Author: Chalian Meline

ARMENIA: YEREVAN BUYING RUSSIAN ARMS AT CSTO DISCOUNT

Eurasianet

May 22, 2009

Russia is selling guns at a discounted price to its budget-conscious
allies Armenia and Belarus under membership provisions of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Moscow-led
counterweight to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),
the Arminfo news agency reported.

"Agreements on the basic principles of military and technical
cooperation within the framework of the CSTO are fully effective and
include supplying military hardware to CSTO states at a privileged
price," CSTO spokesperson Vitaly Strugovets told Arminfo. He added
that Belarus and Armenia are making effective use of the opportunity.

The volume of orders for Russian weaponry and materiel tripled between
2007 and 2008, Strugovets said.

KARABAKH RECOGNITION WILL SUIT EVERYONE EXCEPT KARABAKH
NANO ARGHUTYAN

LRAGIR.AM
17:11:28 – 19/05/2009

The U.S. with its inherent energy, tries to draw new borders
in the Eastern Europe and in the South Caucasus. The three main
conflicts in this region are almost settled. Kosovo is recognized
and Serbia has only to appeal to the International Court. No one
dreams of returning the South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the bosom of
Georgia. Moreover, the American diplomat Mathew Bryza, who seems to
be the best specialist for the Caucasus in the world, stated "Now we
are helping Georgia to restore the way of thinking. We have to help
them to think otherwise. And to think that first of all they have to
defend their territory. I do not mean Abkhazia and South Ossetia I
mean the resting territory".

Bryza, as usual, told everything. He not only broke all the hopes of
Georgia to restore territorial integrity, but also openly announced
about the lessons, which the U.S. is going to give to the countries
of the South Caucasus. And, while Matthew Bryza is only a second or
even a third international class diplomat, his word has long been
perceived as the position of the U.S. Department of State.

So, one can confidently assert that the United States would
"help restore the way of thinking" to Armenia and Azerbaijan
too. First of all, Ilham Aliyev needs these lessons. As a result
of the learned lessons there can be the recognition of Karabakh by
Azerbaijan. However, it may seem incredible, but this way is the most
favorable for the United States, Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan. Since,
the alternative is to preserve the status quo within the borders,
a thing that does not suit Baku at all. The real assessment of
the situation may encourage the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh
by Azerbaijan within the former NKAO. And, there should not be any
doubt that the recognition will be supported by the United States,
and no longer in the person of Matthew Bryza.

However, this option does not suit Karabakh. Apparently, the factor of
the Karabakhi resistance to the self-recognition is not fully accounted
in the settlement process. The mediators represent the recognition of
the independence of Nagorno Karabakh in the frameworks of the former
NKAO as the highest bar for Karabakh. They say, formerly there was
no word about the recognition and now Obama, Sarkozy and Medvedev
may meet specially to agree on the recognition. It is not worthy to
claim anything more.

In Karabakh, they categorically disagree with it. They do not believe
the promotional tricks here, because people think by real measuring –
security, land, well-being. For example, on May 18, the Second Forum
of NKR NGOs adopted a document, which runs that the processes of
building confidence between the parties of the Karabakhi conflict
"should be based on real facts, the real state of things".

It is not ruled out that right the recognition of Karabakh may
be a "breakthrough", which the mediators promised in June in
St. Petersburg. Perhaps the French Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
Bernard Fassier left for Baku from Yerevan right with this purpose
then to Ankara to persuade Gul to recognize the NKR first. That would
be a great step.

ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN RECEIVED INDIAN MFA SECRETARY DIABH MANCHANDA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
18.05.2009 17:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On May 18, RA Security Council’s Secretary Arthur
Baghdasaryan received Diabh Manchanda, Indian Foreign Ministry’s
Secretary on Eurasian Affairs. Parties discussed Armenian-Indian ties,
focusing on their further extension in various spheres, RA Security
Council’s Press Service reports.

At his guest’s request, Arthur Baghdasaryan introduced the Council’s
structure and activities. Parties attached great importance to
establishing and developing cooperation between their countries’
security councils.

They also focused on Armenian-Turkish ties and Karabakh settlement
process.

