Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

ARMENIAN HISTORIAN ACCEPTED SUGGESTION OF TURKISH COUNTERPART ON JOINT WORK

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.02.2007 17:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ For the first ever time an Armenian historian has
accepted Turkey’s thesis of collaborative study. As reported by Sabah
newspaper, Ara Sarafyan, one of the most important historians of the
Armenian Diaspora and the editor of Blue Book accepted the suggestion
of the chairman of the Turkish History Institution, Halacoðlu, to
carry out a collaborative study.

It’s worth noting that Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated
that normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey depends
on governments but not on historians. The Armenian leader underscored
that Armenia is ready for dialogue with Turkey without preconditions.

The Blue Book by British historians Lord James Bryce and Arnold Toynbee
which is formally known as The Treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire in 1915-1916 is one of the most important written evidence of
the Armenian Genocide.

–Boundary_(ID_T3Vpo+mbeEOcMIWRKclX6g)- –

DARCHINYAN REVEALS FIGHT PLAN

Eurosport, France
Feb 20 2007

Flyweight world champion Vic Darchinyan is heading to the USA for
his next world title defence on March 3 with a plan.

But it is not just about beating Mexican challenger Victor Burgos in
his next fight. The 31 year-old "Raging Bull" wants to challenge the
winner of Rafael Marquez-Israel Vazquez in the junior featherweight
main event of the Showtime Championship Boxing card. It is the first
step in his grand long-term plan of knocking off Manny Pacquiao.

"I will challenge both Marquez and Vazquez," Darchinyan told
SecondsOut. "I am looking forward. I just don"t want to stay in my
weight division. I want to unify the flyweight division, but if the
other champions won"t fight me, I want to move up and fight for more
world titles. I want to become more popular. I want to become pound
for pound No.1."

Darchinyan"s confidence of moving up in weight successfully comes
from his routine of always sparring bigger world-class opponents.

"When I go to America, I love to spar world champions who are heavier
than me," he explained. "I don"t want to spar flyweights. I can"t
punch them because I don"t want to hurt them."

Over the last three years Darchinyan 27-0 (21) has sparred many
well-known bigger boxers such as Israel Vazquez, Edwin Valero,
Robert Guerrero, Lovemore Ndou, Gairy St Clair, Orlando Salido and
Mauricio Pastrana.

"Vic has done so well against them that he has no doubt he can win in
real fights," said Darchinyan"s trainer Billy Hussein. "He respects
them as good boxers, but he believes he can win. He will spar anyone.

He even offered to spar Carlos Baldomir when he was preparing for
Floyd Mayweather last year."

Three times Darchinyan has sparred 29 year-old Israel Vazquez 41-3
(30), who currently holds the WBC junior featherweight world title.

"They were good spars," recalled Darchinyan. "Exciting, lots of
punching and everyone in the gym came to watch us. They were excited
watching us. He is a good fighter, but I know my power is too much
for him."

Another memorable sparring session last year for Darchinyan was with
current WBA junior lightweight world champion Edwin Valero, who has
an undefeated record of 21 knockout wins from 21 fights.

"No one wanted to fight him," said Darchinyan. "I sparred with him
six rounds. It was a very small ring and everyone could see that I
could stay with him. That"s why I know that I can move up in weight
and win. It is not just talking. I am doing this in sparring."

The Armenia born 2000 Olympian and now Australian citizen believes
that Pacquiao will eventually become the No.1 boxer in the world
pound for pound over the next two years and wants to be the one to
knock him off from his lofty perch.

"I want to fight Pacquiao," said Darchinyan. "I know he is a strong
guy and very powerful. When I fight him and beat him, people around
the whole world will know who Vic Darchinyan is."

For those doubting his chances of moving up in weight and being
successful, Darchinyan points to Pacquiao"s own record. The Filipino
great won his first world title at flyweight in December 1998 and
then jumped straight up to junior featherweight in December 1999.

"I believe twelve rounds is a very long time," said Darchinyan. "No
one can stay with me for twelve rounds. It doesn"t matter which weight
division. I am becoming stronger and stronger in every fight."

The most obvious fight around the flyweight division for Darchinyan
is with exciting Mexican Jorge Arce 46-3-1 (35) who has moved up to
junior bantamweight. The "Raging Bull" has challenged 27 year-old
"Travieso" many times in the past, but has become frustrated that
the fight has not been made.

