Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Iran says Russia won’t allow U.S. to use Azerbaijani radar station for
missile defense

NASSER KARIMI, AP Worldstream
Published: Jun 17, 2007

Iran threatened to escalate tensions between Washington and Moscow
Sunday, saying Russia had assured it won’t let the U.S. use a radar
station in Azerbaijan for missile defense against Tehran, despite a
promise to America.

The controversy illustrated the complicated relationship between the
three countries at a time when Iran is under pressure for its disputed
nuclear program.

Driven by economic and political interests, Russia has been a fairly
reliable ally to Iran, deflecting U.S. attempts to put extreme pressure
on the country to suspend its nuclear activities, which Washington
believes are cover for a weapons program.

But Russia is also embroiled in a conflict with the U.S. over
Washington’s attempts to install a missile defense shield in Eastern
Europe to protect NATO allies against a missile launch by Iran.

Unhappy at the prospect of missiles being deployed in his country’s
backyard, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise counteroffer
earlier this month to let the U.S. use a radar station in northeast
Azerbaijan rented by Moscow as a basis for the defense.

Washington had indicated it would study the proposal seriously, but
comments made Sunday by Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali
Hosseini could further increase the level of distrust between
Washington and Moscow.

Speaking to reporters at his weekly press conference, Hosseini said
Russian officials had privately assured Iran that Putin would not
follow through on the offer he made to the U.S.

"It seems Russia does not plan to make decisions that may cause
instability and insecurity in the region, where it (Russia) is located"
said Hosseini. Azerbaijan shares borders with both Russia to the north
and Iran to the south.

Hosseini said Iran had summoned the Russian and Azerbaijani ambassadors
to Tehran to discuss Putin’s proposal. He said Iranian ambassadors in
Moscow and Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, had also discussed the issue
with their host countries.

Russian officials had no immediate comment on Hosseini’s claims.

The U.S. made the formal request in January to place a radar base in a
military area southwest of Prague, Czech Republic, and 10 interceptor
missiles in neighboring Poland as part of plans for a missile defense
shield.

But the plans brought strong reaction from both Iran and Russia, which
accuses the U.S. of threatening Russian territory and of trying to
start a new arms race.

Washington has insisted that deployment is not about Russia but about
the potential threat from Iran or North Korea.

Iran has rejected any possible threat to the West by its missile
program, going so far as to call U.S. plans for a missile defense
shield a "joke" because Tehran’s missiles do not have the capability to
reach Europe.

Iran has acknowledged that it has a missile with a range of 2,000
kilometers (1,200 miles), a modified version of its Shahab-3. With this
range, Tehran could strike Eastern Europe, but Western Europe would be
out of reach.

Although Western experts believe Iran is developing the Shahab-4
missile, thought to have a range between 2,000 and 3,000 kilometers
(1,200-1,900 miles), Iran has not confirmed such reports.

Despite Hosseini’s comments Sunday, Iran could have little leverage if
Russia decides to make good on its offer to the U.S. because Tehran is
reliant on Moscow to help delay or water down a third set of U.N.
sanctions against the country for its failure to suspend uranium
enrichment.

In a report last month, the U.N. nuclear watchdog provided the
potential trigger for new U.N. sanctions, saying Iran continued to defy
the Security Council by expanding its enrichment activities. The
process can produce fuel for civilian energy or fissile material for a
bomb, depending on the level of enrichment.

The Security Council first imposed sanctions on Iran in December and
modestly increased them in March. Although Russia voted for both sets
of sanctions and has called on Iran to comply with U.N. demands, it has
used the threat of its veto power on the Security Council to water down
stronger measures pushed by the U.S.

Russia has close economic and political ties with Tehran and, over
objections from the U.S. and others, is helping to build the country’s
first nuclear power plant, at Bushehr.

HRANT BAGRATIAN: ECONOMIC GROWTH CAUSES DAMAGE RATHER THAN HELPS ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Jun 14 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, NOYAN TAPAN. In the US, 400 rich families own about
10% of the gross domestic product (GDP), in Russia 40 families – 16%
of GDP, while in Armenia 44 families own 55% of GDP. Former Armenian
prime minister Hrant Bagratian said this at the June 14 discussion in
his report "To Build Democracy and Get Tyranny". According to him, only
official data, which is exagerrated 3-4 times, was used in this report.

He said that an objective analysis makes it clear that Armenia is not
making a "tiger jump" in terms of its economic development, moreover,
it is behind other Caucasian countries by many indices. The year 1997
when the economic reforms stopped because of the absence of certian
political programs is a "good example" of "how economic reforms should
not be completed."