Bringing the threat of war to Russia’s borders is having wide-ranging
repercussions
By Eric Walberg
Online Journal Contributing Writer

May 18, 2009, 00:19

As Russian troops marched to celebrate the victory over Nazi Germany 8
May, NATO troops — 1,300 of them from 10 member countries and six
`partners’ — were beginning their month-long Cooperative
Longbow/Lancer war `games’ on Russia’s southern border.
In deference to Moscow, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Serbia
decided not to participate in the NATO exercises, preferring to send
their diplomats to Red Square in homage to the untold Russian
sacrifice in pursuit of world peace.
According to Russian MP Sergei Abeltsev, the NATO decision to hold the
drills in Georgia during the WWII Victory Day celebrations was a
`total revision of the history of the Great Patriotic War.’
The games were greeted by Georgian troops with a coup attempt against
their beleaguered president, Mikheil Saakashvili, though there is
speculation that this was something dreamed up by the Georgian
president himself (he has done stranger things, like declaring war on
Russia). This latest bizarre twist, the argument goes, gives him
ammunition in his battle with protesters — they have been demanding
his resignation for over a month and vow to keep protesting unyil he’s
gone. Lucky for Saak, riot police are still loyal to him and broke up
an anti-NATO rally by thousands converging on parliament on the eve of
the games.
According to Russian Ambassador to NATO Dmitri Rogozin, Saakashvili
`has long been aiming to bring Georgia’s domestic conflict to the
international level. It’s for this reason that he shot down our
military — to draw us into the August war. It’s for this reason that
he wanted American marines to come to Georgia, to draw Americans into
that war. This man is dangerous for the world.’
In support of Saakashvili, the US darling, Democratic Senator John
Kerry and Republican Congressman David Dreier (note the bipartisan
unity) are calling for a free trade
eorgia.
NATO is busy as a bee these days. Apart from its centrepiece,
Afghanistan, where deaths of both Afghans and occupiers are increasing
daily, and practising for God-knows-what in Georgia, it was recently
flexing its naval muscle in neighbouring Turkey, where delegates from
27 countries just wrapped up NATO’s annual Maritime Commanders Meeting
(MARCOMET 2009). Its theme this year was `The Future Security
Environment — Implications for Navies’ and was focused on terrorism,
piracy and conflicts deriving from energy and resources issues. No
doubt it will be deploying forces on the Horn of Africa soon, pursuing
those pesky pirates.
Prague is also a hive of activity these days. It hosted a meeting of
the Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
Ukraine and Moldova ) 7 May, followed by a summit dubbed `Southern
Corridor — New Silk Road of European and Central Asian countries,’
seeking a non-Russian route for gas imports from Central Asia. The
summit participants included Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Iraq and Turkey. The Czech EU
official said that after years of wavering, Europe had no time to lose
in securing alternatives to Russian gas.
If the intent in all this is to make Russia angry, it is working. On
the first day of the Georgian military exercise, Russia expelled two
NATO envoys. Rogozin stated that his country would not attend a NATO
military meeting planned for this week. Russian lawmaker Sergei
Abeltsev has floated the idea of a response to the NATO move that
would entail Cuba and Venezuela taking part in `large-scale drills’ in
the Caribbean Sea on 2 July. Nicaragua intends to buy Russian aircraft
and helicopters for its armed forces, and will be sure to join in.
The battleground between East and West these days thus includes not
only Georgia, but the Czech Republic, Poland and the Baltics. Not only
is US President Barack Obama continuing Bush’s policy of provoking
Russia in Georgia, but he made no indication in his first 100 days
Czech Republic and Poland. Fortunately, grassroots Czech opposition to
the proposed base resulted in the defeat of the conservative
government and it looks like the Czech base will not go ahead. Strong
opposition in Poland has so far not managed to make a similar
political inroad.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the US of using the
Iran issue as a pretext to set up its missile shield in Russia’s
backyard. `The way it is designed has nothing to do with Iran’s
nuclear programme. It is aimed at Russian strategic forces, deployed
in the European part of the Russian Federation,’ Lavrov told
Euronews. `We are being very frank about this with our American
colleagues and hope that our arguments are heard. Iran’s nuclear
programme is a separate issue. We approach it according to a key
principal — preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction.’
As if the Czech government’s anti-Russian conferences and the war
games aren’t enough, the Czech air force is now `protecting’ the
airspace of the three Baltic NATO members, the first time that the
Czech military’s tactical air force has been deployed in a foreign
