Author: Kanayan Tamar

HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND EURASIA HEARING

Congressional Documents and Publications
December 5, 2012

“Iranian Influence in the South Caucasus and the Surrounding Region.”;
Testimony by Brenda Shaffer, Senior Lecturer, University of Haifa

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DOCUMENTS

Thank you for the opportunity to testify in front of this committee.

We often think of Iran as a Middle Eastern country. However, Iran
borders a number of regions besides the Middle East: Southwest Asia,
Central Asia, and the South Caucasus. Iran’s location on the edge
of a number of regions endows the state with significant influence
in, but also vulnerability to influence from, these regions. As
states in a region that borders Iran, the three states of the
South Caucasus-Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia-playa special role
in Tehran’s foreign and security policies. In addition, these three
states playa crucial role in the efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring
nuclear weapons. The Republic of Azerbaijan also affects the domestic
stability in Iran, since a third of Iran’s population is comprised
of ethnic Azerbaijanis.

I am a researcher who specializes on the Caucasus, focusing on Iran’s
policies in the South Caucasus, ethnic politics in Iran, and Caspian
energy issues. In my testimony, I will focus on Iran’s policies toward
the South Caucasus, the role of the states of the South Caucasus
in the implementation of u.s. sanctions on Iran, the influence of
the Azerbaijani minority in Iran on regime stability in Tehran, and
recommendations on how to integrate U.S. policies on Iran and the
South Caucasus in order to further promote the U.S. national interest.

Iran: Realpolitik in the Caucasus

Tehran has four primary goals in the Caucasus: (1) Preventing
destabilization in the northwest provinces of Iran that border
the Caucasus and any rise in ethnically based activity among the
Azerbaijanis in Iran, (2) limiting U.s. influence and power in the
Caucasus, (3) expanding its trade and influence in the region, and
(4) linking the region through energy export and transportation
infrastructure. Tehran maintains clandestine ties to a number of
regional Islamic and ethnic groups in the Caucasus that could serve
as levers of influence over the states in the region. Iran prefers,
however, to promote its direct ties with the ruling governments in
the region and primarily activates these other groups as a tool to
coerce policy change in the states or to destabilize governments that
do not conform to Iran’s demands.

Among the three states of the Caucasus, Tehran enjoys its closest
ties and greatest cooperation with Armenia. Iran maintains extensive
trade and its most intensive security cooperation in the region with
Armenia, in spite of the fact that Armenia is embroiled in a conflict
with Shiite-majority Azerbaijan. Iran and Armenia are closely linked
through energy trade and infrastructure, as Tehran supplies natural
gas to Armenia, and Yerevan supplies electricity to Iran, further
cementing long-term cooperation between the states. Iran’s relations
with Georgia during Georgian president Mikhail Saakhashvili’s tenure
were tumultuous due to Tbilisi’s close cooperation with the United
States, including with regard to non-proliferation and other issues
related to Iran. Iran’s relations with Azerbaijan, meanwhile, are the
most convoluted, due to Tehran’s concerns that Azerbaijan could serve
as a source of inspiration or support for Iran’s sizeable ethnic
Azerbaijani minority population and due to the state’s close ties
with the United States.

Iran’s policies toward the region are very instructive to understanding
Tehran’s foreign strategies. In all of the armed conflicts in the
Caucasus and greater Caspian region during the post-Soviet period,
Tehran has declined to support Muslim populations, including in
conflicts where Muslims were pitted against non-Muslim groups, such
as the Chechens in the struggle with Moscow or the Azerbaijanis in
their conflict with Armenia. Despite its rhetoric about solidarity
with Muslims facing oppression, Iran’s actual policies toward the
region show that Tehran puts its regime stability above all else and
subordinates the interests of its fellow Muslims throughout the region
in pursuit of this goal. n1

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tehran has worked to
undermine the stability of the neighboring Republic of Azerbaijan. As
part of its policy to undermine Azerbaijan’s security, Tehran has
supported Armenia in its war against Azerbaijan and engaged in broad
security, military, and economic cooperation with Yerevan since 1992.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war centered over the control of the
region of Nagorno-Karabagh from 1992 to 1994. As a result of the war,
Armenia now occupies 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan (as
legally recognized by the U.S. government) and over a million refugees
were left homeless (including 870,000 Azerbaijani refugees). Armenia
consistently praises Iran’s stance on the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict
and regularly calls for greater Iranian involvement in the peace
negotiations process. n2 During the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
Iran supplied Armenia with fuel and food and allowed the flow of
arms through its territory to Armenia. Without these supplies and the
transit corridor from Iran, Armenia could not have sustained its war
effort and conquered extensive territory from Azerbaijan.

