Acknowledgements
I extend my gratitude to Dr. Alfred de Zayas, former UN independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order (2012–2018) and Professor of International Law in Geneva, Switzerland – a friend and a mentor – for his advice, guidance, and commitment to offer constructive suggestions regarding the evolution of the right of self-determination and remedial secession in the post-Cold War era. The publication drew inspiration from our collective synergies and common vision for post-Cold War secession and the necessity of constructing a value-driven international order in which the right of self-determination of peoples remains central and a condition for stability, international peace, and security.
From the University of Leicester’s academic team, I would also like to offer my sincere appreciation to Dr. Tara McCormack and Dr. Kelly Staples that served as my first and second supervisors, respectively, while I was a Ph.D. student in the United Kingdom. The present publication was guided by the theoretical and analytical findings of my Ph.D. thesis which assessed the caused and consequences of post-Cold War remedial self-determination. Their constructive and solution-oriented approach, underpinned by honest, straightforward, and sincere feedback, enabled me to build a fruitful relationship with Dr. McCormack and Dr. Staples defined by mutual trust and respect. This proved not only to be a key stepping stone towards jointly overcoming challenges faced prior to, and during, the research, but also to chart a common approach for addressing challenges impeding the realisation of the research.
I am likewise grateful to Dr. Edward Newman, Professor of International Security at the University of Leeds, and Dr. David Strachan-Morris, Lecturer in Intelligence and Security at the University of Leicester, for their constructive inputs and recommendations during the Ph.D. viva voce regarding the scope and conclusions of the research. Their advice on how to enhance the findings of the case-studies and the related empirical assessment was highly appreciated.
Finally, I must express sincere appreciation to my family for their encouragement and continuous moral support during these years of gestation, throughout the research period and no less during the writing phase. Without their backing, the present publication would never have materialised.