In the words of H. Bagratian, in the last 10 years the gap between
the rich and the poor has increased 7fold, the shadow economy is
gradully growing, while pensions and benefits in Armenia are smaller
than in the neighboring countries. Therefore, as the speaker noted,
the economic growth registered in Armenia causes damage to rather
then helps the country. He said that such an economic policy forms
a basis for embezzlement, bribery and corruption.

IRANIAN AMBASSADOR ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO ARMENIA’S PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN IRAN IN JULY

Noyan Tapan
Jun 14 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, NOYAN TAPAN. All programs, on which Armenia and Iran
have reached agreements at top level, are proceeding well. The Armenian
prime minister Serge Sargsian stated this at the June 14 meeting with
the Iranian ambassador to Armenia Alireza Haghighian. He expressed
a hope that the sitting of the Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental
commission to be held in July will become an additional stimulus for
development and strengthening of bilateral economic relations.

A. Haghighian also attached importance to the sitting of the
intergovernmental commission, noting that the Iranian side is seriously
preparing for it. Out of the programs and work to be carried out,
he pointed out the signing of an agreement on free trade regime
between Armenia and Iran, cooperation in the petrochemical sector, the
construction of a hydropower plant on the bank of the Arax River. He
said that electricity generated by the hydropower plant will greatly
promote the development of border areas, while its extra amount will
be exchanged with Iran. According to the ambassador, it is envisaged
to set up a joint commission with the aim of encouraging bilateral
investments. He noted that a big international conference on transit
routes will take place in Tehran in July, during which the importance
of the North-South transport corridor will be discussed as well. In the
words of A. Haghighian, an invitation has been sent to the Armenian
minister of transport and communication, and Armenia’s participation
in this event would be desirable.

According to the RA Government Information and PR Department, at
the request of the Iranian ambassador, Serge Sargsian presented
the latest developments regarding negotiations on setllement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

GEORGIA HOPES FOR FRANCE’S HELP IN BUILDING ITS FIRST N-PLANT

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
June 15, 2007 Friday 08:24 AM EST

Georgia hopes for France’s assistance in building its first-ever
nuclear power plant and begins expert consultations, Georgian
Ambassador to France Mamuka Kudava told the Tbilisi-based Rustavi-2
TV company on Friday.

During his visit to France Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili
discussed the issue with the director-general of France’s leading
nuclear services provider Areva, Anne Lauvergeon.

"Saakashvili said the issue meets Georgia’s interests," Kudava said.

Georgian parliamentary speaker Nino Burdzhanadze, who is accompanying
Saakashvili, pointed out that "cooperation with Areva is very important
for Georgia."

"It concerns Georgia’s peaceful use of nuclear energy and cooperation
in this area. Georgia has no plans to develop or use nuclear weapons,"
she said on Rustavi-2.

Burdzhanadze said during her visit to Berlin last September the
Georgian authorities do not rule out that Georgia will build its
first-ever nuclear power plant, if technical security guarantees
are provided.

Georgian presidential economic advisor Mart Laar pointed out that
Georgia, if builds a nuclear power plant should do this "with
assistance of European countries and at a high technological level."

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli told journalists in Tbilisi
on Friday that the issue of the nuclear plant construction remains
open until the situation with installment of a new power-generating
unit at Armenia’s nuclear power plant is resolved.

"The issue of the nuclear power reactor construction in Georgia has
been discussed for a long while, but it has not been finalized yet.

We speak about the replacement of the old reactor for a new one, but
it is still early to say, whether this new reactor will be built in
Armenia or Georgia and whether the old reactor will be replaced for
a new one at all," he said.

The EU and Armenia have repeatedly discussed Armenia’s nuclear power
plant. The EU urged Yerevan to shut down the plant, as it is located
in a seismic zone and its rector does not meet the European standards.

European officials even expressed readiness to allocate 100 million
euros to mothball the plant, while Armenia insists it needs almost
1 billion euros to create alternative energy capacities.

WORLD EXPECTS ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES TO SETTLE KARABAKH DISPUTE, EX-PREMIER SAYS
By Ruzanna Stepanian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
June 12 2007

Armenia’s ex-prime minister sees a direct link between the positive
evaluation of the recent Armenian elections and the desire of the
international community to achieve a Karabakh settlement under the
current authorities.

