The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

[Illuminator]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

PRESS-RELEASE

18 de Fevereiro de 2008, Lisboa

Statement by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Kosovo

On February 17, Kosovo’s Provisional Institutions of Self-Government declared a unilateral proclamation of independence of the province, thus violating the sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia, the Charter of the United Nations, UNSCR 1244, the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, Kosovo’s Constitutional Framework and the high-level Contact Group accords. Russia fully supports the reaction of the Serbian leadership to the events in Kosovo and its just demands to restore the territorial integrity of the country.

We expect the UN Mission in Kosovo and NATO-led Kosovo Force will take immediate action to fulfill their mandates as authorized by the Security Council, including voiding the decisions of Pristina's self-governing institutions and adopting severe administrative measures against them. Russia calls for the immediate convocation of an emergency UN Security Council meeting to examine the situation and take resolute and effective measures for a return to the political settlement process in accordance with the provisions of UNSCR 1244.

It is impossible not to be aware that the decisions by the Kosovo leadership create the risk of an escalation of tension and inter-ethnic violence in the province and of new conflict in the Balkans. The international community should respond responsibly to this challenge. Those who are considering supporting separatism should understand what dangerous consequences their actions threaten to have for world order, international stability and the authority of the UN Security Council's decisions that took decades to build.

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Russia to explore for oil, gas in Iran

The Islamic Republic may cooperate with Russia's energy giant Gazprom in oil and gas exploration activities in Iran, news reports say. Iranian Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari and Russian energy giant Gazprom Chief Executive Officer Alexei Miller discussed the issue in Tehran on Tuesday, Shana news agency reported. The two officials discussed cooperation in Caspian Sea oil and gas projects and forming a joint venture to construct an oil refinery in Armenia. Miller also voiced interest in developing Iran's North Pars and South Pars gas fields. Nozari had announced in mid-January that Gazprom would submit its proposals on Iran's oil and gas projects by March 2008.

Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id...onid=351020103

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

US warns Russia not to encourage Georgian separatists

The United States warned Russia on Tuesday not to encourage separatists in the Republic of Georgia by comparing their cause to Kosovo's. On Monday, the United States, Australia and the European Union's biggest powers backed Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia. Russia strongly opposes recognition of the breakaway Serbian province's claimed status. Russian officials hinted last week that if Kosovo should declare independence, Russia might retaliate by recognizing the independence claims of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Those two Russian-supported regions are provinces of Georgia. The United States has said that Kosovo's situation is unique and should set no precedent. On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack repeated U.S. support for Georgia's territorial integrity. "The Russians will say what they believe is in their interest," he said. "We think it is in the interest not only of the region of the South Caucasus, but in the Balkans, to encourage dialogue, to encourage greater stability, to encourage a dialogue among parties that helps parties work through differences in a peaceful way."

Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...ia-Georgia.php

[Azad]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

The United States has said that Kosovo's situation is unique and should set no precedent.

What makes it "UNIQUE"? It is full of turkified leftovers?
Despicable reasoning. As unfortunate it is to our Serbian Brothers, it works for our Armeno-Russian advantage.

[Merv]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

This is my favorite part:

On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack repeated U.S. support for Georgia's territorial integrity. "The Russians will say what they believe is in their interest," he said. "We think it is in the interest not only of the region of the South Caucasus, but in the Balkans, to encourage dialogue, to encourage greater stability, to encourage a dialogue among parties that helps parties work through differences in a peaceful way."

Only Westerners could come up with such hypocritical BS.

[Merv]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

What makes it "UNIQUE"? It is full of turkified leftovers?
Despicable reasoning. As unfortunate it is to our Serbian Brothers, it works for our Armeno-Russian advantage.

I agree. I feel like Russia is very displeased but will full capitalize on this debacle and the West won't even know what hit them. Transnistria, Abkhazia, and Ossetia, here we come!

What really gets my goat about this is how undeserving these Albanians are in comparison to so many other peoples. We have the Basques, who have inhabited the Pyrenees since pre-Indo-European times. We have Artsakh, which Armenians have been living in for thousands of years and which Stalin just gave to the Turks. We have Corsicans and Brittany who have nothing to do with the French. We have Wales and Scotland and N. Ireland, all ancient Celtic states that preceded the Anglo-Saxon invasion by centuries. And there are countless others (Ainu of Japan?). And all these people, who are truly civilized, can't get independence no matter how just their cause.

And on the other hand we have Turkish-collaborating Albanians infiltrate the province starting in the 1500s, wage terror for 400 years, then help the Germans in WWI and Nazis in WWII and basically wipe out everything non-Albanian (not just Serbs, but other groups too). They trade narcotics and sex-slaves from eastern Europe into the western Europe. They still practice blood-feud/vendetta based on a medieval code they call the Kanun of Leke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanuni_...%AB_Dukagjinit), they sell their daughters into marriage (bride price), and they live in clans. They even sell their children to childless Italian couples in exchange for color TV sets! http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/9-29-2003-45984.asp And these people are suddenly deserving of independence!

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I don't understand the indignation, or surprise for that matter, being expressed here. Albanians/Bosnian Muslims/Turks sound like the 'perfect group of people' to use as a balancing power against the region's Orthodox Slavs. Had I been a representatives of the Western political elite, I would resort to the same tactics. The point is, this is simply geopolitics, and a means to safeguard the West's wealth and power, one that has taken centuries to accumulate. When we, the public, for once realize that concepts such as justice, religion, race, morality, law, democracy, human rights, etc, have absolutely 'nothing' to do with politics, we can then better prepare ourselves for these types of developments. Sadly, the vast majority of the people on earth, even the brightest amongst us, do not comprehend the true nature of politics. This gives the elite, the tiny minority that run the economic-political show on earth, the mandate to more-or-less do as they please. Thus, in final analysis, it is our fault. They can only do what we allow them to do.

