Expert: “Russia’s victory as host country for Olympics 2014 gives a historical chance to self-determined countries”

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“Victory of Sochi and Russia in the bid for hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics gives another historical chance to all self-determined countries of the former USSR, especially to those that are part of the wider Black See region,” an expert in “frozen conflicts” in the territory of the former USSR, who preferred not to be identified, told a REGNUM correspondent.

As he said, “direct participation of Abkhazia in construction and development if the big Sochi territory, especially in what concerns construction materials and labor forces, in securing safety of the territory of the Olympics, extending reserve tourist facilities in Pitsunda and Gagry (and improvement of the quality of the border regime via Psou River), will undoubtedly influence general global and regional comprehension of the Russian peacekeeping tasks and Russia as guarantor of security and stability in the Black See region. It also needs serious re-shaping of the Abkhaz authorities’ strategy.” The expert pointed out that the Sochi Olympics will have its effect upon the situation about South Ossetia and Transdnestr.

Besides, the expert said: “It will be an additional factor in the context of the Kosovo precedent. It was not by occasion that Yulia Timoshenko in her recent article called ‘Containing Russia’ directly said that the Kosovo precedent will have its influence upon the Crimean issue.” “As for me, I can say that increasing unconditional leading position of Sochi in tourism will have the gravest consequences for Crimea’s competitiveness on the Black Sea shore,” the expert concluded.