These Iranian supplies were crucial, because the civil war at the
time in neighboring Georgia hindered Russia (Armenia’s main ally)
from providing supplies to Yerevan.

Throughout the post-Soviet period, Iran has shared strong strategic
cooperation and interests with Russia in shaping the strategic outcomes
in the South Caucasus. Both states strive to minimize U.S.

influence and presence in the region. One issue where Moscow and
Tehran’s interests in the region fundamentally diverge, however,
is energy exports. Russia and Iran are natural competitors in the
field of natural gas supply. The Russian Federation is currently the
top producer and exporter of natural gas in the world, producing 24
trillion cubic feet (TCF, 20 percent of world total) and exporting 7
TCF of natural gas each year. Russia holds the largest proven reserves
of natural gas in the world, amounting to an estimated 1,680 TCF.

Iran holds the second-largest proven reserves of natural gas in the
world after Russia, amounting to about 1,046 TCF. It is also the
fifth top producer of natural gas in the world (5.2 TCF per year,
4.4 percent of world total). Yet despite its tremendous reserves,
Iran is a net importer of natural gas. At this stage, Iran exports
only small amounts of natural gas to Turkey and Armenia. However,
Iran is the only country with the potential volumes and location to
pose any major threat to Russia’s dominance in European natural gas
markets. In 2006, Moscow spent a great deal of money in order to buyout
Iran’s potential access to European gas markets through Armenia. n3

Multi-ethnic Iran’s Azerbaijan problem

Iran is a multi-ethnic state, and its domestic security could be
affected by developments in the neighboring Republic of Azerbaijan
and other neighboring states. Half of Iran’s population is comprised
of non-Persian ethnic minorities, with Azerbaijanis being the largest
group, representing close to a third of the total population: n4 The
majority of residents in the northwest provinces of Iran, contiguous
to the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan, are Azerbaijanis. One
reason that Iran supports Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan is
that it prefers Azerbaijan to be embroiled in a conflict and unable to
serve as a source of support for the ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran. In
addition, despite the shared cultural affinities between Azerbaijan and
Iran, Iran determined early after the Soviet breakup that Azerbaijan’s
independence had not created an opportunity for Iranian influence in
the country because of Azerbaijan’s Western orientation.

n5 In addition, Tehran fears that Azerbaijan-a secular, modern,
Shia-majority state that adheres to strict separation of religion
and state-could serve as an alternative model for its own citizens.

Tehran has also sponsored a number of terrorist cells and attempted
terrorist attacks inside Azerbaijan, with targets that included the
u.S. embassy, u.S. ambassador, and local Jewish institutions in Baku.

n6 Due to their long common border and the frequent flow of Iranian
citizens for visits in Azerbaijan, Tehran frequently uses the territory
of Azerbaijan in attempt to carry out attacks on Western, Israeli,
and Jewish targets. In some instances, these terrorist plans have been
conducted in conjunction with members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement.

Tehran also attempts to undermine the Western-oriented and open
society in Azerbaijan. Since Iranian citizens frequently visit their
northern neighbor, Tehran sees Baku’s more open lifestyle as a threat
to its domestic control. Thus, it has sponsored terrorist attempts
on Western-style cultural events held in Baku, such as the 2012
Eurovision contest. Iran also supports radical Islamic movements in
Azerbaijan and frequently attacks the Western mores of President llham
Aliyev and his family members. Iran also sponsors regular television
programming in the Azerbaijani language (Sahar TV) that broadcasts
messages against the Aliyev government in Azerbaijan. Many of these
broadcasts also employ anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Multi-ethnic Iran

* Iran is a multi-ethnic state, and over fifty percent of its
population is non-Persian. Azerbaijanis are the largest ethnic minority
in Iran, comprising over a third of the country’s population.