And on the other hand we have Turkish-collaborating Albanians infiltrate the province starting in the 1500s, wage terror for 400 years, then help the Germans in WWI and Nazis in WWII and basically wipe out everything non-Albanian (not just Serbs, but other groups too). They trade narcotics and sex-slaves from eastern Europe into the western Europe. They still practice blood-feud/vendetta based on a medieval code they call the Kanun of Leke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanuni_...%AB_Dukagjinit), they sell their daughters into marriage (bride price), and they live in clans. They even sell their children to childless Italian couples in exchange for color TV sets! http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/9-29-2003-45984.asp And these people are suddenly deserving of independence!

What makes it "UNIQUE"? It is full of turkified leftovers?
Despicable reasoning. As unfortunate it is to our Serbian Brothers, it works for our Armeno-Russian advantage.

[Merv]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

I don't understand the indignation, or surprise for that matter, being expressed here. Albanians/Bosnian Muslims/Turks sound like the 'perfect group of people' to use as a balancing power against the region's Orthodox Slavs. Had I been a representatives of the Western political elite, I would resort to the same tactics. The point is, this is simply geopolitics, and a means to safeguard the West's wealth and power, one that has taken centuries to accumulate. When we, the public, for once realize that concepts such as justice, religion, race, morality, law, democracy, human rights, etc, have absolutely 'nothing' to do with politics, we can then better prepare ourselves for these types of developments. Sadly, the vast majority of the people on earth, even the brightest amongst us, do not comprehend the true nature of politics. This gives the elite, the tiny minority that run the economic-political show on earth, the mandate to more-or-less do as they please. Thus, in final analysis, it is our fault. They can only do what we allow them to do.

Of course, you're right that it's just a matter of economics and military power/potential. Russia and China are currently using largely economics to amass power (and more wealth). The US is dissipating wealth to finance wars which will (they hope) bring them more wealth and influence, although they made a very bad miscalculation in Iraq; their plans in Central Asia have also been foiled. It's hard for me not to get emotional about things, but I realize what this is all about.

Speaking of the major power players, I was wondering what you think of the EU/Germany in all this? It seems the US steamrolled the EU with this UDI. Maybe the EU is weaker than was previously thought. Then again, for all we know, it could be that the EU is slinking in the shadow of a brash US, waiting for the US to do the dirty work.

[Illuminator]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations







Serb troops enter Kosovo

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/200...0/kosovo.serbia

[Armenian]

Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

Angry Serbs Burn Border Posts in Kosovo

Rioting breaks out on Kosovo-Serbia border: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jV_LnXaQ8A

Serbs set fire to two United Nations border posts in the north of Kosovo on Tuesday, forcing NATO troops to intervene and fanning fears that the Serbian-dominated north could boil over into violence and lead to the partition of the newborn country. In Jarnije and Banja, some 18 miles north of Mitrovica, the police said several hundred Serbian men, some of them wearing ski masks, had used plastic explosives and bulldozers to attack the two border checkpoints. They vandalized and set fire to passport control booths, the police said. No one was injured. The police said that they were stopping buses in Kosovo and that weapons had been confiscated. “This seems to have been an organized operation,” said Capt. Veton Elshani, a spokesman for the Kosovo police. “This is an expected aftershock after independence.”

Serbs in the area said the attacks appeared to have been set off by rumors that Kosovo’s new flag was about to be raised at the posts. NATO troops later closed roads leading to the checkpoints, cutting off the only link between northern Kosovo and Serbia. The police said 700 to 1,000 Serbs had traveled from Serbia to Mitrovica in northern Kosovo on Tuesday, and NATO troops had closed the roads to prevent more militants from entering and taking up arms. Fears were growing Tuesday night that Serbia could send police officers to the north of Kosovo and seek a partition of the territory. In a sign that Serbia was seeking to entrench its authority in the north of Kosovo, the Serbian government minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, said the attacks were “in accordance with the general government policies,” The Associated Press reported.

“Belgrade has the intention to take over the customs in northern Kosovo,” Mr. Samardzic told the private television station B92. He said the customs points had been intended to become part of Kosovo’s state border, “and we are not going to let that happen.” The Serb-dominated northern part of Kosovo already has parallel institutional structures, and a majority of Serbs there do not recognize the authority of the Kosovo government. Thousands of Serbs chanting “Kosovo is Serbia” marched to a bridge dividing them from ethnic Albanians in Mitrovica, long a flash point for violence here. The ability of NATO’s 16,000 peacekeepers to maintain peace could help determine whether Kosovo will break apart. The violence — the worst since Kosovo’s independence was declared Sunday — occurred as Javier Solana, the European Union foreign affairs chief, arrived in Pristina, Kosovo’s capital. Mr. Solana made the trip to congratulate Kosovo’s ethnic-Albanian leaders on independence and to assure them that the planned European Union police and judicial mission was on track.

Serbia, backed by Moscow, has vehemently refused to recognize the mission, arguing that it was an infringement on its territorial sovereignty. The Russian foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, spoke by telephone on Monday with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the ministry said in a statement. During the call, Mr. Lavrov warned of “dangerous consequences” that “could destroy the principles of world order and the international stability that have been established for decades,” the statement said. Serbia was equally emphatic that it would never recognize Kosovo. “History will judge those who have chosen to xxxxxle the bedrock of the international system and on the principles upon which security and cooperation in Europe have been established,” said Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/wo...html?ref=world