Month: September 2013

U.S. STARTS DELIVERING WEAPONS TO SYRIAN REBELS

September 11, 2013 – 13:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The United States has begun distributing some weapons
to the Syrian rebels, a spokesman for the Syrian Coalition of groups
opposed to President Bashar al-Assad said on Tuesday, Sept 10, after
months of reported delays, according to Reuters.

White House officials suggested in June that President Barack Obama
had decided to provide military aid to the Syrian rebels, but in the
months since, rebel leaders and U.S. lawmakers have said no lethal
assistance has arrived.

“The U.S. is distributing non-lethal aid and … some lethal assistance
as well to the SMC (Supreme Military Council),” Saleh told a news
conference, referring to the council that oversees operations of
rebels loyal to General Salim Idriss.

The United States is providing lethal assistance “because they are
sure that the mechanisms that the SMC has established are well tested
and they will be sure that the weapons are not falling into the wrong
hands,” Saleh said.

He apparently referred to Washington’s concerns that U.S. arms could
end up benefiting radical Islamist groups, such as the al Nusra Front,
active in northern Syria.

Saleh’s comments at a Washington news conference may be the first
public indication that U.S.-provided military goods such as arms or
ammunition are actually moving to anti-Assad forces.

One U.S. government source said it was “unlikely” that any
U.S.-supplied arms were on the ground in the hands of Syrian rebels
at this time, while not dismissing the possibility that such aid was
in the works.

Separately, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday that
Washington was trying to upgrade its support for the Syrian opposition.

“It is ramping up, but I can tell you that many of the items that
people have complained were not getting (to) them are now getting to
them,” Kerry said in a Google+ Hangout interview. He declined to say
what military items were arriving.

Rebel spokesman Saleh, who is based in Turkey, spoke at a news
conference called to urge the U.S. Congress to authorize Obama’s
proposal for limited military strikes in Syria following a chemical
weapons attack on rebel areas outside Damascus on August 21 that the
United States has blamed on Assad’s forces.

Saleh said rebel military leaders were coordinating with the countries
that might participate in a U.S.-led strike. He said the Supreme
Military Council also had a plan to derive tactical benefits from the
strikes if they do take place, such as by securing areas that are hit.

The chances of U.S. military action have receded, however, since
Russia offered a proposal on Monday for Syria to surrender its chemical
weapons stockpile to international control.

Rebel sources recently confirmed receipt of arms such as anti-tank
weapons financed by Saudi Arabia, which arrived last month through
Jordan.

US EXPERT: FEAR OF FAILURE – THIS IS WHAT HOLDS US FROM STRIKING SYRIA

by David Stepanyan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, September 11, 16:58

The situation around Syria develops. It is not clear even whether the
United States will make limited strikes on Syria or not, Cory Welt,
Associate Director and Associate Research Professor of International
Affairs at the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies
(IERES) at the Elliott School, told ArmInfo.

“If this happens, I don’t think that Iran will give any serious
response. Caucasus neighbors that region and the population there may
have concerns over aftermaths of a possible military operation against
Syria. However, I think,the threat is not close yet. Anyway, Armenians,
for instance, have already felt that conflict given the big Armenian
population in Syria. It would be good if the western governments
had a full image of Syria’s future, though they are interested in
preservation of Syria’s territorial integrity,” Welt said.

He thinks that no one in the United State plans land-based military
operation against Syria. The operation the US weighs will be more like
the bombing campaign in Bosnia and will be more aggressive than the
one in Lybia. This does not mean, however, he said, that the US will
be satisfied with the results of that operation. “Fear of failure –
this is what holds the US from acting. There is no chance that the
United States will occupy Syria,” Welt concluded. Joint online press
conference of experts from various countries for Armenian, Azerbaijani
and Georgian mass media on the relevant problems are organized within
the project “Expansion of knowledge of Armenians and Azerbaijanis about
each other and confidence building through first-hand information”.