Hrant Bagratian said on Tuesday: "If it is not [Robert] Kocharian,
then they’ve made it clear that they would like Kocharian’s successor
to be a man who is now within the authorities so that he won’t want
to start everything from scratch tomorrow."

"They don’t need a change within Armenia’s authorities today.

Moreover, even economic bodies are ready to say absurd things and utter
lies about Armenia, only for its people to calm down and in order to
forestall any problem in Armenia’s domestic politics at this moment."

According to Bagratian, the international community perhaps "would
hurry to change the authorities once some document [on the settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict] is signed."

The former head of government says Armenia’s current or next
authorities, or any political party will not solve the problem while
they are in power if they have a chance not to do so. "Because in any
case to achieve a solution will mean agreeing to make some unpleasant
concessions," Bagratian concluded.

US CONGRESS TO REDUCE ASSISTANCE FOR ARMENIA

Democratic Azerbaijan. demaz.org
June 12 2007

Subcommittee on state and foreign assignments of the House of
Representatives of US Congress recommended to allot 34,243 bn. US
dollars for respective programs in fiscal year 2008. Chairman of
subcommittee underlined that the means should be spent in 4 main
directions: foreign aide, foreign development programs, support USA’s
allies within global anti-terrorist fight and AIDS and other dangerous
epidemic prevention.

Congress members decided to allot 4,7 bn. US dollars for increase
of security of diplomatic corps of USA for fiscal year 2008, 365
mln. US dollars for efforts of the Department of State in the field
of public diplomacy, and 501 mln. dollars for international programs
and cultural exchange.

3,3 millions of dollars out of 2,656 bn. allotted for allies
within the global fight against terrorism will fall to the share
of Azerbaijan. Members of subcommittee allotted to Armenia the same
amount of money. We should remind here that President, George Bush,
proposed to allot 5,3 mln. US dollars for Azerbaijan for foreign
military aid and for international military education, within the
draft budget, and 3,3 US dollars for Armenia for the same purpose.

However, members of work group on Armenian issues functioning in the
Congress achieved equalization of these figures. Despite this they
failed to bring total sum allotted for Armenian to 75 mln. US dollars
of last year. In 2008 fiscal year Armenia will get 68 mln. dollars.

Moreover, Congress members allotted for Nagorni Garabagh 6 mln.

dollars. Despite insisting demands of pro-Armenian congressmen,
these means won’t be spent for development programs but only for
humanitarian ones. Final version of draft budget will be known after
consideration at Senate’s committee on assignments.

PUBLIC HELP SOUGHT TO FIND SHOOTING SUSPECTS
By Jason Kandel, Staff Writer

Los Angeles Daily News
June 11 2007

TUJUNGA – Police today were asking for the public’s help in finding a
suspect or suspects responsible for the shooting death of 28-year-old
Armen Tomanyan.

Tomanyan was found suffering from a gunshot wound outside an Armenian
club about 8:30 p.m. Friday in the 6600 block of Foothill Boulevard
in Tujunga, said Los Angeles police Detective Chuck Lenane. He was
taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

"All we know is the guy got shot," Lenane said. "And nobody knows
anything."

Police ask that anyone with information call Foothill detectives
at (818) 834-3115 during normal business hours. After hours and on
weekends, call the 24-hour toll free detective information desk at
(877) 529-3855.

Azerbaijan will always see Armenia as an adversary

Yerkir.am
June 08, 2007

`Even if we go for regional security and peace, Azerbaijan still has a
code since 1991. This code is instilled in the its social consciousness
and its plans for the future.

This code is like the DNA in this country’s genetics. Moreover,
Azerbaijan is not alone. It has a big brother, Turkey, that carries the
same code,’ director of the Museum of Armenian Genocide, historian Hayk
Demoyan stated during the round table discussion titled `Possible
Developments of the Negotiation Process of Karabagh Settlement.’

During the discussion the participants also commented on the recent
statements made by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the opinion that
the Armenian side is planning to return the liberated territories.

Demoyan asked what our relations with Azerbaijan will be like. This
country will not disappear from the map. We will continue having a
border with this country. Therefore, according to Demoyan, if we return
these territories we are saying `let’s live in peace’. But can the
Azeri society stop seeing Armenia and the Armenian nation as an
adversary? The possible concessions from the Armenian side do not
assume that Azerbaijan’s attitude towards Armenia will change.

An opinion was voiced during the discussion that Armenia should present
historical facts in various international structures. Commenting on
this opinion Demoyan stated that examining the historical events is not
relevant at this point in time.