operation since the end of WWII. The Czech aircraft will be ready to
take action in case of a military threat to the Baltic countries and
to provide them with help.
But what `threat’ is there in the Baltics, other than one invented by
trigger-happy NATO planners playing yet more war `games’ with Russia ?
This scheming has not gone unnoticed by Moscow. `We are not afraid of
anything, including the prospect of a new Cold War, but we don’t want
one,’ Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said recently. In The Grand
Chessboard (1997) Zbigniew Brzezinski predicted that the only
countries Russia could convince to join a defence pact might be
Belarus and Tajikistan. But the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) founded in 2002 in reaction to NATO expansion
eastward now includes not only Belarus and Tajikistan, but Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
It, along with
he Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), the Russia-Belarus Union
State and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) are natural
developments by countries concerned about what the US and NATO are
really up to. Russian General Leonid Ivashov, vice president of the
Academy of Geopolitical Science, says there is a need `to neutralise
the spread of NATO’s influence not only to Central Asia but also to
East and Southeast Asia,’ adding that this `won’t be of an aggressive
or offensive nature; it will be a deterrent.’
Relations with the SCO are developing, and just a few months ago, it
was reported that the CSTO will have its own Joint Rapid Reaction
Force which could be used to protect its members from military
aggression, defend critical infrastructure and fight terrorism and
organised crime. Russia and Kazakhstan are the key movers in the CSTO
and managed to obtain a 25 percent growth in this year’s budget.
There are problems. First, the standoff between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, with the latter inching towards NATO membership in
reaction to Russian support for the former. And then there’s
Uzbekistan. President Islam Karimov was initially very pro-US and
anti-Russian, but after being spurned by the West over the brutal
suppression of demonstrations in 2005, he quickly made up with Russia
and even joined the CSTO in 2006. However, human rights have never
interfered with US strategic thinking in the past, and there are signs
that Karimov is flirting with the West once again. He has also signed
a military cooperation agreement with Azerbaijan, and is withdrawing
from EurAsEC, adding to the confusion.
What Moscow would really like is for Ukraine to join the CSTO. And why
not? If such pacts are truly defensive, then this makes perfect
sense. What conceivable role does NATO play so far from the Atlantic,
except as a forward base for the US? Ukraine in the CSTO would give it
clout where it counts — with its big and vital neighbour. Ukraine in
NATO can only be a serious cause of tension with Russia. As Egy
‘
While things look grim these days from Moscow, the EU/NATO
machinations are far from yielding results. Euro `partners’ Armenia
and Azerbaijan are in a state of war; Belarus and Moldova leaders have
no illusions about Euro intentions and did not attend the EP fest in
Prague, despite the 600 million euros being thrown around. And signs
of reaction to NATO’s nosiness are setting in. In a poll by the US
government-funded International Republican Institute (IRI) only 63
percent of Georgian respondents back NATO accession, down from the 87
percent the IRI recorded last September. Keep in mind the bias of an
organisation like the IRI and imagine likely statistics if such a poll
were carried out by a real NGO like, say, the Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament or StopNATO. What is telling in the IRI poll is the
massive shift away from NATO membership in the past six months.
And then there’s Ukraine. The district council of its second largest
city, Kharkov, has just called for a ban on all NATO-related
organisations and activities pending a nationwide referendum on Kiev’s
membership in the alliance. A statement circulated by the council last
week denounced any violations of Ukraine’s bloc-free status. The
protest by the deputies followed the opening in April this year of a
Euro-Atlantic cooperation (read: NATO) centre at Economics and Law
University in Kharkov .
Obama has yet to make any of the hard choices he faces. He caved in to
the bankers, and his health plan is being vetted by the health
insurance industry to prevent the single-payer system, by far the
cheapest and most comprehensive. He appears to be letting the Bush
torturers off the hook and continuing their wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan. But he can’t finesse Russia so easily. Russia will not
cooperate on Afghanistan or arms treaties if he continues the foolish
and dangerous meddling in Eastern Europe under the pretense of
supporting `democracy and freedom.’ The current games can only be
interpreted by Moscow as a replay — hopefully farcical — of
e to keep the enemy at bay.Eric Walberg writes for Al-Ahram
Weekly. You can reach him at geocities.com/walberg2002.

