state failure and then call that
democratization. In Libya the U.S. has undermined state authority or
weakened institutions. In Syria, U.S. and other support for rebels has
unintentionally turned some Syrian regions into ungoverned
territories, which has provided opportunities for the rise of the most
malevolent militias.
Above all, states should be held responsible for what takes place in
their de jure territories. If Palestine wants a flag at the U.N., it
cannot relieve itself of responsibility for what happens in its
territory by claiming that nonstate militias out of their control are
perpetrating attacks. And if Russia wants the respect of the
international community, it must control the separatists in eastern
Ukraine that it is supporting and take responsibility for the downing
of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.
The U.S. and Europe should stop trying to "freeze" conflicts as a
means for conflict resolution. This only delays the next round of
conflict and leaves huge territories that are springboards for further
danger.
Ms. Shaffer is a visiting researcher and professor at Georgetown
University's Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/brenda-shaffer-freezing-lawless-regions-invites-hot-conflict-1407098343?tesla=y&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304297104580051113874184130.html
Aug 3 2014
'Freezing' Lawless Regions Invites Hot Conflict
We need better strategies for dealing with Gaza and other black holes
in the international security system.
By Brenda Shaffer
Aug. 3, 2014 4:39 p.m. ET
The downing of Malaysia Airlines 3786.KU +9.09% Malaysian Airline
System Bhd Malaysia RM0.24 +0.02 +9.09% Aug. 4, 2014 10:56 am Volume
(Delayed 15m) : 175.41M P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap RM3.68 Billion
Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee N/A
0.240.230.220.2110a11a12p1p2p3p4p 08/03/14 German Businesses Warm to
Iran 08/03/14 Conflict in East Ukraine Claim... 08/03/14 Lufthansa to
Resume Flights to... More quote details and news >> 3786.KU in Your
Value Your Change Short position Flight MH 17 over rebel-held
territory in eastern Ukraine on July 18 illustrates the dangers that
ungoverned territories present to international security. A
significant number of territories are currently without an accountable
authority and present dangers to their neighbors and others. We need
better strategies to get rid of these black holes in the international
security system, or prevent them forming.
Currently lawless or unaccountable territories arose in different ways
and for different reasons. Some territories, like the Gaza Strip, have
been transferred to governance under nonstate entities with limited
legal authority. Some ask to be recognized as states, such as the
Palestinian Authority, yet do not want all the responsibilities of
statehood, like limiting militia activity within their borders.
In other places, due to the activity of separatists, states are unable
to assert their legal sovereignty. Such areas include the
Armenian-supported region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan, and the
Russian-engineered "breakaway" territories of Abkhazia in Georgia and
Transnistria in Moldova. All three are effectively ruled by a neighbor
who prefers to maintain the illusion of separation in order to derive
benefits without consequences.
In some instances, accepting territories without legal, liable
governments has become a preferred method in the international system
to avoid hard choices on conflict resolution. For over 20 years since
the Soviet breakup, four disputed regions--in Moldova, Azerbaijan and
two in Georgia, including South Ossetia--have been left in this limbo.
The U.S. and most other nations continue to formally recognize them as
the legal territory of recognized states from which they broke away.
But in many cases the international community simply ignores the
status quo because it provides an illusion of peace.
Enlarge Image Close
Associated Press
The convenience of "freezing" conflicts instead of resolving them
comes at a cost. These ungoverned territories are centers of illicit
activity, including money laundering, counterfeit goods, human
trafficking and the drug trade. They are often havens for terrorists
and criminals. Individuals inside and outside often derive financial
benefit from unregulated economies in these areas, where taxation is
nonexistent. Since banks in these regions may not be registered with
states, no one is technically running afoul of international treaties
and no one can be sued for illicit activity.
It is time to ensure that each such disputed territory has a return
address so that it is liable for its actions. There should be a
separation between legal sovereignty and security responsibility: If a
state supports a militia or force that operates in another area--like
Iran's Hezbollah or Russia's client militias in Ukraine and regions of
Georgia--then Tehran and Moscow are the return addresses.
This distinction is important for leverage. Most of the states that
support rebels in other territories are signatories to international
treaties and conventions related to prevention of terror-financing,
production of counterfeit goods, banking regulations, human
trafficking and more. If this activity takes place in the regions run
by their surrogates, the backing state is liable. Political
fabrications, such as so-called independent Abkhazia or
Nagorno-Karabakh or the People's Republic of Donetsk, should not be
used by neighboring states to circumvent responsibility for their own
actions in creating these unstable regions out of another state's
land.
But the rest of the international community has responsibilities too.
States whose sovereignty is threatened should be supported by the
international system to assert their authority throughout their
territories. The U.S. and Europe in particular should not encourage
states under siege to negotiate with rebels, but with their state
sponsors. More broadly, the international community should not
encourage the establishment of entities with limited authority in lieu
of the resolution of conflicts, as happened with the Palestinian
Authority.
To prevent the creation of other non-governed territories, the U.S.
should not contribute to state failure and then call that
democratization. In Libya the U.S. has undermined state authority or
weakened institutions. In Syria, U.S. and other support for rebels has
unintentionally turned some Syrian regions into ungoverned
territories, which has provided opportunities for the rise of the most
malevolent militias.
Above all, states should be held responsible for what takes place in
their de jure territories. If Palestine wants a flag at the U.N., it
cannot relieve itself of responsibility for what happens in its
territory by claiming that nonstate militias out of their control are
perpetrating attacks. And if Russia wants the respect of the
international community, it must control the separatists in eastern
Ukraine that it is supporting and take responsibility for the downing
of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.
The U.S. and Europe should stop trying to "freeze" conflicts as a
means for conflict resolution. This only delays the next round of
conflict and leaves huge territories that are springboards for further
danger.
Ms. Shaffer is a visiting researcher and professor at Georgetown
University's Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/brenda-shaffer-freezing-lawless-regions-invites-hot-conflict-1407098343?tesla=y&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304297104580051113874184130.html