* Iran’s ethnic minorities are concentrated in its border provinces,
and these groups share cross-border ties with co-ethnics in the
neighboring states of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, and
Turkmenistan.

* Many prominent figures in Iran are ethnic Azerbaijanis, including
Iran’s spiritual leader, Sayyid Ali Khamenei, and the head of Iran’s
opposition Green Movement, Mir Hossein Mousavi.

* Even though Azerbaijanis share the Shiite faith and a long history
of common statehood with Iran’s Persian majority, Tehran does not allow
Azerbaijanis in Iran to operate schools or universities in their native
language or to use the Azerbaijani language in government institutions.

* In addition to shared ethnic and cultural ties, many Azerbaijanis
from both sides of the border share family ties and engage in trade
with each other.

* Among the approximately 25 million ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran,
there is a wide diversity of attitudes toward the Iranian state. Some
Azerbaijanis comprise a core part of Iran’s ruling elite, while others
strive for language and cultural rights. But a growing segment of
Azerbaijanis in Iran, especially young people who openly identify as
Azerbaijanis, oppose Persian-centered rule and struggle against the
ruling regime.

* In some of Iran’s provinces with significant ethnic minority
populations, such as the Kurdish and Baluch provinces, full-scale
insurgencies are taking place and attacks on Iranian soldiers occur
on a regular basis. In the Azerbaijani-populated provinces of Iran,
more sporadic outbreaks against the regime related to tamer issues,
such as environmental questions, are used to mobilize the ethnic
Azerbaijanis to a nationalist agenda.

Prevention of Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons

As states bordering Iran, the states of the South Caucasus playa
crucial role in the efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear
weapons and upholding the sanctions regime. On a number of occasions,
Azerbaijan’s security services have uncovered attempts to transport
materials for Iran’s nuclear program from Russia to Iran. Furthermore,
Baku cooperates with the United States to insure that its banks are
not used to circumvent U.S. sanctions and funnel funds to Iran.

Azerbaijan’s neighbors in the Caucasus-Armenia and Georgia -can also
playa pivotal role in either hampering or aiding Iran’s proliferation
efforts. Despite being one of the top per capita recipients of U.S.

foreign aid, Armenia does not support the sanctions on Iran, and
Armenian citizens and companies have been sanctioned for trading
with Iran on a number of occasions. In November 2012, the Iranian
Minister of Justice Seyed Morteza Bakhtiari praised Armenia in the
Iranian press for not supporting the sanctions on Iran. n7

If there is a military attack on Iran’s nuclear installations,
Azerbaijan could be one of the first targets of Iran’s retaliation.

This is due to Azerbaijan’s close ties with the United States, and
also due to its vulnerability: with the extensive flow of goods and
people across the border between Iran and Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan is
very exposed to a potential Iranian attack.

Ungoverned territories in the South Caucasus-Nagorno-Karabagh, South
Ossetia, and Abkhazia-are particular regions of concern for nuclear
proliferation and the sanctions regime against Iran. Due to the fact
that they are under occupation by states that do not formally take
responsibility for the activity in these regions, their financial
systems and border control mechanisms are poorly developed and not in
line with any international treaties or U.S. sanctions on Iran. The
region’s banks and other financial institutions can be useful for
Iran for circumventing the sanctions regime.

Disinformation campaigns aimed at breaking Baku’s friendly relations
with Israel

Azerbaijan and Israel share extensive cooperation and friendly ties.

Baku is Israel’s number one supplier of oil and according to press
reports, the countries concluded a major arms supply deal in 2008. In
recent years, some have attempted to explain Iran’s antagonism
toward Azerbaijan as a response to Azerbaijan’s close cooperation
with Israel. This is not accurate: Azerbaijan and Israel’s close
security cooperation began around 2008, while Iran has attempted to
destabilize Azerbaijan since its independence in 1991. As mentioned
earlier, the clearest example of Iran’s anti-Azerbaijan policy is
its support for Armenia in the country’s war with Azerbaijan from
1992 to 1994 and in the ongoing stalemate that has followed.

Integration of U.S. policy on Iran and on the South Caucasus

U.S. policy on Iran could benefit from better coordination with its
policies on the South Caucasus. The Obama Administration has imposed
unprecedented sanctions on Iran, which required intensive work with
other nations in the world oil market, so that the potential loss of
some of the Iranian production would not have major impact on oil
prices. The administration should be commended for the sanctions
policy and the meticulous planning and strategic preparation that
accompanied it.