EX-FOREIGN MINISTER OF TURKEY: PROSPECTS FOR QUICK RECONCILIATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY DISAPPEARED AFTER ERDOGAN’S STATEMENTS

ArmInfo
2009-05-16 11:58:00

ArmInfo. "I knew that normalization of relations with Armenia was
somehow linked to the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, but I thought
that link was with the withdrawal of Armenia from the six regions
adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, not Nagorno-Karabakh itself," Ilter
Turkmen, a former foreign minister, told Today’s Zaman. "But what
the prime minister says now is different. He says normalization is
not possible unless Armenia withdraws from Nagorno-Karabakh, which
basically means there will be no normalization before a settlement
to the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh."

Armenia wants a referendum to determine the status of Nagorno-Karabakh,
but Azerbaijan rejects this proposal, saying the dispute should be
resolved on the basis of the principle of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity as it was prior to 1992. "This is a very complicated
problem, as complicated as Cyprus, and perhaps even worse," Turkmen
said. Neither Sarksyan nor Nalbandyan said whether Erdogan’s statement
would block normalization efforts with Turkey, but prospects for
a quick reconciliation have disappeared after Erdogan’s remarks,
according to experts. "It seems that in the foreseeable future we
will not be able to normalize relations with Armenia and we will lose
the momentum that was opened up by the president’s visit to Armenia,"
Turkmen said.

USC News
University of Southern California
May 15 2009

From Russia With Music

By Eddie North-Hager
May 15, 2009 3:24 PM

Photo: Angela Cholakyan
Photo/Dietmar Quistorf

A lifetime of dedication and perseverance finally paid off when Angela
Cholakyan earned her doctorate in musical arts from the USC Thornton
School of Music.

For Cholakyan, her destination had been mapped out ever since she
first experimented with a piano when she was 9 months old.

Yet for nearly two decades her dreams were deferred after escaping
communism in search of the American Dream.

Her course was no longer set.

`It was like being in the middle of an ocean,’ Cholakyan said.

Born in the Soviet Union, Cholakyan’s schooling focused on music from
the time she was 6. She continued her education at the famed Moscow
State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Yet even as she benefited from the
communist system, that very system also created insurmountable
roadblocks.

She couldn’t go far because of discrimination, as her parents were
born in Jerusalem. And the economy was in shambles. In 1988, after
bribing some officials to obtain visas, she left with her parents and
sister to reunite with her uncle in Los Angeles.

`I was ready to leave, but of course it was painful,’ said Cholakyan,
who was fresh out of school at the time. `There was no future. It was
like rats running from a sinking ship.’

Once in the United States, Cholakyan for a time put away her piano to
become a mom and work odd jobs to make ends meet.

`We were happy because for the first time in our lives, we could make
decisions on our own and survive on our own,’ Cholakyan said.

USC Thornton School of Music professor Norman Krieger discovered
Cholakyan in 1993 at the Florida International Competition. It took 10
years, but Krieger eventually inspired her to go back to school `and
get back on track,’ Cholakyan said.

`Better late then never,’ Cholakyan said matter of factly. `There are
so many people who helped me get to where I am.’

In addition to winning piano competitions and becoming a sought-after
instructor while at USC, Cholakyan also had her conducting debut in
November. In February, she was accepted into USC’s artist diploma
program, which emphasizes performance, and she should graduate in
2011.

`After 21 years in America, I can say with confidence that I love this
country and that I am American more than I am anything else,’
Cholakyan said. `However, there is another side to my identity: I am
Armenian born and raised in Russian culture, and I cannot erase or
forge that. I think the best I am playing so far is Russian
music. It’s in my blood.’

Read about other 2009 USC graduates, including father and son Michael
and David Gibson, chemistry student Eric Zuniga and four exceptional
graduates from USC College.

