Month: April 2007

IRAN HAS RIGHT TO NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT, SERGEY IVANOV SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.04.2007 15:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran has the right to development of nuclear energy,
but enrichment of uranium is quite another matter, Russia’s First Vice
Premier Sergey Ivanov said at a joint news conference with Armenian
Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan.

Russia has already proposed Iran to enrich uranium at the Russian
enterprises. "However, this should be done under control of the
International Atomic Energy Agency. I must stress that the Iranian
problem should be solved by political and democratic means. Threat
of war is a way to nothing, it’s a calamity," Russia’s First Prime
Minister said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FORTHCOMING ELECTION NOT TO IMPEDE GOVERNMENT’S ACTIVITIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.04.2007 15:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The forthcoming election will not impede the
government’s activities, RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan said at
a joint news conference with Russia’s First Vice Premier Sergey
Ivanov. Any election demands big efforts and time, thus confusing
the government’s routine in a way, he said.

Election is the peak of activities for political forces and
they will exert efforts to engage in formation of the next
government. Nevertheless, election can help, since the executive
power tries to work as efficient as possible, take into account the
opinion of the voters and meet their wishes," the RA PM underscored.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANKARA ‘CONCERNED’ OVER EUROPEAN INITIATIVE TO COMBAT RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.04.2007 16:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey has expressed ‘concerns’ over a new German
initiative to combat racism and xenophobia with a template European
law that could spread moves in France and elsewhere to criminalize
any denial of the Armenian Genocide.

The draft framework, essentially a recommended legal blueprint for
European Union governments to follow, is very likely to serve as
a recipe for other countries to follow the example of a French vote
last October when a bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide
was endorsed, the Turkish Daily News reports.

This is a very wrong draft, which excludes a UN convention and brushes
aside freedom of expression and academic studies, government spokesman
Cemil Cicek told reporters after a Cabinet meeting late on Monday.

The draft negotiating framework penalizing the denial of genocide
and sentencing deniers up to three year in prison will appear on the
agenda between April 18 and 19 under the German presidency of the
European Union, Cicek said.

He said Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had conveyed Turkish concerns
over the draft to Germany during a visit last week, adding that Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would bring the issue onto the agenda
when he had talks with German officials during a planned visit to
Germany over the weekend.

ISRAEL SHOULD BREAK OFF RELATIONS WITH TURKEY UNTIL IT RECOGNIZES GENOCIDE, BELHASSEN SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.04.2007 17:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In a long letter addressed to the Israeli government,
former academician, specialist in eastern languages and archaeology,
author of documentaries and journalist, David Andre Belhassen voiced
indignation at the position of the Israeli government on the Armenian
Genocide recognition issue, independent French journalist Jean Eckian
told PanARMENIAN.Net.

"As son of the Hebrew people and citizen of Israeli State, faithful
to the revolutionary values of the Hebrew Movement of Liberation,
I call on the Israeli government to give up its policy in support
of negationism of Turkish PM Erdogan and of all the Turkish leaders
who preceded him. As long as Mr. Erdogan denies the crime perpetrated
by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people, Israel State must
break diplomatic relations with his government," he said.

YURI SAVELYEV: RUSSIA WILL LOSE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA IN CASE OF WAR IN IRAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.04.2007 18:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia will lose Caucasus and Central Asia in case
of war in Iran, deputy chair of the Russian State Duma committee
for industry, building and scientific technologies, head of the
parliamentary commission for ties with Iran Yuri Savelyev told a
news conference dedicated to the situation with Iran. "If Iran is
Russia’s friend, so we have the Caucasus and Central Asia. If no,
these territories will be filled with NATO forces. America is washed
by oceans; Russia is ‘washed’ by the Muslim world, and we should be
friends," he said, RBC reports.

During today’s news conference in Yerevan, Russia’s First Vice Premier
Sergey Ivanov said Iran has the right to development of nuclear energy,
but enrichment of uranium is quite another matter. Russia has already
proposed Iran to enrich uranium at the Russian enterprises. "However,
this should be done under control of the International Atomic Energy
Agency. I must stress that the Iranian problem should be solved by
political and democratic means. Threat of war is a way to nothing,
it’s a calamity," he said.

WILL THE GAS CARTEL BE ESTABLISHED AND WHAT SHOULD BE ARMENIA’S EXPECTATIONS?