As bordering states to Iran, it is crucial that the three states
of the South Caucasus uphold the sanctions regime and that their
financial institutions are not used to circumvent the sanctions.

Washington should intensify its monitoring of the sanctions
regime in the three states and demand implementation. Furthermore,
the ungoverned territories of the region-Nagorno-Karabagh, South
Ossetia, and Abkhazia-should be monitored especially closely and held
accountable for any use of their territory and financial institutions
to circumvent the Iran sanctions.

Successful resolution of the secessionist conflicts in the South
Caucasus will reduce the region’s vulnerability to coercion from Iran.

Washington should invest efforts in resolution of the conflicts. The
United States should cooperate directly with Russia on resolving
these conflicts since Moscow hold the key levers for resolution and
prevention of resolution of the conflicts in the region. As part of
the conflict-resolution efforts, the U.S. Congress should halt its
annual custom of earmarking funds for the secessionist region of
Nagorno-Karabagh. These allocations are in violation of U.S. law,
since they support settlement activity in occupied territories.

Congressional allocations to Nagorno-Karabagh are equivalent to the
idea of earmarking funds for Israeli settlements in the occupied West
Bank, clearly an action that Congress would not take. However, annually
Congress approves the earmark to the occupied Nagorno-Karabagh.

In the unfolding developments over Iran’s nuclear program, policymakers
should keep in mind this rivalry between Russia and Iran in the sphere
of natural gas supplies. Moscow, while sharing strategic cooperation
with Tehran, encourages the non-resolution of the conflict between
Iran and the West in order to insure that Iran is “in a strategic box”
and that its gas riches cannot be exported to markets in Europe and
compete with the Russian supplies.

The Obama Administration should evaluate the activities of Voice of
America and other media outlets that it funds to see how they can be
best used to voice the concerns of Iran’s ethnic minorities. The United
States should encourage international human rights institutions to
monitor the state of Iran’s ethnic minorities and to study their
grievances against the regime in Iran. Research of trends and
activities of Iran’s ethnic minorities should be integrated into
analytical work on Iran.

n1 For more on the lack of Islamic influence in Iran’s policies in
the Caucasus, see Brenda Shaffer, “The Islamic Republic of Iran:
Is It Really?” in Brenda Shaffer (ed.), The Limits of Culture: Islam
and Foreign Policy (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2006), pp. 219-239.

n2 See, for instance, Tehran Times, “Iran Opposes Any U.S.

Peacekeeping Role for Karabakh,” Radio Free Europe/RadioLiberty,
June 24, 2010 (http://tehrantimesoco mlin dex. ph
plpolitics/2666-iran-says-co nce rne d-ove r -nato-ra dar- system-in-tu
rkeyl.

n3 One of the most evident examples of this policy is the Russian
national gas company Gazprom’s April 2006 purchase of a natural gas
pipeline from Iran to Armenia that was inaugurated in March 2007, and
which might have provided a route from Iran to European gas markets.

In order to block the Armenian route for Iranian gas, Gazprom forced
Armenia to reduce the pipeline’s circumference (from the originally
designed diameter of a major gas export pipeline) to almost half of its
planned size, preventing the opportunity for significant expansion of
the volumes it carries. Armenia also granted Gazprom and its partner
Itera controlling stakes of the segment of the new pipeline that runs
through Armenian territory.

n4 For more on ethnicity in Iran, see Brenda Shaffer, Borders and
Brethren: Iran and the Challenge afAzerbaijani Identity (Cambridge,
MA: MIT Press, 2002).

n5 See, for example, Jomhuri-ye Islami, March 4, 1992,4.

n6 Office of the Coordinator on Counterterrorism, State Department,
Country Reports on Terrorism 2011, Azerbaijan “actively opposed
terrorist organizations seeking to move people, money, and material
through the Caucasus. The government has had some success in
reducing the presence of terrorist facilitators and hampering their
activities.”

n7 FARS News Agency, “Minister Appreciates Armenia for Defending Iran
against Western Sanctions”, November 11, 2012.