"My promoter Gary Shaw has tried to make fights with other champions
at flyweight, but they don"t want to fight me," he said. "Arce is
always talking that he can beat me and knock me out, but he moved
up in weight. He doesn"t really want to fight me. He still talks
big and I will fight him at any weight. But if Arce won"t fight me,
I will challenge the winner of Marquez and Vazquez."

Darchinyan is predicting a destructive win at the Home Depot Center
in Carson, California over 32 year-old Burgos 39-14-3 (23), who held
the IBF junior flyweight world title in 2003 and 2004.

"Burgos is like a warrior," said Darchinyan. "He comes forward
punching. A very busy fighter. He beat Jorge Arce in 1997. His Mexican
fans will be cheering, but I will make sure they won"t be cheering
for very long. I am going to knock him out. I am coming to destroy
him. Everyone is going to be talking about me after this fight."

NATO MISSION TO ASSESS IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS OF COOPERATION OF GEORGIA WITH ALLIANCE

Arminfo
2007-02-20 15:32:00

The assessment mission of NATO International Headquarters will
visit Georgia on February 19-23, it will consider implementation of
obligations undertaken by Georgia in the framework of the Plan of
Individual Cooperation with NATO (IPAP) and the Individual Dialogue
(ID).

"Results of work of the assessment mission will be known in March"
, deputy Defence Minister of Georgia David Kutelia stated to BLACK
SEA PRESS.

He drew attention to the fact that at the meetings in the first
half of the current year in NATO framework Georgia’s achievements
in integration to the alliance, namely in such spheres as economy,
conflicts settlement, reforms in the defence system would be discussed.

State Minister of Georgia of issues of European and EuroAtlantic
integration Georgi Baramidze stated to BLACK SEA PRESS before that the
term of the country’s transition to the Plan on Entering NATO (MAP)
depended on how NATO mission would assess a process of implementation
of IPAP and ID by Georgia.

"We are ready for the visit of the assessment mission. We shall make
efforts to achieve passing of the Plan of Activities aimed at entering
the alliance by Georgia (MAP) at the end of 2007 or in spring 20008
at the NATO Summit.

As RIA Novosti was informed in the press-service of the Defence
Ministry of Georgia, the NATO delegation was headed by head of the
Department of International Service, Defence Policy and Planning of
the alliance Frank Boland.

Meetings in the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the General
Staff, the parliament and the government are planned to be held during
the visit.

VAZGEN MANUKYAN: NKR WILL NEVER AGREE TO BE PART OF AZERBAIJAN

ArmRadio.am
20.02.2007 14:36

"There is no real progress in the continuing negotiations on the
Karabakh conflict settlement. It is associated with the existence of
other objective factors rather than the mistakes and uncertainty of
the negotiators," President of the "National-Democratic Union" Party,
MP Vazgen Manukyan told ArmInfo correspondent.

In his words, these objective factors are as follows: on one hand
it is the position of Azerbaijan to defend the inviolability of its
borders, and refusal to yield even a handful of "its" land. On the
other hand is Nagorno Karabakh, which proved its independence on
the field of war. 15 Years have already passed, a new generation has
grown up, which is used to independence. This generation simply does
not imagine that it is possible to sign a document, in the result
of which Nagorno Karabakh will lose its independence and will again
belong to Azerbaijan," said Vazgen Manukyan.

He underlined that the participants of the negotiation process will
speak much, but no real step directed at the settlement of the conflict
will follow. " I do not believe in the success of the negotiations
in the near future. It does not mean I do not want it, I simply do
not believe and I see no perspectives. I repeat that Azerbaijan will
never agree to see Nagorno Karabakh outside its borders, and NKR will
never agree for someone to sign a document that will envisage that
Karabakh should be part of Azerbaijan," Vazgen Manukyan concluded.

$2MLN GRANT GIVEN TO ARMENIA FOR BIRD FLU PREVENTION

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Feb 19 2007

YEREVAN, February 19. /ARKA/. World Bank’s Yerevan Office told
ARKA News Agency that Armenia has received $2mln as grant for Avian
Influenza Preparedness (AIP) Project implementation.

The project administered by the WB focuses on bird flu prevention.

The program is funded by eight donor organizations.