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.04.2007 GMT+04:00

NATO thinks that the gas cartel will aim at giving Russia the
opportunity to realize its political goals through the energy policy
implementation.

The meeting of the ministers of gas exporter countries in Doha,
capital of Qatar, may become the birthplace of a gas cartel like
OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries), which,
as gas importers fear, may set the market prices. Countries,
whose representatives were in Doha, have about 42% of the world
gas production in their control; this is almost the share the OPEC
countries posses.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ States possessing energy vectors seem to have
decided to display some pressure on Europe using economic methods,
which always acquire political meaning in the end. Establishment of gas
OPEC initiates from Iran’s and Russia’s wish to be least dependent on
the USA and it should better be through Europe, for namely the European
gas consumers will find themselves in difficult situation in case the
cartel is really established. NATO thinks that the gas cartel will
aim at giving Russia the opportunity to realize its political goals,
first of all regarding the bordering countries of Georgia and Ukraine,
through the energy policy implementation. Europe is perfectly aware
that the economy will simply stop functioning without Russian gas,
as it does not posses enough resources of its own. And Russia is
considered the major gas supplier – Europe receives over 60% of the
natural gas and 43% oil necessary. Many EU Countries, which are already
anxious about the growing dependence on imported supplies from the East
and their probable seize in case of any conflict between Moscow and
Eastern Europe countries, are concerned with Russia’s participation in
the forum together with its largest gas resources in the world. Besides
the East still remembers well the oil embargo imposed in 1970’s.

The first rumors about establishing the gas cartel appeared in
November of 2006. It became known from NATO’s internal report,
which had somehow appeared in the Financial Times, immediately
after which the RF President’s press-service qualified the rumors as
quite groundless. However in January of 2007 the religious leader
of Iran ayatollah Ali Hominy made an official suggestion in Moscow
about establishing "gas OPEC". Vladimir Putin called this suggestion
worth attention.

House of Representatives of the US Congress turned to the Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice with a letter regarding the establishment
of gas OPEC. The letter demands to inform the Russian government that
establishment of the gas cartel will be regarded as an intentional
threat for the US, and the gas cartel itself – as "a global
organization of blackmail and racketing", the Commersant writes.

Nevertheless, there is also another view point existing among experts;
unlike oil, gas is sold according to long-term contracts and its most
part is transmitted through pipe line, so instead of one global market
many regional ones will exist. There is one more accepted truth;
it will take at least a year or two for all the interested parties
to come to an agreement on the establishment of the cartel.

How this idea will tell on Trans-Caspian gas pipe line Armenia wants
to connect to, is not clear yet. It is very probable that it may
be the very regional project that gas supplying countries will be
interested in.

True, everything depends on Azeri position, which will by no means
agree with Armenia’s participation in this project. Yet the encouraging
fact is that Azerbaijan and Turkey are not included in the forum,
while Iran and Russia, which are friendlier to Armenia, are.

The gas exporters’ forum was intended to be organized in 2001 by
Algeria, Brunei, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar,
Russia and Turkmenistan – countries having more than 70 world gas
supplies in their control.

"PanARMENIAN.Net" analytical department

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WITHOUT SETTLING TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS OTHER ISSUES OF ARMENIA-RUSSIA PARTNERSHIP ARE SENSELESS
By A. Harutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
12/04/2007

"Problems cannot be avoided, especially among friends," said deputy
Prime Minister of Russia Sergey Ivanov during a joint press conference
with Serge Sarkisian, the Armenian Prime Minister. The problems,
as he said, are mainly referring to the Russian enterprises on
the territory of Armenia. Nevertheless Ivanov stated progress in
the relations between the two states and noted that Russia is the
first biggest investor into the economy of Armenia. He said that in
spite of the rather complicated situation in the region the problems
of Armenian-Russian partnership are on the way of being resolved,
particularly the problem of transport communications.

Serge Sarkisian also emphasized the transportation problem and said
that 200% growth of commodity circulation between Armenia and Russia
is insufficient and the indicator is still to be increased. On the
way of solving the transportation problem the Russian deputy Foreign
Minister emphasized the implementation of the Caucasus-Poti ferry
railway. "Without settling transportation problems other issues of
Armenia-Russia partnership are senseless," he added.

