Posted on 02/28/2014 7:40:12 PM PST by dynachrome
What exactly is the 'Budapest Memorandum'?
The 'Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances' is a diplomatic memorandum that was signed in December 1994 by Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
It is not a formal treaty, but rather, a diplomatic document under which signatories made promises to each other as part of the denuclearization of former Soviet republics after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Under the memorandum, Ukraine promised to remove all Soviet-era nuclear weapons from its territory, send them to disarmament facilities in Russia, and sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Ukraine kept these promises.
In return, Russia and the Western signatory countries essentially consecrated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as an independent state. They did so by applying the principles of territorial integrity and nonintervention in 1975 Helsinki Final Act -- a Cold War-era treaty signed by 35 states including the Soviet Union -- to an independent post-Soviet Ukraine.
Which principles in the Helsinki Final Act, reiterated in the 'Budapest Memorandum,' are relevant to the current situation in the Crimea?
In the 'Budapest Memorandum,' Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States promised that none of them would ever threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. They also pledged that none of them would ever use economic coercion to subordinate Ukraine to their own interest.
They specifically pledged they would refrain from making each other's territory the object of military occupation or engage in other uses of force in violation of international law.
(Excerpt) Read more at globalsecurity.org ...
The Kosovo Precedent is much more relevant. NATO invaded a sovereign state and took land away from it and created a new country.
That's nothing like the current situation in the Ukraine. Oh, wait a minute. It's very much like the current situation in the Ukraine.
“The Kosovo Precedent is much more relevant. NATO invaded a sovereign state and took land away from it and created a new country.”
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Yes, that was the one where Clinton led the effort to give Kosovo to the Albanian Muslims—to help pay the Muslims back for their campaign contributions and solidify future Muslim financial support for the wonderful creature Hillary.
I’m old enough to remember when we had a Constitution and the consent of the Congress—the people’s representatives— was required before we could commit to fight a war.
What a quaint idea that was...
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