Author: Andres-Papazian

WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 22, 2012 Friday

HOW MUCH THE MILITARY BASES ABROAD COST US

BY: Victor Baranets

HIGHLIGHT: RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES HAVE MORE THAN 20 GARRISONS ABROAD;
Russian military bases and objects abroad are not an “imperial whim”
of our generals but an integral forceful component of our foreign
policy. No matter where are military contingents are located this
always makes sense, has its reasons and its history. Why do we keep
our soldiers and officers abroad? How much does this cost our state
treasury?

Russian military bases and objects abroad are not an “imperial whim”
of our generals but an integral forceful component of our foreign
policy. No matter where are military contingents are located this
always makes sense, has its reasons and its history. Why do we keep
our soldiers and officers abroad? How much does this cost our state
treasury?

Abkhazia: tenants free of charge

The seventh Russian military base is stationed in Abkhazia since 2009.
Real estate in the places of location of the military base is given to
Russia for use free of charge for the entire period of the
Russian-Abkhaz agreement (49 years with a possibility of automatic
prolongation for the next 15-year periods). The main purpose of the
base is provision of defense of Abkhazia from a military aggression of
Georgia.

Azerbaijan: Gabala terms

The Gabala radar station of Daryal type became property of Azerbaijan
after breakup of the USSR. It is operated by Russian specialists on
rent terms ($7 million per year). The rent term expires in December of
2012. Azerbaijan demands $300 million per year for rent.

Armenia: “no need for money”

The 102nd Russian military base is located in Gyumri (it has 4,500
people of personnel). The agreement on its location in Armenia was
signed in 1995 for 25 years. No rental payment is taken from Russia
for the base in Gyumri. The goal of the base is provision of defense
of the republic together with its army and fulfillment of obligations
in the framework of the Collective Security Treaty.

Belarus: “brotherhood is not sold”

Separate radio technical node Volga is located in district center
Gantsevichi. It is rented by Russia according to an agreement of 1995
for 25 years. It is a part of the early warning system. Another
Russian object is the 43rd communication node Vileika. It provides for
communication with strategic nuclear submarines of the Russian Navy.
Minsk does not charge the payment from Moscow for its military objects
(they could cost $7-10 million per year). In the past, Americans
offered $10 billion to Lukashenko for removal of the Russian radar
station from the Belarusian territory. The Belarusian leader answered
that “brotherhood with Russia is not sold”

Kazakhstan: space barter

In Kazakhstan Russia rents several military objects. The biggest of
them is Baikonur cosmodrome (its rent cost Moscow $115 million per
year). Rent of other objects costs up to $50 million. These are the
929th state flight testing center, Emba testing range, testing range
Sary-Shagan, the fourth state central testing range, a separate ratio
technical node, a separate regiment of the transport aviation of the
Russian Air Force, the 20th separate testing station and two
measurement points. The main part of the Russian money for rent is
written off in the framework of offset schemes.

Kyrgyzstan: forgotten debts

There Russian rents air base Kant (time of rent is 49 years), testing
range of antisubmarine armament of the Russian Navy, communication
node of the Navy, automatic seismic station and radio seismic
laboratory of the seismic service of the Russian Defense Ministry. At
the beginning of 2012, authorities of Kyrgyzstan announced that “the
unpaid debt of Russia for the bases between 2008 and 2011 exceeded $15
million.” Moscow returned the unpaid amount to Bishkek soon and
reminded that it had to repay a forgotten debt of $493 million to
Russia. After that Kyrgyzstan grew more compliant.

Trans-Dniester Republic: guests on self-support terms

The operational group in Trans-Dniester Republic includes two Russian
separate mechanized infantry battalions, a battalion of guarding and
maintenance, a helicopter detachment and several logistic units.
Personnel of the group consists of about 1,000 people. Russian units
are stationed on the territory of the republic free of charge, that is
on self-support terms (150 million rubles per year).

Tajikistan: weapons instead of dollars

There is the 201st Russian military base (about 7,000 people) located
in the republic. The goal of its presence is provision of security of
the state (CSTO ally) together with the Tajik army and maintenance of
stability in the region. Another Russian military object in Tajikistan
is optronic center Okno. Since the Soviet time it has been a part of
the outer space control system. Now it works for the Airspace Defense
Forces of Russia. The object was transferred to Russian ownership. For
this Moscow wrote off a debt of Tajikistan worth $242 million. In
2006, Russia provided free military air worth more than $76 million to
Dushanbe.