This Grant is in addition to a US$6.25 million IDA credit and a US$0.8
million Japanese Grant approved by the World Bank under the Global
Program for Avian and Human Influenza Control and Preparedness (GPAI)
for Armenia. The GPAI provides emergency financing to participating
countries, in order to contain outbreaks of avian flu through early
detection and rapid response measures and to help countries prepare
for a possible human influenza pandemic.

In particular, the Bank is committed to help the Government of
Armenia to make sure that the veterinary and human health services are
upgraded, and that public financial resources are used effectively to
respond in the best possible way to the avian and human flu situation,
and help avert a possible human pandemic with the devastating social
and economic impacts this would imply.

The report says that the Facility is part of a comprehensive package of
the World Bank assistance to address the priorities already identified
in the Armenia’s National Plan for Preparedness for HPAI.

According to the report, other support for Government’s efforts is
being provided by bilateral donors, multilateral agencies, a number
of UN organizations, including FAO and WHO, and a grant from the
Policy and Human Resources Development (PHRD) Program funded by the
Government of Japan.

"Today’s approval provides the opportunity to Armenia to more
completely prepare for the potential of an avian influenza outbreak as
well as be better prepared for other contagious diseases," said Frauke
Jungbluth, who leads the Bank’s task team responsible for supervising
the AIP project. "Given the recent outbreaks of avian flu in Turkey,
Hungary, UK and Russia and seasonal risks, it is critical to maintain
the momentum and to continue avian influenza preparedness activities
in earnest.

In particular, the Bank is committed to help the Government of
Armenia to make sure that the veterinary and human health services are
upgraded, and that public financial resources are used effectively to
respond in the best possible way to the avian and human flu situation,
and help avert a possible human pandemic with the devastating social
and economic impacts this would imply.

The Facility is part of a comprehensive package of the World Bank
assistance to address the priorities already identified in the
Armenia’s National Plan for Preparedness for HPAI. Other support
for Government’s efforts is being provided by bilateral donors,
multilateral agencies, a number of UN organizations, including FAO
and WHO, and a grant from the Policy and Human Resources Development
(PHRD) Program funded by the Government of Japan.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, commitments
to Armenia have totaled approximately US $952.25 million for 44
operations.

ORHAN PAMUK TO RETURN ISTANBUL APRIL 5

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.02.2007 13:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Orhan Pamuk has not left Istanbul for a long time
and will return on April. Turkish Sabah reports that Pamuk has already
bought a ticket to return to Turkey by a plane to take off from New
York in the evening of April 5th. If the decision does not change,
Orhan Pamuk will arrive in Istanbul in the morning on April 6th. The
newspaper also reminds that the Nobel Prize winner left Istanbul
after Hrant Dink’s assassination departing for New York. Earlier Media
reported that Pamuk, fearing for his life, has left Turkey withdrawing
a large amount from his account. One of the suspects of Hrant Dink’s
assassination has advised Orhan Pamuk "to think it over".

Le Figaro, France
17 février 2007

Les merveilleux trésors de l’Arménie

par ANNE-MARIE ROMERO

SI LA FRANCE est « la fille aînée de l’Église », l’Arménie est la «
fille aînée de la chrétienté ». Christianisée officiellement en 301,
dotée, le siècle suivant, d’une écriture que le moine Mesrop Machtots
prétend lui avoir été dictée par Dieu, c’est autour de cette foi
puissante, indissociable de son identité, que le pays s’est
construit. D’où le choix très judicieux du Musée du Louvre d’honorer
l’« Année de l’Arménie » par une exposition rassemblant les trésors
religieux de ce pays (1). Jannic Durand, directeur du département des
objets d’art et commissaire de l’exposition, la présente en deux
lieux : d’abord dans les douves du donjon de Philippe Auguste, une
trentaine de « khatchkars », ces stèles de pierre pouvant atteindre
deux mètres de haut, apparues au X e siècle. Pierres ornées d’une
simple croix sans Christ, entourées d’une profusion de rosaces et
d’entrelacs, « elles ne représentent pas Jésus, explique-t-il, parce
qu’il s’agit de la croix de résurrection, et non pas la croix de
douleur de la Passion » . La suite de l’exposition, chronologique, se
déploie dans la galerie de Melpomène. Sans relater toute l’histoire
mouvementée de l’Arménie, ballottée entre ses voisins, Byzance, les
Perses et les Arabes, englobée dans le Califat de Bagdad en 699,
envahie par les Mongols en 1250, divisée en deux, au temps des
croisades, par la création du royaume arménien de Cilicie, dévastée
par Tamerlan, puis enjeu des rivalités entre la Perse et les Ottomans
jusqu’au XVIII e siècle, période à laquelle s’arrête l’exposition.

