Welcome South Sudan

[David Votoupal]

...to the community of nations:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12317927

No doubt they will be recognised by everyone. But what of nations like Somaliland (recognition is long overdue), Kosovo (which Australia does recognise), Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, SMOM et al?

[bundibundi]

good news, hopefully it reduces the conflict rather than do the opposite. Have some sudanese friends back in adelaide and they certainly dont have many good things to say about how the country has been run.

[blahblah]

But what of nations like Somaliland (recognition is long overdue),

A good point, and Puntland when you get right down to it. Keeping Somalia together has proved farcical

Kosovo (which Australia does recognise),

Serbia and Russia will hold out for a suitable length of time and then slowly lower their resistance to Kosovo joining the various clubs

Abkhazia, South Ossetia,

dangerous territory here. The Russians want to give Georgia a lesson however don't really want a seperate South Ossetia in case North Ossetia decide they want a part of the action as well

Transnistria,

the place is basically a mafia state that exists on cigarette smuggling. Moldova will get it back one day

Nagorno-Karabakh,

they aren't aiming to be a nation state are they? I thought they just wanted to be a part of Armenia

SMOM

Who?

[David Votoupal]

But what of nations like Somaliland (recognition is long overdue),

A good point, and Puntland when you get right down to it. Keeping Somalia together has proved farcical

Somaliland has a legitimate case based on the following premises:
1) its pre-existing history as British Somaliland, and incorporation into Somalia which proved disastrous.
2) the fact that when Siad Barre (one of Africa's most brutal dictators, and there's been a few competitors) fled Somalia in 1991, the Somali state all but collapsed. Somaliland declared independence in that vacuum.

Kosovo (which Australia does recognise),

Serbia and Russia will hold out for a suitable length of time and then slowly lower their resistance to Kosovo joining the various clubs [/quote]

The ethnic tensions in the Balkans are still high and can erupt at any time- the international community must keep subsidising Bosnia and Kosovo to prevent that from happening.

Abkhazia, South Ossetia,

dangerous territory here. The Russians want to give Georgia a lesson however don't really want a seperate South Ossetia in case North Ossetia decide they want a part of the action as well[/quote]

I believe that Abkhazia and South Ossetia have a legitimate case, again on historical grounds and the basis of ethnic self-determination.

Transnistria,

the place is basically a mafia state that exists on cigarette smuggling. Moldova will get it back one day[/quote]

This presents an interesting case. When Moldova became independent, there was the possibility of reuniting with Romania. This didn't happen due to the difficulties Romania faced after the violent overthrow of Ceausescu.

Nagorno-Karabakh,

they aren't aiming to be a nation state are they? I thought they just wanted to be a part of Armenia[/quote]

They are a de facto independent state under Armenian protection, with 20% of Azerbaijan under its control.

SMOM

Who?[/quote]

http://www.orderofmalta.org/?lang=en

A historic Crusader chivalry order, and a government in its own right- they ruled Malta until France evicted them in 1798 but while they accepted this loss, they never renounced their sovereign rights as a state without territory. So it maintains diplomatic relations with numerous countries (including Malta itself).