Ukraine: fleet in exchange for gas

The naval base of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia is located in
Sevastopol. There is also the staff of the Black Sea Fleet, a
communication node, a hospital, an air defense missile regiment, a
marine regiment, arsenal and yachting club there. Airplanes and
helicopters are based at Kacha and Gvardeiskoe airfields. Russia rents
communication nodes in Kacha, Sudak and Yalta. An electronic
countermeasures regiment is stationed in Otradnoe. The rent of the
Russian base and military objects costs $97 million per year (payment
for the Russian gas supplied to Ukraine is partially taken into
account).

Uzbekistan: military barter

Since 2006, Russian troops use Karshi-Khanabad air base due to return
of Uzbekistan to the CSTO. Russia pays for this with supply of
armament, ammunition, spare parts and training of Uzbek specialists.

South Ossetia: Caucasian outpost

The fourth Russian military base is located there since 2009. No
payment for rent of the base is planned. The time of functioning is 40
years with a possibility of automatic prolongation for the next
15-year periods. Our base together with the armed forces of the
republic provides for defense of South Ossetia from military
aggression of Georgia.

Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda, June 19, 2012, p. 11

From: A. Papazian

The Washington Times
June 22, 2012 Friday

Embassy Row: WAITING FOR MORNINGSTAR

By James Morrison

Azerbaijan, an oil-rich Central Asian nation and key U.S. ally, has
had no American ambassador since January and is growing restless for
U.S. diplomatic attention.

“It is necessary to appoint an ambassador to our country for the
dynamic development of Azerbaijani-U.S. relations,” presidential
spokesman Elnur Aslanov told reporters this week in the Azeri capital,
Baku.

In Washington, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday
approved President Obama’s nominee for the position, Richard
Morningstar, a career diplomat.

If confirmed by the full Senate, Mr. Morningstar would replace the
controversial Matthew Bryza, whom Mr. Obama appointed for a temporary,
yearlong term during a congressional recess in 2010.

Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Barbara Boxer of California,
both Democrats, tried to block Mr. Bryza’s nomination because they
suspected he was too biased in his support for Azerbaijan in its
ethnic and territorial disputes with neighboring Armenia.

Both senators draw strong support from Armenian-Americans, a small but
influential voting bloc.

From: A. Papazian

ANSA Med – Italy
June 21, 2012 Thursday 2:12 PM CET

Turkey: Relations warm with France, Erdogan invites Hollande

(ANSAmed) – ANKARA, JUNES – The period of cool relations between
Ankara and Paris during Nicholas Sarkozy’s presidency (the main EU
opponent to Turkey becoming an EU member state) seem to have come to
an end: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has today had talks with
France’s new president Francois Hollande, who he invited to pay an
official visit to Turkey, reports the news agency Anadolu. For the
past 20 years, since the time of Francois Mitterand – who was enamored
of the Istanbul of those years – no French president has visited
Turkey. And relations between the two countries – on Ankara moving
closer to the EU as well as the issues of immigration, Cyprus and the
Armenian genocide – have been turbulent over the past few years.
Anadolu reports that Hollande had called Erdogan’s invitation ”a
privilege”. Hollande’s election in France has rekindled the hope in
Turkey of a rapid resumption of EU membership talks, which commenced
in 2005 but have basically been stopped for two years due to France’s
opposition and Ankara’s refusal to authorise the entrance of ships
from the Republic of Cyprus (Turkey occupied the northern half of
Cyprus in 1974) into its ports.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley-Education Committee
6252 Honolulu Ave.
La Crescenta, CA. 91214
Tel: 818-244-9645
E-mail: [email protected]

Harut Sassounian, the publisher of The California Courier, will be the
guest speaker on `How Should the Diaspora Respond to Turkish Foreign
Minister’s Invitation for Dialog?’ The lecture will be held at the
Armenian Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley, located at Western
Prelacy’s “Dikran and Zarouhi Der Ghazarian” Hall, at 6252 Honolulu
Ave., La Crescenta, California on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 1pm,
following church service which starts at 11am.

