The Struggle for Caucasia

[Armenian]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

For us Armos, this is what it's all about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AoVTU80Ycc

[ArmSurvival]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

While most Armenians completely support the alliance with Russia, whats the limit of friendship that we should show them? Russia owns about 80% of Armenia's energy infrastructure and many of the profitable industries such as gold mining (especially with gold prices at record highs). Some would argue that the gold industry, other industries, and energy infrastructure that we handed to the Russians would have easily paid off the debt which Russia shaved off in exchange for ownership of said industries. Now I know Armenia is obviously in no position to call the shots with Moscow, but could we have made (or can make in the future) better financial decisions? Or is the course we are currently on the best we could have done in the given circumstances (i.e. would Armenian ownership of those industries be impractical, too expensive or burdensome to the point where we wouldn't be able to pay off our debt as effectively)? Armenian, I would like to hear your thoughts on that, if you would be so kind.

[Armenian]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

While most Armenians completely support the alliance with Russia, whats the limit of friendship that we should show them?...

Your questions/concerns are valid. I am glad you have the depth to come to these realizations. Many of our compatriots don't comprehend these nuances in geopolitics. I have answered your questions in detail in the Russian thread: http://forum.armenianclub.com/showth...318#post186318

[crusader1492]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

The current state of Azerbaijian (al Jazera report 1/26/08). Does this look like a state where the people will fight a war for the Aliyev regime?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yEHryA7x9cg

...and these people contend that they are viable candidates for the 2016 olympics.

[skhara]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

Turkish aid to Azerbaijan.

Could you guys post some articles outlining Turkish aid to Azerbaijan during the war?

Armenian, I remember you posting something elsewhere a long time ago which outlined something along the lines of Turkey buying up Warsaw pact weapons for Azerbaijan and army generals taking early retirement. If you still have the article, or know where to find it -- please post it here.

Any other articles would be helpful as well.

[skhara]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

Lets keep struggling for Caucasia:



Western Secret Services Plotted Chechnya’s Separation

http://www.kommersant.com/p-12402/Chechnya_separation/

The western secret services plotted in 1990s Chechnya’s separation from Russia. Ichkeria’s passports were printed in France and the weapons were delivered to Chechnya via Georgia, according to The Caucasus Plan documentary that Russia’s First Channel showed late Tuesday.
One of protagonists of the film is Abubakar, Turkey’s resident of Chechnya’s origin, who has been living under the assumed name of Berkan Yashar for 40 years. Yashar said he got that name after inking a contract with the U.S. Department of State.

In the documentary, Yashar narrated how he had been building up a political platform for Chechnya’s separation in early 1990s. The project was funded by different states. The passports for unrecognized Ichkeria were printed in France, the money was minted in Germany, Yashar said.

Then Chechnya’s President Johar Dudaev appointed Yashar deputy foreign minister in 1992. Yashar simultaneously held different offices in Turkish government. He was the so-called power behind the throne in 1990s in Chechnya, controlling all more or less significant financial transactions of the North Caucasus militants, the filmmakers said.

He was one of the masterminds of the diamond trafficking operation. Rough diamonds from northern Russia were illegally exported by using the charter flights. Representatives of Turkey and officials of Azerbaijan's government were involved in negotiations aimed at arranging the flights. The profit was spent to buy mines to explode combat vehicles, Abubakar told the camera crew.

Theoretically, the aircraft flights were banned from Grozny, but the airport got the permission somehow. The plane first flew to Baku, Azerbaijan, and then to Turkey as an Azeri airliner. But that channel was closed in a few years and they had to establish a new link, via Georgia, through Pankiss Gorge, Yashar said.

Boris Berezovsky took over the diamond business in part and in whole, according to Yashar.

I knew practically nothing about that man, who later on has completely grabbed that business and is in it, I’m sure at 100 percent, up to today, Yashar said.

[skhara]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

Georgia Assured Of U.S. Support In Rift With Russia

http://www.rttnews.com/FOREX/gblnews.asp?date=04/23/2008&item=23

4/23/2008 3:58:05 PM On Wednesday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced that the U.S. would stand firm on Georgia's side in the rift with Russia over it's plans to strengthen ties with Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Talking to reporters ahead of her meeting with visiting Georgian Foreign Minister Davit Bakradze, Rice said the United States is firmly committed to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia.

Rice called on the Kremlin to repeal Russian President Vladimir Putin's April 16th order to strengthen ties with the separatist regions. Rice said she has raised the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov twice in the past week.

Rice also assured Washington's support for Georgia's efforts to earn membership in NATO. “There should be no question about Georgia's integrity and its full incorporation into the international community,” Rice said.

Bakradze thanked the U.S. government for “such a clear and unconditional support,” and said that it would help the country overcome the “potentially very dangerous and provocative” Russian policies.

[skhara]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

Georgia President Criticizes Russia Over Downed Spy Plane Incident

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20080423\ACQDJON200804231554DOWJONESDJONLINE001002.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=Georgia%20President%20Criticizes%20Russia%20Over%20Downed%20Spy%20Plane%20Incident

TBILISI, Georgia (AP)--Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili lashed out at Russia Wednesday, accusing it of encroaching on Georgian territory, hours before an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting about the two countries' relations.