`The international community is already bored with such conversations.
The language of history does not work no matter how many historical
documents we present to prove that Karabagh is ours,’ Demoyan said.
Commenting on the statements as to whether Armenia is planning to
return any territories Demoyan noted that we are creating an
information background for ourselves, a situation of panicking and then
trying to overcome this situation.

`This does not mean that we should feel secure. Simply, let us try not
to create any pessimistic moods among the society. This is very
important. We should be careful in this,’ Demoyan said noting that
similar statements were made many times before by different people in
different situations. Demoyan believes the issue of the territories is
not the only issue, it is more complex in nature.

TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 8 2007

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Considers Statements on Definition of
Nagorno-Karabakh’s Status at first Stage Unconstructive

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Agayeva / Statements made by the
Armenian senior officials that the status of Nagorno-Karabakh should
be firstly defined during the negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement are unconstructive and may bring harm to the
efforts of the parties involved, said the Foreign Minister of
Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov. `If the Armenian side again begins
proceeding from the previous position that firstly the status of
Nagorno-Karabakh should be defined, it will not correspond with the
discussions’ purpose,’ Mammadyarov said.

According to the Minister, the Armenian and Azerbaijanni sides and
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have repeatedly stated that firstly
the Armenian Armed Forces should be withdrawn from the occupied
Azerbaijani lands. In addition, it needs to bring a peacekeeping
contingent, rehabilitate the territory (Nagorno-Karabakh), restore
infrastructure, return internally displaced persons to their Native
Lands, and only after it, the status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be
considered.

Such statements of the Armenian senior officials are unconstructive
and may result in the cancellation of progress made during the talks
held up to now, the Minister said.

PRO-ESTABLISHMENT FORCES WRAP UP POWER-SHARING PROCESS
By Astghik Bedevian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
June 6 2007

Tense political consultations that went on for weeks ended on Wednesday
as three pro-establishment parties appeared to agree on the future
government’s composition.

The Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and the Prosperous Armenia
Party (BHK), the top two finishers in Armenia’s recent parliamentary
elections, signed a memorandum on a coalition government in which
Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian’s ruling party is set to preserve a
lion’s share of portfolios.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF) is expected
to keep three of its current four positions in the executive after
signing a cooperation deal with the new coalition partners later in
the afternoon. However, as the party’s top representative told RFE/RL,
this deal was signed for a period until the next presidential elections
due early next year.

Unlike Dashnaktsutyun, the two parties of the emerging coalition have
agreed on close partnership until the next parliamentary elections.

The HHK and BHK share between themselves as many as 90 seats in the
131-member National Assembly. However, only 25 of these seats belong
to the BHK.

Wealthy businessman Gagik Tsarukian’s pro-presidential party is
hoping for at least two portfolios in the Sarkisian cabinet, namely
the health and urban development ministries.

The HHK won an outright parliament majority in last month’s elections
that practically gave it the muscle to lead the future government
single-handedly. But since the announcement of the election results
in mid-May the party leadership has been willing to share government
responsibility presumably in anticipation of future partners’ support
for its leader’s presidential ambitions.

The HHK’s former junior coalition partner, Dashnaktsutyun, that
currently holds 16 seats in the legislature, is likely to have its
ministers continue in agriculture, education and social security due
to its cooperation deal. While Dashnaktsutyun’s representative will
continue to serve as social security minister, under the agreement
this position is considered to belong to the HHK.

But the pro-presidential party’s refusal to join the coalition
government is believed to leave room for its maneuvering during next
year’s presidential race and possibly for fielding its own candidate
for presidency.

The party is also expected to maintain its high-profile in parliament
due to having its members in several key positions, including deputy
speaker and heads of the foreign relations and defense committees.

The HHK is likely to maintain the speaker’s post and leadership in
the rest of the parliamentary committees. A BHK representative is
likely to head a standing committee on European integration yet to
be formed in the new parliament.

Only three of the HHK’s current ministers will be serving as
parliament members, namely Justice Minister David Harutiunian,
Minister of Trade and Economic Development Karen Chshmaritian,
and Environment Minister Vartan Ayvazian. The other HHK-affiliated
ministers included in the party’s slate during the elections rejected
their parliamentary mandates.

It also transpired at the end of the day that the Central Election
Commission (CEC) had received an application from HHK member Khachik
Manukian elected to parliament from one of the single-mandate
constituencies in which the elected representative rejected his
parliamentary mandate without providing any reasoning.

However, Manukian later told RFE/RL he had not filed any application
and learned about it from news.