Alarmed by the upcoming worldwide activities commemorating the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in 2015, Turkish officials have
recently indicated their interest in meeting with representatives of
the Armenian Diaspora to discuss the terms of a possible
reconciliation over Armenian demands for genocide recognition and
restitution.

The lecturer will attempt to answer some key questions Armenians need
to raise before considering to meet with Turkish officials:
— Why Turkish officials are reaching out to the Diaspora rather than
the Republic of Armenia?
— Are Turkish officials sincere in wanting to come to an
accommodation with Armenians?
— What steps Turkey must be asked to take to prove that its overtures
are sincere?
— Should Armenians respond to the Turkish overtures?
— Who should represent the Diaspora in such a meeting?
— What should the Armenian agenda be?

The lecturer will also reveal other initiatives planned by Turkey
before 2015 to undermine the expected “Armenian Tsunami” in 2015.

Harut Sassounian is a publisher, syndicated columnist, TV commentator,
author, filmmaker, human rights activist, and President of the United
Armenian Fund. For his humanitarian efforts, he has been decorated by
the President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, as well
as the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic Churches. He is
also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

His weekly commentaries, translated into Russian, French, Arabic, and
Armenian, are reprinted in publications around the world and posted on
countless websites, including the Huffington Post. As a political
commentator, he appears on two weekly TV shows on Horizon-TV and US
Armenia TV, during which he analyzes the latest political developments
worldwide.

Sassounian served as a human rights delegate at the United Nations in
Geneva, Switzerland from 1978 to 1988. He played a leading role in the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.N. Sub-Commission on
Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities in 1985.

He has a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia
University (New York) and an MBA from Pepperdine University (Los
Angeles).

Sassounian is the author of: “The Armenian Genocide: The World Speaks
Out, 1915-2005, Documents & Declarations,” “Genocide Recognition and
Quest for Justice,’ and “Armenia-Turkey Protocols: Truth or Trick?”

This event is organized by Crescenta Valley Church Education
Committee. There will be a reception before the start of the program
at the completion of the Divine Liturgy.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIE
Le Ministère des situations d’urgence va installer davantage de
stations anti-grêle en 2012

Le Ministère des situations d’urgence prévoit d’installer davantage de
stations anti-grêle en 2012 a annoncé le ministre Armen Yeritsyan aux
journalistes.

`La grêl cause de graves dommages au secteur agricole arménien, alors
la construction de nouvelles stations est l’une des tches les plus
importantes que nous avons l’intention d’accomplir cette année` a
déclaré le ministre.

Armen Yeritsyan a dit que l’expérience de la Russie, la France et la
Suisse dans ce combats est à l’étude.

Selon lui, il y a aussi un manque de radars. Aujourd’hui, il y a
seulement deux radars, tandis qu’à l’époque soviétique, il y en avait
10.

Il y a plus de 110 stations anti-grêle dans les régions d’Ararat,
d’Armavir et d’Aragatsotn, qui couvrent 10.000 hectares de terres
agricoles, mais des 309 communes dans ces régions seulement 42 sont
protégés. Le gouvernement arménien prévoit d’installer 250 stations
anti-grêle avant 2013. En 2004, un programme pilote a été lancé dans
la province d’Aragatsotn. Selon les experts locaux, le coût annuel des
dommages causés par la grêle est d’environ 30 millions de dollars.

dimanche 24 juin 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

PATRIMOINE ARMENIEN
Le patrimoine arménien en péril dans l’Arménie historique occupée par la Turquie