De ce brassage est né un art original aux influences byzantines,
arabes, persanes et occidentales. Côté sculptures, l’exposition
montre encore des khatchkars, dont le plus beau date du XIV e
siècle, véritable dentelle de pierre alvéolée de motifs tous
différents, et des chapiteaux, comme celui « à l’aigle » provenant de
l’église circulaire disparue de Zvarnost. Plus extraordinaires encore
sont les manuscrits et objets liturgiques. Comme l’Évangéliaire
d’Echmiadzine, capitale religieuse du pays (VI e ou VII e siècle), à
la reliure d’ivoire sculpté et rassemblant des manuscrits enluminés,
les uns d’inspiration syrienne, les autres plus sobres, se
rapprochant du style roman occidental. Une pureté qui se remarque
aussi dans la croix de fer dans son écrin d’argent doré du roi Achot
II. De la même époque date la porte de Mouch, en cèdre, aux devantaux
géométriques entièrement islamiques. Même mélange des genres dans des
aiguières de bronze, très proches de l’art califal, fabriqués à la
même époque que des croix et des encensoirs d’une grande richesse qui
reprennent les motifs ornementaux des khatchkars, à l’instar des
frontispices des manuscrits. Riches papiers d’Arménie Les deux
siècles du royaume arménien de Cilicie (XII e au XIV e ) sont riches
en productions très cosmopolites où l’orfèvrerie s’inspire de
l’Occident et les manuscrits reprennent les fonds d’or byzantins en
même temps que des illustrations étranges, tels des diables venus…
de Chine. L’exposition de tant de trésors s’achève sur de
l’orfèvrerie liturgique d’une facture somptueuse, comme cette colombe
d’or, verseuse de saint chrême, des croix sacerdotales, des mitres et
des bras reliquaires ornés de gemmes très voisins, au XVIII e siècle,
de notre production médiévale… La Bibliothèque nationale de France,
elle, (2) a pris le parti de ne montrer que ses propres collections,
historiques puisque, explique sa commissaire, Annie Vernay-Nouri, «
elles sont constituées d’ouvrages que les rois de France, depuis
François I er , ont envoyé quérir en Arménie » . Parmi les 50
manuscrits et livres imprimés exposés sur le site Richelieu,
l’ouvrage le plus ancien et le plus précieux est donc un missel
manuscrit, relié plus tard aux armes d’Henri II, et provenant de
Venise. Les livres et les « attestations de foi » destinées à prouver
la filiation de l’Église arménienne (autocéphale) à la chrétienté,
sont tous rédigés dans l’alphabet arménien. Les Arméniens ayant
refusé d’utiliser couramment l’imprimerie avant le XVIII e siècle, on
verra donc beaucoup de manuscrits, patiemment recopiés, bien
longtemps après que cette pratique avait disparu dans le reste du
monde chrétien. Malgré la beauté des pièces exposées, aux enluminures
variées mais obéissant à un modèle immuable – un frontispice à
l’image des khatchkars, une lettrine en forme d’oiseau et une
guirlande florale dans la marge de droite -, on regrette néanmoins
que la BNF n’ait pas fait venir quelques exemplaires du Musée des
Manuscrits d’Erevan qui en conserve… 17 000, dont le plus ancien
texte sur papier date du X e siècle. (1) « Armenia Sacra », au Musée
du Louvre, du 21 février au 21 mai. (2) « Livres d’Arménie »,
jusqu’au 25 mars à la BNF 58, rue de Richelieu 75002 Paris.

Panorama.am

20:41 16/02/2007

ANTI CRIMINAL SAYS AUTHORITIES WANT TO STOP UNIFICATION OF OPPOSITION

Today the regular session of Anti-Criminal Movement took place
dedicated to the topic of Criminal and Elections. Several leaders of
opposition took part in the meeting.

Aram Karapetyan, leader of New Times Party, made a speech. He raised
the question if the `changes in the military pave the way for the
support to Prosperous Armenia.’ `Two groupings are established in the
national security service, headed by Gorik Hakobyan and Hrachia
Haurtunyan,’ he said, raising the question in case of conflict between
them which party will be supported.

