Russia and Chechnya: The Issue of secession

Bowker, Mike (2004) Russia and Chechnya: The Issue of secession. Nations and Nationalism, 10 (4). pp. 461-478. ISSN 1469-8129

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Abstract

This paper considers the Chechen secessionist struggle against Russia. Although the Chechens had good moral grounds for claiming independence in November 1991, this paper shows that Yeltsin also had reasons, defensible in legal terms and liberal secessionist theory, for rejecting it. Even if Moscow had granted Chechnya independence, this would not have created peace and stability. Moscow had a right to defend its territorial integrity, but its conduct in the war has proved counter-productive. It has polarised opinion in Chechnya and made any solution to the crisis more difficult to achieve. On paper, Moscow's longstanding proposal of political autonomy for Chechnya looks the best way forward, but it is unlikely to satisfy Chechen nationalists or the Islamic fundamentalists who have more expansionist aims.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of Political, Social and International Studies (former - to 2014)
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Research Groups > Political, Social and International Studies
Depositing User:	EPrints Services
Date Deposited:	01 Oct 2010 13:56
Last Modified:	28 Mar 2025 04:19
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/9230
DOI:	10.1111/j.1354-5078.2004.00177.x

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