Read this original document at:

ARMENIAN CATHOLICOS SENDS CONDOLENCES ON DEATH OF IGNATIOS IV PATRIARCH

news.am
December 07, 2012 | 19:35

On December 7, Garegin II the Catholicos of all Armenians sent a letter
of condolences to the Holy Synod of Antioch Greek Orthodox Church,
to the spiritual theme, and the religious people on the death of
Ignatios IV Patriarch.

The information center of Holy See informed that the condolence letter
particularly said:

“His Holiness bravely served the church of Syria throughout his whole
life and became an example of leadership during the Middle East crisis.

We pray to God to accept the Patriarch’s spirit to his kingdom and
also ask Him to bring peace to people of Syria.”

REP. SHERMAN: WE MUST HOLD AZERBAIJAN ACCOUNTABLE FOR INJUSTICE

December 7, 2012 – 10:48 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Congressman Brad Sherman was presented the Mkhitar
Gosh medal at a Congressional celebration of the 21st anniversary of
the independence of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh held on Dec 5.

Earlier this year, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan awarded
the Mkhitar Gosh Medal to Mr. Sherman for his efforts to enhance
U.S.-Armenian relations and to achieve international recognition of
the Armenian Genocide.

Sherman, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
has been leading efforts since 1997 to provide U.S. aid to the people
of Artsakh.

In his remarks during the celebration, Congressman Sherman said:
“Today we celebrate Artsakh’s freedom and independence. Artsakh
continues to strengthen its democracy and held its fifth presidential
election this year. The election in July 2012 was monitored and deemed
free and fair by international observers.

“Despite Azerbaijan’s deeply unjust blockade and a devastating war
in from 1991 to 1994, Artsakh continues to solidify its democracy
and improve its economy. Nagorno Karabakh has been successful in its
transition from a state-run economy to a market economy, which helped
achieve steady economic growth.

“I was the first member of Congress to introduce legislation for
direct aid to Nagorno-Karabakh. In 1997, I introduced an amendment
during the House International Relations Committee’s consideration of
a foreign aid authorization bill for fiscal year 1998 for direct U.S.

humanitarian aid to Nagorno Karabakh. While this amendment did not
pass, it accelerated the movement for direct U.S. aid to Artsakh.

“In September 2012, I backed Nagorno Karabakh’s efforts to reopen
the airport in Stepanakert. The opening has been delayed several times.

Unfortunately, officials in Baku have threatened to shoot down civilian
planes traveling to Stepanakert. It is time for that airport to open.

“I condemn Baku’s pardoning and freeing of an Azeri axe-murderer,
Ramil Safarov , who was imprisoned in Hungary for killing an innocent
Armenian officer in his sleep in Budapest. We must hold Azerbaijan
accountable for this grave injustice.”

AMERIA GROUP TO KICK OFF CHRISTMAS CHARITY AUCTION FOR SICK CHILDREN

YEREVAN, December 7. /ARKA/. Ameria group is about to kick off its
traditional Christmas charity auction on December 11, Ameriabank
Development director Tigran Jrbashyan told reports on Friday.

According to him, the collected funds will be donated to helping
children with oncological, hematologic diseases and idiopathic
arthritis.

“The event will be held under “Let’s paint the dreams of our children”
motto. The donated funds will be used for the treatment of the 15
children registered in “Gift of Life,” “Ya pomogu” ( I will help) and
“Children without pain” funds’ database. These are the children with
serious diseases whose parents cannot afford paying for the treatment,”
he said.

Jrbashyan said the first charity auction held in 2010 collected 19
million drams helping 10 children. Two of them were sent abroad for
treatment, and the rest received chemotherapy in Armenia.

“As a result, six children were cured, one kid continues receiving
treatment in Hematology institute. Unfortunately, we failed to save
the lives of the two kids. In 2011 we donated nearly 21 million drams
helping 16 kids. As a result, we saved the lives of two of them,”
he added.

The public is encouraged to donate money to 1570036910764400 charity
account within the frames of the auction, he noted.

Armine Antikyan, a director of Antikyan gallery, said the auction
will be held in association with the gallery. Famous Armenian artists
accepted with enthusiasm the invitation to participate in the auction
and donated their works to the gallery. These works will be auctioned.

