Javad Ashjaee Urges Diplomacy, Cooperation to End Crimean Stand-Off
By Javad Ashjaee
Photo: GPS World
25 years ago, while the Soviet Union still existed, I began efforts that led me to become the first to combine United States’ GPS and Russia’s GLONASS satellites. Later I hosted many GPS and GLONASS authorities, fostered friendships among them, and promoted concepts such as “compatibility” and “interoperability” of satellite systems. See the details in the GPS World article, “How GPS and GLONASS Got Together.” The whole world now benefits from the combined GPS and GLONASS system.
As with GPS and GLONASS, we need to get together again. Just because I am passionate about technical issues does not mean that I ignore human issues. This time it is not about technology. This time it is about We the People.
For citizens of the United States, founded on this concept, it is inconceivable that we might one day wake up and learn that one of our States had been “gifted” to a neighboring country. But this is exactly what happened to the people of Crimea. Since 1784, Crimea was part of Russia and its people lived peacefully and happily as part of Russian culture and heritage. In 1954, approximately 75 % of the Crimea population were ethnic Russians. One day they woke up and learned that Nikita Khrushchev, the successor to Stalin, had “gifted” their land to Ukraine (reportedly for his own political gain).
Anyone familiar with the history of the Soviet Union knows that the people of Crimea were not able to raise objections. They were ruled under the dictatorship of Khrushchev who is known in the West for pounding his shoes on the table in the United Nations and threatening the United States. Those who claim Crimea does not belong as part of Russia give credence to the action of Khrushchev.
Should people have a ‘say’ or ‘voice’ in their future? Contrast the actions of Khrushchev in 1954 with that of Scotland and Quebec in more recent years. Crimeans had no choice about their fate, it was decided by the unilateral action of one man. Whereas, when some people in Scotland and Quebec wanted to secede, all people were allowed to vote to determine their fate.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the establishment of better relations between Russia and the Western world, East and West Germany rightfully reunified after an imposed ‘wrong’ of separation, but at no time did anyone come to the aid of the Crimean people to correct their ‘wrong’. Even worse, when the current issue surfaced, the US and Europe stood opposed to them.
It is not only my personal observation that Crimeans love their motherland of Russia. Forbes magazine contributor, Kenneth Rapoza, in his March 20, 2015 article writes that: “[…] poll after poll shows that the locals […] are all in agreement: life with Russia is better than life with Ukraine.”
The position of the West regarding Crimea has exacerbated the problem of Ukraine, and despite financial hardship in Russia, Putin’s popularity has skyrocketed while the United States’ standing has plummeted among the Russian people.
One can argue that President Putin and Russia could have used a better approach to help the people of Crimea achieve their goals and aspirations, but many believe that the West did not leave him a better choice. I don’t agree with many of President Putin decisions, but on this issue Vladimir Vladimirovich is exactly right.
I once worked to bring together GPS and GLONASS; I wish I had the opportunity to invite Presidents Obama and Putin to my California or my Moscow facilities to see if we could put an end to this situation.
Dr. Javad Ashjaee
JAVAD GNSS
March 21, 2015, San Jose, California
For the story of how Ashjaee “hosted many GPS and GLONASS authorities, fostered friendships among them, and promoted concepts such as compatibility and interoperability of satellite systems,” see the cover story of GPS World’s June 2011 issue, “How GPS and GLONASS Got Together.”
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I had known for some time that much of the truth about the proposed independence has been hidden from the public in the USA. This letter verifies that there is much that we have not been told and that much has in fact been intentionally hidden from the public here.
Personal freedom is valuable and I wish you success in the effort to gain freedom from those who would certainly attempt to limit it.
Bravo Javad!
Some questions for the author.
1. How many per cents were ethnic Crimean Tatars (the real Crimeans) in the Crimea in 1954? Where were they live in that year? And why?
2. What are the citizens of the United States feel if they might one day wake up and learn that one of their States had been occupied with troops of more powerful neighbor state?
3. In the author’s opinion what motherland do the Ukrainians living in the Crimea (~25%) and the Crimean Tatars (~10%) love?
4. What should the Ukrainians do during the possible meeting of Presidents Obama and Putin in author’s California or Moscow facilities? Should they (as small nation) not disturb big nations at a time when They the People?
Oleg, don’t put the questions if you know the answers. Just write down those answers but remember, they are your opinion only. To get the truth, use statistics from research companies. This statistics shows that Russians, Ukrainians and Tatars in Crimea are happy to be a part of Russia.
Yes, Konstantin, I know answers. But I am interesting in answers on these questions from the author.
And I doubt that all “Russians, Ukrainians and Tatars in Crimea are happy to be a part of Russia”. I think you know the phrase: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics”.
My concern for us in the USA is that one day we may find that those in government (not the ones that I voted for) have decided that they are so much smarter than the rest of us that they are making even more stupid laws. This really is a valid concern.
I totally agree with Dr. Javad Ashjaee – people of Crimea has voted to come back to Russia. And their decision has to be respected. The Ukrainian government totally neglected the Crimea economics during years of independent Ukraine (since 1991), and the majority of population in Crimea are Russians. As for Tatars, they are not the first who came to live in Ukraine. It was Greeks. Tatars have had many problems in Ukraine because the government did not take their interests into account. Ukrainian nationalists from Svoboda party wanted to take more act I ns to supress Tatars. Now, the Tatar Mejlis, which represents interests of very small group of Tatars, is in the opsition to Russia because leaders of Mejlis are not hapy with the fact they have lost influence on Tatar population. And this leaders live in Ukraine, not in Crimea.
“people of Crimea has voted to come back to Russia”
Konstanin, tell me please, was that action on March 16, 2014 (called “referendum”) organized according the Ukrainian laws? Where the Russian troops needed for organizing that action? Could the opponents of the “referendum” freely express their position?
“The Ukrainian government totally neglected the Crimea economics during years of independent Ukraine (since 1991)”
Konstantin, you knows that is not true. You know that the Ukrainian government concerned to the Crimea like to another Ukrainian regions. Moreover, the Crimea had wide enough political and economic autonomy in Ukraine.
“Tatars have had many problems in Ukraine because the government did not take their interests into account.”
And now have the Crimean Tatars no problems in Russia? Especially with their mass media?
“Ukrainian nationalists from Svoboda party wanted to take more act I ns to supress Tatars.”
Konstantin, have you the proof of this statement? (only not the Russian news)
“And this leaders live in Ukraine, not in Crimea.”
You are right, they live in Ukraine. Russia does not allow them to visit Crimea.