Why wont Georgia let South Ossetia join Russia?

Question

why is Georgia so desperate to keep the region as part of their country, even though most South Ossetians have a Russian passport anyways?

Answer 1

This is the first move from west block to initiate a new round cold war with the Russia and the east block.

Answer 2

USSR has a very large diversity racially, ethnically, culturally but on ideologically same platform. It has15 republics - Russian Federation or RSFSR ( largest with 3/4 area & 2/3 population) and another 14 SSRs(Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Byelorussia, Moldavia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenstan, Kazakhstan, Kirghyzistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekstan). The diversity was addressed. As a result 'the question of nationalities' was solved to meet the aspirations of them by a second tier of Autonomous republics (ASR), a third tier of Autonomous areas (AR) and a last tier of Autonomous districts. All these in the geographical areas of SSRs who have sovereignty but ensure their seperate identity and guarantee their individuality. All this incorporated in USSR constitution. USSR ensured the smooth working of the system. But collapse of USSR exposed this Achilles heel. The lose ends are brought out for interpretation that all these minorities were straining to break lose provoking the perceived altruistc motives of certain outside powers. What was strictly internal matter came into open under the prying eyes of the world. If Georgia did not try to incorporate them as Georgian, decimating their identity (Abkhazia, S.Ossetia) there would be no problem. Now some elements of S.Ossetia feel safer to join in a union with N.Ossetia in Russian federation. If any of these territories which are miniscule in comparison to Russia's immense size (it hardly makes any difference to Russia, but it does to Georgia) want to be independent they know that their independence in present day world would be severely tested. Perhaps their limited aspirations are well met in present arrangement.

Religious fundamentalism that questions the western concept of a nation-state (or country) has already made inroads with the thesis that all co-religionalists with their religious culture are safe in their own regime,  not under Russian sovereignity. This new challenge has confused the west even.

PS: I am provoked by Albert Fish's contention that Ossetians in Georgia should leave Georgian territory and move to Russian Ossetia. How can he say that it is Georgian territory? Should the argument be not extended to people of European origin, that they should leave America to native Americans and move to where they came from. If all 'Patels' get concentrated at a place and proclaim only an 'autonomous area' of theirs to preserve their culture, in the land of their adaptation! I am not advocating it, but to point out a flaw in his argument. This was the mistake that was committed in Israel and South Africa; the latter was corrected and the former stands uncorrectable. A motherland if it is a piece of real estate so that a person can sell it, where is the guarantee that he wouldn't sell his mother.

Answer 3

would you want your country to be taken over and changed to be a different country? i didn't think so

Answer 4

They want the land.

     They feel confident that the USA will support them. They have shown themselves willing to help the USA by supplying Georgian troops to Iraq, and also in letting Georgia become a very friendly place to the US military close to the Caspian Sea. They figure that the USA will risk war with Russia to support them.

     There is a political opposition to the present leaders of Georgia. It might be able to do something. Everyone says it is a democracy.

By the way...a democratically determined majority of Quebecois never voted for independence from Canada. There was a vote in 1995. Canada was set to abide by the results of the vote.

More than 99% of South Ossetians want independence from Georgia according to a recent, internationally-monitored election. Turnout for the election was 95%. That is from Wikipedia. Georgia did not approve the election. Ethnic Georgians did not participate in the election. They comprise about 30% of the population of South Ossetia. The article in Wikipedia is unclear about why they did not participate.

The  people called Ossetians are neither Georgians nor Russians. They are descendents of the Alans.

Answer 5

For the same reasons why Spain wont free the Basque region; the USA wont let Texas to become independent; Quebec is not allowed to break free from the rest of Canada;...et., ...etc.  South Ossetia has always belong to Georgia but the "free movement" is instigated by Russia so they can have an even closer view on Georgia...

Answer 6

o i dunno, maybe because its georgia's territory! look at it this way, lets say there is a large percentage of mexican citizens in laredo texas. they hold their mexican citizenship very dear and want to be a part of mexico. do we give the city back to the mexicans? even if they were to invade? i dont think so. we should rush to the aid of georgia immediately and attack the russian hordes and drive them back into their own country immediately!

Answer 7

Why didn't Russia let Chechnya be independent?  Because every nation wants to keep it's territorial integrity.  If the South Ossetians want to be Russians they should move to Russia, not steal land from Georgia.

Answer 8

I like pooma's answer. The big mistake was made when the border was set after breakup of the USSR.  If S. Ossetia is full of Russians who want to be part of Russia, the border should have been adjusted to accommodate that.

It's not like this border has been set since the dark ages. What would it take to adjust it now? Other than "national pride," why wouldn't Georgia want to trade back a province that's full of Russians -- maybe there are some smaller areas where Georgians are stuck in Russia.  In any case, is there oil there or something? Some reason for keeping it?

Answer 9

^^ Terry: actually, it used to be Mexico until the Mexican gov't invited Americans to settle in the area.  Soon, the Americans wanted to join the US, and eventually all of northern Mexico became part of the US.

Just thought you should get some history straight.

BTW, I'm glad history down there turned out the way it did.  God's design.