Karapetyan also said his sources say the authorities are negotiating
with some forces since January 22 in order not to halt the opposition
>From unification. He said there is an agreement with Viktor
Soghomonyan to raise the rating of seemingly two opposition forces.

Source: Panorama.am

Los Angeles-Yerevan Sister City Association
3940 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Suite 898
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: 818.590.3836
Fax: 818.366.3283
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, February 15, 2007

Contact: Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian
Tel: (818) 590-3836

City Council resolution and rotunda ceremony mark the creation of the Los
Angeles-Yerevan Sister City program

LOS ANGELES, CA -By a resolution of the Los Angeles City Council, the
Los Angeles-Yerevan Sister City Association and program will be
officially inaugurated on Friday, February 23. Following the adoption
of the resolution, a ceremony will be held in the City Hall rotunda in
honor of the occasion. The resolution marks the culmination of an
ongoing effort by the Armenian American community of Los Angeles to
establish the partnership between Armenia’s capital city and the
American city with the largest population of Armenian Americans.

The newly founded LAYSCA’s organizational structure is created within
the official framework of Sister Cities International — a nonprofit
citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships
between the US and International communities. It implements
educational, cultural, social and humanitarian exchange and business
and public service activities as a means of serving as a bridge of
understanding and friendship between the people of Los Angeles and
Yerevan.

"Los Angeles is home to one of the largest and oldest Armenian
communities in the United States,"noted Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian,
Chairwoman of the Los Angeles-Yerevan Sister City Association. "With
other cities around Los Angeles establishing similar partnerships with
other cities in Armenia, it was only natural to establish the sister
city program with Yerevan." Yerevan is the largest city and capital
of Armenia with a population of about 1 million (2004 estimate). The
history of Yerevan dates back to the 8th century BC, with the founding
of the Urartian fortress of Erebuni in 782 BC. The territory of
Yerevan has been settled since the 4th millennium BC, fortified a
number of settlements from the Bronze Age, and Yerevan is one of the
oldest cities in the world. In 1918, Yerevan became the capital of the
newly independent state and remained so following Armenia’s
Sovietization. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Yerevan became
the capital of the independent Republic of Armenia on September 21,
1991. Yerevan is a leading industrial, cultural, and scientific centre
in the Caucasus region. As a center of Armenian culture, Yerevan is
the site of Yerevan State University, the Armenian Academy of
Sciences, the Madenataran manuscript archives, a historical museum, an
opera house, a music conservatory and several technical institutes.

Early community efforts to establish the sister city program between
Los Angeles and Yerevan gained Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa’s. Councilman Eric Garcetti who represents the "Little
Armenia"section of the city, also became a steadfast supporter of the
initiative and championed the endeavor within the Los Angeles City
Council. Since Yerevan already has a sister city relationship with
Cambridge, MA, Councilman Garcetti approached the directors of the
Cambridge — Yerevan Sister City Association to share the affiliation
with Yerevan as is required under Sister Cities International
rules. Cambridge — Yerevan Sister City Association directors agreed
to share the affiliation with Los Angeles.

In August 2005, Councilman Garcetti traveled to Armenia with a
delegation of Los Angeles Armenian American community leaders to meet
with Armenian elected officials to discuss ways to cooperate with one
another in several areas.

He also met with the Mayor of Yerevan and signed an agreement to form
a sister city relationship. Upon his return from Armenia, Councilman
Garcetti facilitated the formation of a volunteer working group
consisting of Armenian American entrepreneurs, professionals and
community leaders to establish the LAYSCA.

"We commend Council President Garcetti for his leadership in creating
this sister city association,"said Zerounian-Khanzadian. "We
anticipate a busy year as we work to build a stronger relationship
between these two great cities."

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say Part A (Russia)
February 15, 2007 Thursday

THE CAUCASUS TRIANGLE;
Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey are establishing a common
military-economic area

by Andrei Korbut

Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia: new aspects of cooperation; A new
military-economic alliance is forming in the South Caucasus: Georgia,
Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Their leaders have signed the Tbilisi
declaration on a common vision for regional cooperation, and agreed
to build a new Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railroad.

A new military-economic alliance is forming in the South Caucasus:
Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Last week, the leaders of these
countries signed the Tbilisi declaration on a common vision for
regional cooperation. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, Azeri
President Ilham Aliyev, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan also approved and instructed their ministers to sign a
memorandum of understanding and cooperation in the energy sector, and
an agreement to build a new Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railroad.