Une équipe de spécialistes de l’Université de Batman a étudié dans
cinq régions de Turquie plus de 350 églises, forts, maisons, fontaines
et monuments arméniens et assyriens fortement dégradées et dont les
pierres furent utilisées par les habitants des environs. Un véritable
pillage et destruction du patrimoine historique des Arméniens et
Assyriens qui vivaient sur ces terres depuis des millénaires. Le
professeur Mehmet Emin Chen de l’Université de Batman, l’un des
responsables de cette mission d’étude a affirme qu’ils furent «
choqués » par la vision de ces constructions dégradées, lors de leur
expédition qui dura six mois. Selon Mehmet Emin Chen, les habitants de
certaines région ont même utilisé des khatchkars (croix de pierre
arménienne) avec des inscriptions en arménien dans la construction de
leur maison. « Nous avons au village que le khatchkar du fort de
Tachpenar du village de Gyurgenli dans la région de Sassoun était
utilisé parmi les pierres du mur d’une maison. L’une des bergeries de
ce village était construite avec des pierres portant des inscriptions
arméniennes » dit le professeur Turc. Le patrimoine arménien de
l’Arménie historique occupée par la Turquie est on le savait en péril.
Et ce ne sont pas que les Arméniens qui le disent. Que fait l’UNESCO
dont la Turquie est l’une des signataires de la charte de protection
du patrimoine culturel ?

dimanche 24 juin 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Xinhua General News Service, China
June 18, 2012 Monday 1:18 AM EST

Armenian new go’t rolls out 5-year plan to combat recession

YEREVAN Armenia, June 18

The newly-assembled Armenian government on Monday introduced a
five-year plan at its first meeting, pledging to pull the Caucasian
state out of a two-year recession.

In the session chaired by President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan announced that his government would double the minimal
wage, reduce poverty rate by 8 to 10 percent, create more than 100,000
jobs and bring birthrate up to 1.8 percent.

President Sargsyan said he expected the economy to grow 7 percent this
year, after a devastating contraction of 14 percent in 2009.

In addition to recovering the economy, the government also has to deal
with an external debt of 3.57 billion U.S. dollars.
The new government came to office after the president’s Republican
Party won parliamentary elections in May.

From: A. Papazian

RULING PARTY: LIBERATION OF AZERBAIJANI LANDS IS MAINLY EXPECTED FROM MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN’S VISIT

Trend
June 22 2012
Azerbaijan

Our expectations, connected with the next visit of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairmen to the region are obvious. This is the liberation
of Azerbaijani lands from occupation and the return of refugees to
their homeland, deputy chairman, executive secretary of the ruling
New Azerbaijan Party Ali Ahmadov told media today.

“The co-chairmen visited the region many times,” he said. “The number
of these visits is so great that the people called them tourist
visits. We do not object to their visits because the co-chairmen
have set a goal to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But,
unfortunately, numerous visits have not had a significant impact on
the conflict settlement as of yet.”

He said that significant impact means an end to the conflict and the
liberation of Azerbaijani lands.

“Firstly, co-chairmen must show their determination and put the
liberation of Azerbaijani lands as the main condition to achieve this,”
he said. “If these steps are not taken, the activity of co-chairmen
will not bring results in the future.”

The OSCE Minsk Group will visit the region in the coming weeks.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA AND GEORGIA DISCUSS CUSTOM SYSTEM UNIFICATION

The Messenger
June 22 2012
Georgia

Armenian PM Tigran Sargsyan stated recently that Georgia and Armenia
are working on a political agreement that would create a unified
customs system. The system aims to be acceptable for both sides which
in turn would make customs procedures much easier for the populations
of both countries. An additional agreement being discussed touches
on the issue of opening the markets of both countries with the goal
of facilitating the creation of an entire infrastructural system.

According to the PM, Armenia is interested in this kind of integration
with Georgia.

From: A. Papazian

CIVILITAS FUND SCTRUTINISED BY ARMENIAN STATE REVENUE COMMITTEE

Vestnik Kavkaza
June 22 2012
Russia

Officers of the State Revenue Committee under the government of Armenia
visited the Civilitas Fund founded by Vartan Oskanyan on Friday and
demanded documents about the fund’s finances starting from May 28,
News-Armenia reports.

The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has initiated a criminal
investigation into the legalization of funds illegally acquired
by Civilitas. The investigators have mentioned a sum amounting to
$2 million.

The fund was created by the ex-head of the Interior Ministry of Armenia
and member of the parliamentary faction of “Prosperous Armenia”
(BHK), Vartan Oskanyan. He has already been questioned three times
as a witness in the case. Oksanyan believes that there is a political
agenda to the case.

The Civilitas fund is dealing with human rights issues, democratization
and civil society.

From: A. Papazian