Transportation not reduced in Armenia in contrast to Russia
16.05.2009 16:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ ‘We establish the Center for Transportation services
in Armenia to improve the overall level of services in the industry,’
said director of CJSC South Caucasus Railways Shevket Shaydullin.
Saying that the company receives 80 per cent of revenues from
corporate clients, Mr. Shaydullin mentioned: `we are not for just
selling the infrastructure but the complex transportation services’.
South Caucasus Railway will facilitate integration into Euro Asian
transport system, Mr. Shaydullin said.
According to Mr.Shaydullin, in 2009 Armenia’s import traffic’s share
in the total traffic reached 45 per cent, while export traffic made
20.5 per cent and the local in-country traffic totaled some 34.6 per
cent. As opposed to Russia, transportation volumes have not reduced in
Armenia. As compared to 2008 in-country transportation increased by 75
per cent, export traffic decreased by 23 per cent, while import
traffic reduced by 14 per cent.
Mr. Shaydullin mentioned, that the company has elaborated anti-crisis
program, loss plan has already envisaged by the budget and estimated
at 158 million rubles.

WORLD BANK CONTINUES SUPPORT TO EDUCATION QUALITY AND RELEVANCE IN ARMENIA

ENP Newswire
May 13, 2009 Wednesday

WASHINGTON – The World Bank Board of Directors today approved a US$ 25
million credit for the Armenia Second Education Quality and Relevance
Project (APL II).

The credit by the International Development Association (IDA) will
assist Armenia in its efforts to improve the quality and relevance
of its educational system, to ensure that students graduate with
competitive skills. This is the second phase of the second education
project supported by the World Bank over the past 12 years in Armenia.

The project will enhance the curriculum and teaching methods in
education, the readiness of children entering primary schools, and
the integration of the Armenian tertiary education system into the
European higher education area.

Past projects have accomplished a great deal. The National Curriculum
Framework has been developed, a transparent examination system and
enhanced capacity to assess student performance has been introduced,
along with the creation of the Assessment and Testing Center, the
National Center of Education Technology, and an effective Computer
Revolving scheme which has allowed 85 percent of the schools in the
country to set up computer labs. In addition, a massive in-service
teacher training effort has been carried out through an improved
National Institute of Education and consolidation of a successful
per capita funding system resulted in substantial efficiency gains
and enhanced school autonomy.

‘This new project builds on the achievements of Armenia’s reforms so
far, while extending the agenda to encompass preschool and higher
education,’ said Juan Manuel Moreno, Leader of the World Bank team
for the project. ‘It will comprehensively support the Government’s
efforts to accelerate the implementation of preschool, general and
tertiary education reforms despite the adverse consequences of the
global economic crisis.’

The project will help the Armenian Education system meet critical
challenges. These include reversing the current deterioration – in
enrollments and in quality – of preschool education; supporting the
implementation of the 12-year general education system; improving
teacher quality through pre-service and in-service training; and,
contributing to Armenia’s integration in the European Higher Education
Area.

The Second Education Quality and Relevance project has two main
components:

1. Enhancing the Quality of General Education. Activities will aim to
increase the readiness for general education of approximately 8,750
children, while 140 of the poorest communities will benefit from
targeted grants to enhance the quality of preschool education. The
quality of teaching will be improved through training of 2750
high-school teachers and 150 principals, and by creating a school
improvement network. In addition, investments will ensure that all
schools in Armenia are equipped with up-to-date technologies, that
about 400 of the most remote schools are connected to the Internet,
and that these technologies effectively enhance learning. Further, the
curriculum and assessment of the 12-year general education system will
be improved so that future graduates will be equipped with relevant
and competitive knowledge and skills.

2. Supporting tertiary education reforms to help achieve standards
similar to education systems in Europe. The project will establish
and strengthen the capacity of the National Quality Assurance system
for tertiary education. An integrated Tertiary Education Management
Information System (TEMIS) will be created to support policy planning,
management, monitoring and evaluation of performance of education. The
component will also support the design and piloting of a sustainable
financing system for tertiary education, including student loans and
a Competitive Innovation Fund for the financing of Universities.

The Credit will be provided to Armenia on standard IDA terms, including
20 years maturity and a 10-year grace period.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, commitments to
Armenia total approximately US$ 1187 million.