The works of the following masters will be exhibited: Teni Vardanyan,
Marina Dilanyan, Arshak Sargsyan, Stepan Veranyan, Samvel Saghatelyan,
Ara Alekyan, Spartak Gevorgyan, Zuleyka Bashbeuk-Melikyan, Armen
Gevorgyan, Sahak Poghosyan, Ararat Sargsyan, Samvel Chibukhchyan,
Anatoly Papanyan, Sargis Amalbashyan, Vahagn Amalbashyan, Levon
Azatyan, Nora Badalyan, Seryozha Vardanyan, Rafael Megall.

Ameria group is one of the fastest-developing investment-banking
groups in Armenia. It provides financial services.

Founded in 1998 Ameria is a leading consulting company on Armenian
consulting services market.

It offers professional management, financial and legal consulting. The
company is a financial, legal and strategic advisor and a partner
to clients in public and private sectors as well as to international
organizations in Armenia and the South Caucasus. -0-

OSKANIAN: IT WAS A NECESSARY VISIT

Story from Lragir.am News:

16:04 07/12/2012

After returning from Brussels, member of the PAP delegation Vartan
Oskanian posted his impressions on his Facebook page. He described
the visit as a necessary one.

According to him, it was necessary that the PAP, as an influential
force in Armenia, presented its opinions on the country’s present
and future.

Second, it was important that the European Union, as one of the most
important partners of Armenia, perceived PAP as a reliable partner.

Third, it was necessary to dispel the misunderstanding that the PAP
is a strongly biased force which does not support European values.

Vartan Oskanian says that the visit was effective. The European
side was interested in the essence of Prosperous Armenia party,
its plans for the future of the country. Besides the Europeans
were interested to know what responsibility the PAP is ready to get
through the negotiations on the EU-Armenia Association and the Deep
and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements.

Prosperous Armenia was interested in a sincere and objective assessment
of the European Union to the processes in Armenia, the ongoing reforms.

According to Vartan Oskanian, both sides received answers to their
questions.

WIDESPREAD CORRUPTION RISKS AT ARMENIA’S MEDICAL AND SOCIAL EXPERTISE COMMISSIONS – PREMIER

NEWS.AM
December 06, 2012 | 15:17

YEREVAN. – Inspections and in-depth studies were conducted at Armenia’s
medical and social expertise commissions, Labor and Social Affairs
Minister Artem Asatryan stated during Thursday’s Cabinet session.

As a result, the Medical and Social Expertise Agency Director and six
expertise commission chiefs are dismissed. Also, several employees
working in this sector were relieved of their duties in line with
their respective letters of resignation.

To note, these commissions determine the disability categories of
the citizens of Armenia.

Also, Asatryan submitted for the Government’s approval four draft
decisions that aim to regulate the activities of these commissions.

“Studies show that the corruption risks are widespread in this system,”
PM Tigran Sargsyan noted, in his turn.

RUSSIA HAS NO LEVERAGE TO PRESS TURKEY ON SYRIA

NEWS.AM
December 07, 2012 | 15:29

YEREVAN.- Russia will hardly be able to influence Turkey on Syrian
issue, Armenian political analyst Alexander Iskandaryan said.

Vladimir Putin, most likely, voiced Russia’s position on Syria
during his recent visit to Turkey but they would hardly listen,
Iskandaryan belives.

“Turkey’s risky policy ‘zero problems with neighbors’ brought the
country to ‘zero neighbors without problems’. However, Russia has
not that much instruments to press Turkey,” said Iskandaryan, head
of the Caucasus Institute.

The situation in Syria can be characterized as a deadlock, as the
opposition does not have enough opportunities and resources to seize
power. Bashar Assad has resources to finally suppress and press
opposition out of the country. The dangerous balance can be violated,
for instance by Washington, but no one takes the courage of making
any steps, he emphasized.

ARMENIA IS UNANIMOUS WITH THE CO-CHAIR COUNTRIES IN ACHIEVING A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

15:19 07.12.2012

Statement by H.E. Mr. Edward Nalbandian at the 19th Meeting of the
OSCE Ministerial Council

Mr. Chairman,

Dear Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to convey my gratitude to the Chairman-in-Office,
Eamon Gilmore and his team for the significant contribution to the
activities of the Organization throughout the year, as well as to
commend the Irish Government for the warm hospitality and excellent
organization of this Ministerial meeting.

