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The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations
Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations
Originally posted by meline
How do you view Kazahstan's and Uzbekistan's policy in terms of strategic alliances, as compared to that of Russia? (North Pole, I would really like to hear your opinion as well). .
Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations
The guy (Medvedev) sounds just as harsh and cutting as his predecessor, Putin. I'm begining to like him...
Medvedev Says Russia to Respond to U.S.Missile Deal
Russia is ``extremely disappointed'' that the U.S. signed a deal to deploy part of a missile-defense system in the Czech Republic and will respond appropriately, President Dmitry Medvedev said.
``We won't become hysterical about this, but we'll consider how to respond,'' Medvedev told reporters in Toyako, Japan, today after a Group of Eight industrial nations summit.
The Russian leader said the agreement to host a radar tracking station, signed in Prague yesterday by the U.S. and Czech foreign ministers, represented a ``new stage'' in the development of the missile shield. ``This means the idea will be realized,'' he said.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters in Sofia that Russia's reaction to the agreement is ``disappointing'' given U.S. efforts to reassure them.
``I still hope that Russia will look at the fact that Iran is developing ever longer-range missiles which they apparently plan to test and that Russia will see that it is not aimed at them,'' she said.
Russia warned yesterday that it may respond militarily to the deployment of the U.S. system, which it sees as a threat to its security. Russian leaders have threatened to aim nuclear missiles at the planned bases in the Czech Republic and Poland. Interceptor missiles would be based in Poland, which is still in negotiations with the U.S.
`Military Methods'
``If a U.S. strategic anti-missile shield is deployed near our borders, we will be forced to react not in a diplomatic fashion but with military methods,'' the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its Web site. The radar deal must still be ratified by the Czech parliament, the ministry noted.
Medvedev and U.S. President George W. Bush made no progress toward resolving their differences on the missile shield during their meeting at the G-8 summit.
``They conducted rather half-hearted negotiations with us, which led nowhere,'' Medvedev said. ``Quite the reverse, they have signed an agreement'' on the system.
White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush repeated to Medvedev in their meeting that the system is intended to thwart an attack from Iran and is not aimed against Russia. Iran today test-fired a missile with a 2,000-kilometer (1,240-mile) range as tension in the region has increased over the Persian Gulf nation's efforts to enrich uranium.
`Joint Partnership'
``We want to work together with the Russians and the Europeans on a joint partnership,'' Perino said, adding that Bush and Medvedev have agreed to continue talks on the issue.
The Russian president has maintained Russian opposition to the missile shield since he came to office in May. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in yesterday's statement the proposal for the creation of a ``truly collective missile-defense system'' had been ``ignored'' by the U.S.
It also complained that the U.S. had backtracked on promises to provide permanent access for Russian inspectors to the sites and not activate the shield until there is a verifiable threat from Iran.
The guy (Medvedev) sounds just as harsh and cutting as his predecessor, Putin. I'm begining to like him...
Right. But general Ivashov sounds even better:
"Russia must also warn the European countries that... in case of a potential military confrontation... capitals, large cities, and industrial and communications centers of the countries hosting elements of the U.S. missile shield will inevitably become primary targets of nuclear strikes," the general said.
Russia must punish states hosting U.S. missile shield - analyst
09/ 07/ 2008
MOSCOW, July 9 (RIA Novosti) - Russia must use economic and political means, and military ties with Asia, to punish European states that agree to host U.S. missile defense elements, a Russian political analyst said on Wednesday.
Commenting on a U.S.-Czech deal signed on Tuesday on deploying a missile tracking radar, Col. Gen. Leonid Ivashov, the head of the Moscow-based Academy of Geopolitical Sciences, said: "Russia should not limit itself to statements. We must have a plan, adopted by the Russian Security Council, setting out measures on the economic, political and military cooperation levels."
Moscow has strongly opposed the possible deployment by the U.S. of 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and an accompanying radar in the Czech Republic as a threat to its security and international nuclear deterrence. Washington says the defenses are needed to deter a possible strike from Iran.
The U.S.-Czech missile shield treaty has yet to be ratified by the Czech parliament and signed by the Czech president. The country's opposition is currently holding mass rallies around the country against the placement of an early warning radar near the capital, Prague.
Polish-American talks on Washington's plans to place a missile base in Poland have stalled. Poland's prime minister said last Friday that his country was not satisfied with the terms offered by the U.S., but was ready for further dialogue.