The project of the “Region” Research Center (Armenia) and Peace and
Democracy Institute (Azerbaijan) is supported by the British Embassies
in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AFTER JOINING CUSTOMS UNION ARMENIA WILL NOT LOSE OPPORTUNITY OF EXPORT TO EUROPEAN MARKET: OPINION

18:51, 11 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS: Many citizens in Armenia do not
know what kind of organization is Customs Union or what Association
agreement with Europe is. People also do not know what they will give
to Armenia. Such opinion expressed president of “Informed and protected
consumer” NGO Babken Pipoyan during press conference on September
11, reports “Armenpress”. “We should not think that after joining
Customs Union we lose the opportunity to export our production to
European market. If we have corresponding production which is worthy
to be in European market, Europe will never reject us,” said Babken
Pipoyan adding that if Armenia’s economy is so developed that Armenian
production is competitive in European market and has demand it will
be very positive progress as many political issues will be solved.

On September 3 in Moscow President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan announced about Armenia’s decision to join Customs Union
and implementation of steps necessary for that aim and in future
participating in formation of Eurasian economic union. At the same
time Armenian President mentioned that the decision to join Customs
Union is not a refusal from dialogue with European organizations.

Chief of staff of President’s office Vigen Sargsyan on September
4 announced that pre-signing of Association agreement remains in
Armenia’s agenda.

BABKEN PIPOYAN: AN ECONOMY IS NEEDED FOR JOINING A UNION

While discussing the decision on Armenia’s entry into the Customs
Union during a meeting with reporters today, Chairman of Well-Informed
and Protected Consumer NGO Babken Pipoyan said that first o fall,
a country should have an economy for joining a union.

“Economies of all countries are developing clockwise, whereas the
economy of our country is developing anticlockwise. There is no
control, everything is a neglected condition. We should set up a
supervisory commission which, unlike the other bodies, will work,”
Pipoyan stated.

According to him, the country also has the problem of low quality
of produced commodities and in this sphere Armenia assumed many
obligations which it has not fulfilled.

‘ARMENIAN PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN NOTABLE FOR PRO-RUSSIAN FEELINGS’

Serzh Sargsyan’s decision about Armenia’s entry into the Customs
Union was revolutionary, the first secretary of the Communist Party
of Armenia Ruben Tovmasian said at a meeting with reporters today.

“The Armenian people have always been notable for their pro-Russian
feelings. The move will be beneficial to us from an economic point
of view as well – Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus are a large market
for our country. Besides, after joining the Customs Union, we will
be able to develop our armaments industry,” Tovmasian said. ‘

He underlined that thanks to Armenia’s entry into the Customs Union,
the Armenian economy will start developing and new jobs can be created.

“Armenia will definitely benefit from joining the Customs Union,”
Ruben Tovmasian stated.

ARMENIA’S ACCESSION TO CUSTOMS UNION WILL RESULT IN CHEAPER NATURAL GAS, EXPERT SAYS

YEREVAN, September 11. / ARKA /. Armenia’s accession to the Customs
Union will guarantee it cheaper price for imported natural gas,
Sevak Sarukhanian, deputy head of Noravank research and education
foundation said today.

According to him, the failure to join the Russian-led union would mean
substantially higher price that would have a very negative impact on
Armenian economy.

“But the question is whether accession to the union will guarantee an
unchanged price of natural gas. There is no such guarantee, because the
Customs Union is still at the stage of formation of a common energy
policy. However, the trends in the Russian -Belarusian agreements
indicate that Russia will apply the principle of proportionate return,’
he said.

This, he said, does not mean that Armenia will pay as much as consumers
within Russia pay because transport costs should be taken into account
as well.

“In our case, the main problem is the transit fee we pay to Georgia.

The price for Belarus is $190 per one thousand cubic meters. For
Armenia the price may be some $210-$220. In any case the price will be
much lower than $350-$400 that other countries have to pay,’ he said.