Long-simmering tensions between Georgia and Russia intensified this week after Georgia said a Russian fighter jet shot down an unmanned spy plane that was flying over the breakaway region of Abkhazia.

Russia, which has supported Abkhazia and another region, South Ossetia, denied any involvement and said Georgia's use of the spy planes violates U.N. resolutions.

In his televised address, Saakashvili called on Georgians to show fortitude as Russia "encroaches on Georgia's territorial integrity."

"All my strength has been put toward our main goal - the restoration of territorial integrity and guaranteeing a peaceful life and development for our citizens, including our Abkhazian and South Ossetian citizens. To achieve this goal, we have put forth much effort toward improving relations with Russia," he said.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia have had de-facto independence since breaking away from central government control during wars in the 1990s. Both have had support from Russia, which has granted their residents passports and encouraged use of the ruble as the currency.

Russia recently lifted trade restrictions on doing business with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and moved to increase cooperation with the two regions' governments - moves that have incensed Georgia.

Saakashvili again demanded that Russia rescind those decisions.

"We will not allow anyone to tear from us constituent parts of our nation," he said.

Defense Minister David Kezerashvili, meanwhile, insisted that the jet that brought down the Hermes spy plane on Sunday was a Russian MiG jet that took off from a former Russian base in Abkhazia and flew into Russian airspace after firing its missile.

Georgia has circulated a video taken by the spy plane before it was shot down. The video appears to refute assertions by Abakhzian defense officials that one of their jets shot the spy plane down.

"This jet has twin-tailed marking, the Abkhazian side does not posses this type, so it could be only Russian and by no means it belongs to any other country," Saakashvili said in televised comments. "Russians can continue denying it, but it was theirs and we have not received any information from them proving that they have not done it."

Georgia's foreign minister, David Bakradze, traveled to Washington for meetings with U.S. officials as part of Georgia's efforts to garner international support.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Bakradze the U.S. is committed to Georgia's sovereignty, and she urged Georgia and Russia to settle their differences.

"There should be no question as to Georgia's integrity," Rice said.

It was unclear whether U.S. President George W. Bush's administration would step up its criticism of Russia at a time of rising tensions with Moscow over U.S. missile defense plans in Europe, as well as Western recognition of Kosovo's independence.

The U.S. also is seeking greater cooperation from Moscow on pressuring Iran to halt its nuclear program.

[skhara]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

http://english.pravda.ru/world/americas/23-04-2008/104984-us_plans_capture_caucasus-0

Russian Channel 1 presents a documentary ‘Plan Caucasus’ about the plan of western intelligence service to make Caucasus the battlefield between the Western world and Russia.

The reporter states that the first point was the ignition of Nagorny Karabakh conflict and then in other places of Caucasus via the nationalistic moods strengthening.

A Chechen man Abu Bakar, a news analyst of the German radio station «Freedom” in the 60s, who worked under the pseudonym Berkan Yashar, reveals the secret plans of the US Foggy Bottom. Baker was enrolled by the USA, and even after he left ‘Freedom’ and headed for Turkey, where he became a powerful authority, Abu remained a “grey eminence”, through whom the West controlled the situation in Caucasus and financed separatists’ tribes.

He said that the plan of Chechnya annexation was backed by Germany, France, Great Britain, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. His words were proved with pictures of money, printed in Germany that might still be in the Munich factory, and fake passports, printed in France.

His words are confirmed by some other people. Thus, Shamseddin Yusef, the Foreign Secretary in Dudaev’s government, says: “CIA people even took us to London. Then the war in Iraq started. They planned to take over Chechnya after the victory in Iraq, but that war didn’t finish as soon as they predicted.

Neither does Richard Perl, the ex- US Ministry of Defense counselor and one of the key strategists of the war in Iraq, conceal the fact that America tried to give spiritual and financial support to Dudaev.

The reporter also states, that Western powers pursued in Caucasus not only political, but financial interest as well. Since 1992 with Jokhar Dudaev’s help there operated a contraband canal that exported to the West Russian diamonds and gold. For the right to drive it through Chechnya Dubaev got a quarter of the profit received from diamonds’ gem-cutting and selling.

After the airport in Groznyy was shut in 1994, Berkan changed the scheme of diamonds transportation and started to put them across Pankiyskoe clove to Turkey.

Akhmed, one of Dudaev’s mates, states that the bloody story of Chechen diamonds goes on even now. The money, saved between the First and Second Chechen Wars, was put in the diamond mines of Africa.

The input of money into these mines gives enormous profits to Akhmed Zakaev and Whice Akhmadov, the man, whose name was mentioned in relation to Badri Patarkacishvili’s death.

[oslonor]

Re: The Struggle for Caucasia

http://english.pravda.ru/world/ameri...ure_caucasus-0

Russian Channel 1 presents a documentary ‘Plan Caucasus’ about the plan of western intelligence service to make Caucasus the battlefield between the Western world and Russia.

Very good article. What do you think is the role of Iran in this???