For more information on World Bank-sponsored projects in Armenia,

please visit:

Contacts:

In Yerevan: Tatevik Mnatsakanyan, (+374 10) 520-992

[email protected]

In Washington: Vigen Sargsyan, (202) 473-9277

[email protected]

[Editorial queries for this story should be sent to
[email protected] ]

POLITICAL SCIENTIST VAHAN DILANIAN: NO PROGRESS WAS RECORDED AT PRAGUE MEETING

Noyan Tapan
May 14, 2009

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. RA and Azeri Presidents’ meeting held
lately in Prague recorded no progress in the issue of Nagorno Karabakh
settlement.

Vahan Dilanian, the Chairman of the Research Center for Political
Developments, expressed such an opinion at the May 14 press conference.

Touching upon the optimistic statements of OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs
made after Prague meeting, the political scientist said that they are
far from reality. As to American Co-chair Matthew Bryza’s statements,
according to V. Dilanian, they are completely invented. And Bryza’s
statement on returning territories caused such discontent in Armenia
as Turkish Sabah newspaper’s publication on the road-map.

While, in V. Dilanian’s conviction, no issue of territories was
discussed at the last meeting of RA and Azeri Presidents. He also
considers unrealistic M. Bryza’s statement that the two Presidents’
meeting planned in Saint Petersburg can bring a breakthrough.

In V. Dilanian’s opinion, a hardening of Armenia’s positions was
recorded at the last Armenian-Azeri meeting. Foreign Minister of
France Bernard Kouchner also mentioned it. According to the latter,
Armenia’s conduct was too destructive. Besides, the fact that the
Armenian-Azeri relations are not connected with normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations was reaffirmed.

According to V. Dilanian, normalization of relations with Turkey will
have rather an economic significance. In particular, restoration
of Gyumri-Kars railway, according to him, is a regional project,
in which Azerbaijan can also participate in the future.

"REASSESSMENT OF THE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT IN SOUTH CAUCASUS: REGIONAL CONFLICTS, STABILITY AND TRANSMISSION" TWO-DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE KICKS OFF IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
May 14, 2009

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS: The "Reassessment of security environment
in the South Caucasus: regional conflicts, stability and transmission"
two-day international conference kicked off today in Yerevan. Within
its frameworks the participants will refer to the conflicts existing
in the region – Russian-Georgian, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian-Turkish
as well as the relations of states of the region and prospects of
their development.

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan noted that there are
challenges and threats in South Caucasian region as well: particularly
the existence of Karabakh conflict and absence of mutually agreed
political legal bases of regulation between the sides, the policy of
militarization conducted by Azerbaijan, goal for achieving a military
superiority and regulation of Karabakh conflict through use of force as
well as the blockade of Armenia and the policy of Armenia’s isolation
in the region are direct threats for Armenia.

S. Ohanyan noted that like for all other states as well as for
Armenia besides a direct military threat there also exist other
threats including the destabilization of the security environment
in the Armenian neighbor countries and generally in South Caucasus,
unleashing existing or new conflicts, international terrorism, illegal
circulation of weapons of mass destruction and its constitutes,
drugs and psychotropic agents as well as trafficking in human beings.

According to him, to liquidate the mentioned and other threats
Armenia has today chosen two main directions – strengthening the
national defense system by implementation of reforms and obtainment
of international security guarantees through integration.

S. Ohanyan expressed hope that this conference will be a proper arena
for presentation of important proposals and ideas on the process
of giving a new meaning to the security in the South Caucasus as
conduction of suchlike international conferences on the regional
security gives an opportunity to the experts of different states
dealing with security researches to express themselves and exchange
thoughts on the issues of regional security architecture.

French Ambassador to Armenia Serzh Smessow stressed the importance of
ensuring the regional stability. Referring to the regional conflicts
he noted that worsening of the political situation in Georgia is
troubling not only for Georgia but also for all the neighboring states.

Developments in Georgia showed that there is no alternative to the
negotiation process for Karabakh conflict regulation. Referring to the
negotiation process between Armenia and Turkey S. Smessow expressed
hope that the regulation of relations between the two states will
also have a positive impact on the whole region.

The international conference is being held by the RA Ministry of
Defense "Institute of National Strategic Researches" and the "Center
of Defense and International Security Researches" of Lyons Jan Mullen
University.

Nearly 20 authoritative experts and scientists from Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Turkey, Iran, France, United Kingdom,
Norway, USA and other states take part in the conference.