Thanks to the efforts of the Irish Chairmanship and the constructive
stance of many delegations a number of important initiatives have
been introduced.

I would like especially to mention the Irish Chairmanship’s “Helsinki +
40” initiative which is aimed at the realization of a vision of free,
democratic, common and indivisible security community envisaged in
the Astana Commemorative Declaration.

Mr. Chairman,

In the political-military dimension of our cooperation confidence
and security building measures as well as arms control remain key
priorities for the OSCE. We welcome the proposal of Vienna Document
Plus Decision on Prior Notification of Major Military Activities and
further modernization of this document.

We welcomed the priority of the Irish Chairmanship on Good Governance.

It is our priority as well. In cooperation with the OSCE Office in
Yerevan the Government of Armenia has been implementing a project
aimed at promotion of good governance through the rapid regulatory
simplification mechanism, also known as a “regulatory guillotine”.

Together with other measures undertaken by our government, it has
had a positive impact: according to the World Bank rating on “Doing
Business”, Armenia has significantly improved its position by rising
from 50th to the 32nd place.

Mr. Chairman,

The Government of Armenia is implementing a wide package of reforms to
further consolidate the democratic institutions, strengthen the rule
of law, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms,
improve electoral procedures and relevant legislation, strengthen
independent judicial system and expand the role of civil society.

Armenian Parliamentary elections of May 2012 were assessed by ODIHR
to be in compliance with OSCE commitments, and other international
standards for democratic elections. Armenia continues to cooperate
with ODIHR to implement recommendations of its elections’ observation
mission. We are determined to capitalize on this achievement to
hold the Presidential elections of 2013 in line with the highest
democratic standards.

Mr. Chairman,

Strengthening efforts to combat racism and xenophobia remains high on
the agenda of OSCE. Many international organizations on human rights
alerted about flagrant cases of racism, intolerance and violations of
human rights in Azerbaijan, on the policy of hatred against Armenians.

Azerbaijan is not only ignoring the expectations of the international
community, but is constantly making new steps going against the values
of civilized world. The latest such case is the Azeri government’s
release and glorification of the murderer Safarov, who had slaughtered
with an axe Armenian officer in his sleep, during a NATO program in
Budapest simply because he was Armenian. The Azerbaijani leadership
made him a symbol of national pride and an example to follow by youth.

The world reaction was unanimous in condemning what was done by Baku,
which has seriously undermined the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation
process and endangered the fragile regional stability.

Azerbaijan poses a threat to the security of the region by constantly
menacing to use force against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia along with
daily war-mongering, by rejecting the proposals on the consolidation
of the ceasefire, by systematic provocations and ceasefire violations,
by ceaseless acts of vandalism towards the Armenian historical and
cultural heritage.

Azerbaijani authorities are notorious for violations of fundamental
freedoms in their own country, and are now trying to spread this
behavior onto others. Their approach is – if a state is not recognized,
then the people living there should be deprived of the human rights
and fundamental freedoms. According to this logic, the people in the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic should not exercise the right to freedom
of movement, be cured, get education, use drinking water and even
give birth.

Armenia highly appreciates the efforts of the heads of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chair states, aimed at the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Latest statement adopted in Los Cabos in June of this year by
Presidents Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama and Francois Hollande, is the
fourth one made by the heads of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries
on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. It is clear to whom they address the
main messages. Armenia is unanimous with the Co-Chair countries in
achieving exclusively peaceful settlement of the conflict. As the
Co-Chair countries, we have many times urged to respect the ceasefire
agreement of May 1994 and to abstain from hostile rhetoric, which
fosters feelings of enmity and increases tension.

As the United States, Russia and France, we also regret that in
spite of the call in the joint statement of Deauville of May 2011
breakthrough was not achieved at the Kazan Summit in June 2011,
and it was because of the non-constructive position of Azerbaijan.

Despite the intensive efforts of the three Co-Chair countries
during the last 4 years: 15 summits, several dozens of meetings on
ministerial level, several dozens of visits of the three Co-Chairs
to the region, it has been impossible to reach a breakthrough in the
conflict resolution, because the Azerbaijani side rejected one after
another all proposals presented by the mediators.