Ivashov, who headed the main directorate for military cooperation at the Russian Defense Ministry in 1996-2001, told RIA Novosti: "On the political level, we must suspend our cooperation with NATO, because it brings us nothing but harm." As an alternative, he suggested that Russia start negotiations with China, India and other countries to form a global alliance against the U.S. missile shield in Europe.
"A relevant decision must be made, at least in the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)," Ivashov said.
The CSTO is a regional security organization comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
On the economic level, Russia must restrict imports and exports from and to countries which allow the placement of U.S. missile defense systems on their territory.
"Bilateral relations with these countries as a whole must be limited," Ivashov said.
"Russia must also warn the European countries that... in case of a potential military confrontation... capitals, large cities, and industrial and communications centers of the countries hosting elements of the U.S. missile shield will inevitably become primary targets of nuclear strikes," the general said.
"They should know that we are holding them in our sights," he added.
Russia must use economic and political means, and military ties with Asia, to punish European states that agree to host U.S. missile defense elements, a Russian political analyst said on Wednesday.
Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations
The Soviet leaders used to toss nations left and right.
They gave Armenia's Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan, Russia's Crimea to Ukraine, Belorussian city of Vilna (Vilno, today's Vilnius) to Lithuania and so on and so forth.
I guess the Soviet leaders coudn't predict that one day the USSR would break up and Azerbaijan start a war for "their" Nagorno Karabakh, and Georgia would fight Abkhazia....
It's going to take time to settle these disputes.
10/ 07/ 2008
Abkhaz leader in Moscow to discuss opening of Russian mission
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (L) shakes hands with the president of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region, Sergei Bagapsh.
MOSCOW, July 10 (RIA Novosti) - The president of Abkhazia arrived in Moscow on Thursday to discuss the opening of a Russian diplomatic mission in the Georgian breakaway republic, the Abkhaz foreign minister said.
Sergei Bagapsh "is due to hold meetings at the Russian Foreign Ministry during which the situation in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone and the opening of a Russian Foreign Ministry representative office in Abkhazia will be discussed," Sergei Shamba told RIA Novosti.
The Abkhaz diplomat said Bagapsh will also discuss economic issues, including a project initiated by former president Vladimir Putin.
In April Putin called for closer ties with Abkhazia and another Georgian rebel region, South Ossetia, and urged the government to develop assistance measures for the breakaway regions, provoking fury from Tbilisi, which accused Moscow of trying to annex the regions.
Bagapsh also plans to meet with his South Ossetian counterpart Eduard Kokoity, also on a visit to Moscow, Shamba said.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The pro-Western Georgian leadership has said it is determined to bring the breakaway regions back under Tbilisi's control.
The president of Abkhazia arrived in Moscow on Thursday to discuss the opening of a Russian diplomatic mission in the Georgian breakaway republic, the Abkhaz foreign minister said.
Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations
Abkhazia, Karabakh and South Ossetia are Russia’s allies
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ South Caucasus is one of the hottest zones in the post soviet territory, says a report issued by Russian Strategic Culture Foundation.
“Russia’s passive role in the Caucasus has predetermined strengthening of West’s positions, especially in 1990-ies. As result, Georgia has become a U.S. outpost; Azerbaijan is facing the same fate. Attempts to gain Armenia are still undertaken.
Against the background, unrecognized republics – Abkhazia, Nagorno Karabakh and South Ossetia appear as Russia’s allies. Under U.S.-subordinate Saakashvili’s rule, Georgia continues to aggravate the situation,” the report says.
“If Georgia and Ukraine are invited to NATO the situation will worsen even more. Russia’s geopolitical potential will weaken considerably,” it says.
Re: The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations
Russian planes fly over South Ossetia to avert Georgia invasion
10.07.2008, 17.14
MOSCOW, July 10 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian military planes were flying over South Ossetia to avert a possible invasion from Georgia, the information and press department of the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday.
“On July 9, tensions have mounted sharply in the South Ossetia conflict zone. We received the information, including from the command of the peacekeeping forces, about a possible direct invasion of Georgian troops allegedly aimed at a release of four servicemen, who were detained by the South Ossetian law enforcement agencies,” the ministry’s department said.
“To clarify the situation Russian military planes have made a short flight over South Ossetia,” the department said. “As later events showed even this step allowed cooling down the hot heads in Tbilisi and avert a scenario with the use of force that was quite real,” the Foreign Ministry’ s department said.
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