After the signing ceremony, the three national leaders made a
statement emphasizing the strategic significance, economic benefits,
and further cooperation prospects in the Tbilisi memorandum. Economic
partnership between these countries in the energy and transport
sectors is already established, de jure. Obviously, the energy
memorandum primarily concerns oil-and-gas exports from Azerbaijan’s
sector of the Caspian Sea along the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum pipelines. The transport project is a new factor
in trilateral economic relations. According to the documents signed
last wee, the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railroad project entails building a
new branch 105 kilometers long, with 76 kilometers of it in Turkey
and 29 kilometers in Georgia. Construction work in Georgia is
scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2007, and the whole
project is to be completed in three years. Specialists calculate that
the new railroad will have a throughput capacity of up to 15 million
tons of cargo per year. It will connect Azerbaijan and Turkey, as
well as becoming an important link in the transport corridor from
Central Asia to Europe.

Armenia was prepared to join this project. Then the path from East to
West via the South Caucasus would have been shorter and less costly
for Armenia, since Armenia already has a railroad connecting Yerevan
with Turkey. This plan was supported by the Americans. But neither
Azerbaijan nor Turkey would heed the opinion of the White House. When
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Azeri Defense
Minister Safar Abiyev on February 6, he stated openly that "Turkey
will not open its borders with Armenia until the Armenian-Azeri
conflict is resolved." As everyone knows, there’s no immediate
prospect of resolving this conflict by means of diplomacy. Thus,
there is an evident military-political subtext in the new railroad
from Turkey to Azerbaijan via Georgia.

Another important point is that in the lead-up to the Tbilisi
meeting, Baku and Ankara signed a new agreement in the field of
military cooperation. Turkey promised to provide military aid to
Azerbaijan, although the amounts have not been disclosed. In light of
the new developments, experts are already suggesting that if
hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia are resumed, the
Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railroad is supposed to become an important supply
route in the rear – with supplies being delivered to the Azeri Army
from Turkey. Georgia’s problem is that it will have to complete the
railroad sector from Akhalkalaki to the Turkish border, and ensure
military and economic security for the sector crossing territory
populated by Armenians. Tbilisi is also well aware that building a
railroad to Turkey will reduce transport and transit volumes at
Georgian ports, now used to transport most cargo to Europe by sea.

This seems to explain why Ankara and Baku have made substantial
concessions to Tbilisi. Azerbaijan is providing Georgia with a
low-interest (1% per annum) long-term loan of $200 million. President
Aliyev has also helped to alleviate President Saakashvili’s energy
problems by starting to supply natural gas to Georgia. So far, these
deliveries have been made at the expense of the Turkish quota. During
his visit to Tbilisi on February 7, Prime Minister Erdogan noted that
Turkey "will make every effort to provide Georgia with 800 million
cubic meters of gas by July 2007… That’s a promise on our part."
And then Azerbaijan will start supplying gas to Georgia from the
Shah-Deniz field.

Solving Georgia’s economic problems is only part of the aid Turkey
will provide to the Saakashvili regime. They are also expanding
military cooperation. According to figures in "Jane’s Sentinel
Security Assessment: Russia and the CIS," Turkey has provided Georgia
with around $40 million in military aid since 1998. Turkey is helping
its neighbor to modernize military airfields and build military bases
in direct proximity to the Abkhazian and South Ossetian conflict
zones.

All these actions by Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan indicate that
they are establishing a common military-economic area. This could
eventually lead to higher tension in the region and even further
isolation of Armenia, Moscow’s ally. Moreover, the increase in
Georgia’s military might is connected with any plans it may have to
launch military campaigns against the breakaway territories. The
alliance between Azerbaijan and Turkey, reinforced by energy
transport and other projects, also includes a substantial military
component. Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Moraly has said
that if Azerbaijan and Turkey form a military alliance, Turkey could
provide Azerbaijan with "assistance in the event of renewed
hostilities on the Nagorno-Karabakh front." The two countries don’t
have a military alliance as yet, but it’s plain to see that they are
heading in this direction. Thus, there may be some serious
complications in the Trans-Caucasus situation in the near future –
with a direct impact on Russia’s interests.

Source: Voenno-Promyshlennyi Kurier, No. 6, February 2007, p. 3

Translated by Elena Leonova