Mr. Chairman,

While Armenia values the three Co-Chairs’ efforts for the continuation
of the negotiating process and preservation of peace, we witness
continuous Azerbaijani campaign against the Minsk Group Co-Chairs
which have the mandate of OSCE as the only negotiating format for
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Azerbaijani
officials are trying to take the negotiation process out of this
format, to replace the mediators, to denigrate Co-Chairs’ efforts to
find a negotiated solution.

The Azerbaijani side is also continuously assaulting the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, in spite of his and
his team’s efforts to not allow the escalation of the situation on
the ground.

It has become habitual for Azerbaijan to backtrack even on agreements
to which it had previously consented to. Despite the agreement on
the creation of a mechanism to investigate the ceasefire violations,
as you know, Azerbaijan did everything to prevent its creation,
even threatening to veto the entire OSCE budget.

This was the case again after the Sochi Summit of January of this
year. Despite the reached agreement to accelerate accord on the Basic
Principles for a Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, confirmed
by Los Cabos Statement, Azerbaijan by its maximalist approaches is
seeking one sided advantage in the negotiating process and is doing
everything possible to neglect, even to reject this agreement.

Regardless of Azerbaijan’s destructive stance, Armenia will continue
its efforts towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
exclusively through peaceful means and on the basis of the purposes,
principles and norms reflected in the UN Charter and the provisions
of L’Aquila, Muskoka, Deauville and Los Cabos statements of the three
Co-Chair countries’ Presidents.

Mr. Chairman,

To conclude, I would like to congratulate Mongolia for its accession
to the OSCE and express Armenia’s support to the incoming Ukrainian
Chairmanship. Thank you.

COMMEMORATION CEREMONY FOR FLORA MARTIROSYAN HELD IN LOS ANGELES
Lilit Sedrakyan

“Radiolur”
15:07 07.12.2012
Los Angeles

A commemoration ceremony for Flora Martirosyan was organized at
the St. Ghevond Mother Temple of Los Angeles. Hundreds of American
Armenians gathered at the Temple to bid last farewell to the beloved
singer.

Also in attendance were her colleagues, friends, fans, who had come
to extend their condolences to Flora Martirosyan’s spouse and children.

US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern also participated in the
ceremony. “My wife and I are in Los Angeles today, and we were honored
and moved to be part of the ceremony for Flora Martirosyan, which is
so important to the Armenian people,” the Ambassador said.

On behalf of the American Embassy and the American people John Heffern
offered condolences to her family and to the Armenian people for
their loss.

Flora Martirosyan’s body will be brought to Armenia on December 10.

The funeral will take place at Aram Khachatryan concert hall on
December 11. On the same day she will be laid to rest in Yerevan’s
Pantheon.

EDWARD NALBANDIAN: ARMENIA STANDS FOR HARMONIZATION OF INTEGRATION PROCESSES, NOT THEIR CONTRADICTION

armradio.am
14:45 06.12.2012

Armenia will continue its efforts towards reinforcement of the
Commonwealth of Independent States as a structure for all-inclusive
cooperation on a wide range of issue,” Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian said in a interview with Interfax.

Edward Nalbandian said “Armenia stands for harmonization of integration
processes, not their contradiction.” “We have never declared we prefer
the Euro-Atlantic cooperation to all others,” the Minister said.

“We have allied strategic relations with Armenia. We are linked by
deep ties, which forms the solid ground, on which we can add new
stones into our strong allied relations, which have withstood the
test of time,” the Minister said.

“As for the CIS, Armenia is not only a founder, but also one of
the active members of the Commonwealth. Our country is one of the
leaders as regards the number of signed adopted documents within the
framework of the CIS. Armenia was one of the first to ratify the Free
Trade Zone Agreement,” Edward Nalbandian added.

The Minister underlined that “Armenia is successfully developing its
relations with the European Union.” “We have completed the preparation
of the Association Agreement and are negotiating the creation of a
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area.”

“Armenia is conducting an open and predictable policy. We are
determined to further deepen our allied relations and develop
partnership with all counties willing to develop cooperation on a
mutually beneficial ground for the sake of the country’s maximal
involvement in international and regional formats,” the Armenian
Foreign Minister said.

“The dialogue between different integration structures can contribute
to the formation of a common space without any dividing lines for
the benefit of all states and their harmonious development,” Edward
Nalbandian concluded.