Topic: Determining the Legitimacy of Secession Movements and Obligations of Parent States
Country: Russia
Delegate Name: Karthik Vuyyuru
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Russia position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The number of conditions that must be met for a secession movement to be considered legitimate is incredibly high. While most secession movements may seem simple to finish, there are many of underlying consequences in political and economical areas including government instability and failing economies. From the United States Civil War’s Secession of the South to the complex secession of South Sudan to the comparatively peaceful breakup of the Soviet Union, there was conflict. It is not only in the developing world where there is an issue of secession; these movements can be observed in the developed world, such as was demonstrated by the British exit from the European Union and the Scottish independence movement.
Russia is focused on helping both United Nations member states and nascent secessionist nations have the right of self-determination. The Russian Government also provides monetary aid to those nations looking to secede. In the very recent past Russia has assisted independence movements in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea.
Secession movements are a very serious topic for Russia. In general, Russia believes that it is right to help other states that are looking forward to seceding if they are being oppressed. The Russian government believes that a strict outline must be followed to determine the legitimacy of a secession movements. The Russian Federation supports secession movements if they are called upon by the movement to help liberate them from an oppressive parent state. However, Russia also stresses the territorial integrity of United Nations member states, but believes that a balance must be struck between this and the rights of the people within the states.
The Russian Federation seeks to give people a chance at self-determination should the conditions under their parent state be unsuitable. Thus was the case with the Crimean secession of 2014, wherein a repressed ethnic Russian majority in the area democratically voted overwhelmingly to leave Ukraine and become a federal subject of the Russian Federation. The United States is too involved in secession movements half-way around the globe, when there may be some brewing by their own borders. We encourage the United States — and all other nations, for that matter — to deal with their own affairs within their own borders and not become involved with secession movements that do not concern them on the other side of the Earth. Again, when dealing with international secession movements, Russia elects to follow a strict checklist format.
We look to create a strict checklist that determines the legitimacy of secession movements. The importance of the right to self-determination is highly important to the Russian Federation. With these factors in mind, Russia looks forward to being able to create a system that is fair to all parties, respects the sovereignty of parent states, and is considerate of the inherent rights of the people.