“Armenia is not ready to fully integrate either with the Eurasian
Economic Community or the European Union,” a political analyst Yervand
Bozoyan countered. According to him, although Yerevan must remain
committed to European values to build a real democracy, European
integration is fraught with certain risks, as Armenia can not be
simultaneously integrated into Europe and cooperate with Russia on
security issues.

Speaking about Armenia’s intention to join the Customs Union, Bozoyan
claimed the country will face serious technical problems because of
the absence of common border with any of the Customs Union’s member
countries. -0-

16:52 11.09.2013

ARMENIA NOT READY TO ‘MARRY’ EITHER CUSTOMS UNION OR EU – POLITICAL SCIENTIST

16:40 11.09.13

Political scientist Yervand Bozoyan voiced his opinion of the strong
and weak points of Armenia’s decision at his meeting with journalists
on Wednesday.

Armenia is not ready to “marry” either the Customs Union or the
European Union (EU). “It is like two guys proposing to a girl, who
has to choose between them,” he said.

The problem arose when Armenia attempted to embark on the way to
Europe. However, bringing its norms to conformity with both the
Customs Union and the EU was in Armenia’s national interests.

“Armenia may act as an interesting bridge between the West and the
East,” Bozoyan said. Armenian society is not fully aware of the
situation developing in the country.

“Armenia’s authorities are living for the day and have failed to
implement a policy that would be acceptable to both the sides,”
the expert said.

A change of power poses a serious threat to Armenia. The country
needs system reforms.

S. SAFARIAN: CUSTOMS UNION MEMBERSHIP RESEMBLES FORCED MARRIAGE

Armenia is prepared to deepen relations with the European Union
to the extent that the Customs Union or, to be more exact, Russia
will permit, and Russia will not permit this. Secretary of Heritage
Party’s board Stepan Safarian expressed that opinion at a meeting
with reporters today.

“The Armenian authorities have brought the country to the line where
not only the degree of Armenia’s sovereignty, but also the basic
rights to implement its own policy and choose its strategic partners
is under threat. All political figures and citizens concerned about
Armenia’s future must prevent this,” Safarian stated.

In his words, entry into the Customs Union resembles a forced marriage.

“Entry into the Customs Union disturbs the balance in our foreign
policy. We start to face completely new realities. One should
not contrast association with the EU with entry into the Customs
Union. By signing an Association Agreement with the EU, Armenia
doesn’t disturb the balance – as opposed to joining the Customs
Union, ” Safarian noted.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA DRIVEN INTO A CORNER – EX-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

16:13 11.09.13

Great powers have never talked to Armenia in such a tone or pressed
it so much, Chairman of the National Accord party and ex-presidential
candidate Aram Harutyunyan told journalists on Wednesday.

Armenia has been driven into a corner.

“The authorities had no right to fill in their legitimacy gap, give
promises, telling one thing to Europe and another thing to Russia,”
he said.

Armenia’s first and second presidents were no pressed so much as
Armenia’s incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan.

“Despite all their weak points, they were much more honest with the
people. Such issues were not even raised then,” Harutyunyan said.

ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO EXPORT NUKE AGENTS TO RUSSIA

September 11, 2013 – 18:08 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A draft resolution envisaging provision of a license
to Armenian Nuclear Power Plant CJSC for nuclear agents’ export to
Russia was included on the September 13 governmental sitting agenda.

Armenian Nuclear Power Plant has already singed a nuke agents’ export
deal with Russia’s TVEL Ltd.

Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, currently operative, was launched in
1976. The plant was shut down over political reasons in 1989, with
a 404-megawatt NPP unit relaunched in 1995.

Armenia is planning to build a new 1000-megawatt unit, with an
estimated implementation cost of $5 billion.

TVEL Ltd. is a Russian manufacturer of nuclear fuel, with 100% of
company’s stocks owned by Atomenergoprom OJSC; the company unites
Russian civil nuclear industry.