sweatysock said:
KGB_resident said:
Pre-note: I'm well aware about problems of NI.
Many Britons live outside the UK. Pensioners love Spain. France is very popular too.
Imagine this situation: Ulster is declared as a part of Irish republic. Taking into account that Ireland is member of EU then would Britons be seriously affected?
In the same context would russia be affected by letting go of chechnya
It is a big separate question (about Chehcnya). I'm interesting namely in situation with NI.
But it would be unpolite to ignore your question. Chechnya was de facto indpendent few years. Chechen president (late mr.Maskhadov) was elected. But Chechnya had not become democratic state, it was an enclave of terrorists and criminals (drugs, kidnapping and so on). At last, Chechen militants crossed border and began offensive outside Chechnya. It was led to so called second Chechen war and present situation.
By contrast, Irish republic is democratic state where no doubt all interests of Britons would be defended. Moreover in special agrement right of British minority could be outlined. I believe that PACE, OSCE, European court for human rights are powerfull enough instruments and there would be no problem for Britons to live in Irish Republic.
Btw, several year ago (in Soviet times) I met one Irishman (Dennis) from Limeric. I showed to him most beautiful stations of Moscow's Metro and he answered that
our Merto in London is good too. I had an impression that he regarded the UK as his country too.
PS.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/503801.stm
Four engineers were starved of food and water, repeatedly beaten, and decapitated after being kidnapped by an armed gang while working in Chechnya, an inquest was told.
Verdicts of unlawful killing were recorded on the victims Darren Hickey, 26, Rudolf Petschi, 42, Peter Kennedy, 46, and Stanley Shaw, 58, who were abducted from a house near Grozny where they had been working to install a telecommunication system.
Relatives of the dead men wept as details of their horrific injuries were revealed at Westminster Coroner's Court.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1663278.stm
Osama Bin Laden had links to the Chechen guerrillas thought to be behind the murder of three British telecoms workers, the BBC has learned.