The Prime Minister of Armenia emphasized the question of automobile
vehicle transportation, as for example, each summer 10 thousand tons
of apricots are exported from Armenia to Russia. Although the ferry
will soon be ready for exploitation, the question of the Abkhazian
railway and the Upper Lars checkpoint remains unsettled.

In connection with the soon election both in Armenia and Russia
Mr. Sarkisian said that pre-election activity takes much time
and efforts of the political powers and slackens the work of the
executive branch of the government. He noted that on the other hand
the elections are the culmination point of political activity and
each political power is trying its best to work more effectively on
the eve of elections.

Sergey Ivanov stated that Armenia is a strategic partner of Russia
and is its outpost in the South. He said that Russian military bases
in Armenia serve to the benefit of both the sates. He underlined
that the activity of Russian foreces in Armenia is by no means aimed
against any third state.

In an interview to "Financial Times" Serge Sarkisian said that Armenia
has no intention of hosting NATO bases yet. On the interview with
Sergey Ivanov he a little detailed that statement: "New borderlines in
our region will be of no benefit for our security system. Moreover,
Russia is reducing its forces in Armenia. And others are not to
increase their own forces while Russie decreases".

US NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY DELEGATION VISITS ARMENIA

AZG Armenian Daily
12/04/2007

A delegation from the U.S. National Defense University visited Armenia
April 8-11. The 11-member delegation consisted of senior U.S. military
officers and U.S. government officials who are studying or working
at the National Defense University.

In Armenia, the delegation met with Government officials including
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian; Adviser to the Minister of Defense
and Chief of the Institute for National Strategic Studies, Major
General Kotanjian; and Chief of the Foreign Relations and Military
Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Defense, Major General
Melkonian.

In addition, the delegation met with a number of scholars and NGO
representatives in Armenia. The group will also visit Georgia and
Azerbaijan as part of the ten months they are spending studying,
reflecting, and debating security strategy and foreign affairs.

The National Defense University prepares military and civilian leaders
from the United States and other countries to address national and
international security challenges. It prepares selected commissioned
officers and civilian officials from U.S. government agencies for
command, management, and staff responsibilities. The National Defense
University is under the direction of the Chairman of the U.S. Joint
Chiefs of Staff.

TURKEY AFRAID THAT OTHER STATES FOLLOW FRANCE’S EXAMPLE

AZG Armenian Daily
12/04/2007

Turkey accepted with anxiety the news about Germany preparing to
adopt a law against racism and anti-Armenian attitudes. "Turkish Daily
News" informs that spokesman of the Government of Turkey stated that
such legislation runs contrary to the UN Convention and restricts the
freedom of speech and independent scientific research. Turkey is also
worried that other states may decide to follow the example of France
and recognize the Armenian Genocide after Germany adopts such a law.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LONG-LASTING FRIENDSHIP

A1+
[04:46 pm] 11 April, 2007

"Is Armenia Russia’s outpost or military partner?"

Armenian journalists tried to find out the answer to the question
from RF first premier Sergey Ivanov.

"Armenia is Russia’s military partner. This is based on bilateral
military, historical-cultural, humanitarian, economic and other
interests which are derived from the ancient past."

Our military bases in Armenia imply no aggression and aren’t directed
against any country. They merely secure common security as we are
members of the collective security treaty.

This was the toughest question Sergey Ivanov had to answer during
today’s press conference. To recover the situation, RA Prime Minister
Serge Sargsyan kept silent for a moment, then laughed for a few
seconds and added, "I assume that some people benefit from such
speculations. But I am convinced that the author meant well when saying
these words. It was only a stumbling of a tongue." Serge Sargsyan
said his opinion both in Armenian and in Russian to please Mr. Ivanov.

Serge Sargsyan shared his concern that the electoral processes might
mingle with the activity of the government. Further on he added, "On
the other hand, the elections enhance workability as the executive
body does its utmost to fulfill its responsibilities better taking
into account the interests of the electorate. On the whole, the
electoral processes don’t hinder the routine of the government."

As for Serge Sargsyan’s nomination in the RA Prime Minister’s post,
Mr. Ivanov said, "I have known Serge Sargsyan for ages; since last
century." Ivanov said nothing more but the words said everything in
view of the Russia-Armenian political and economic relations.