The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

[Federate]

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

Armenia marks 17th independence anniversary

21.09.2008, 20.22

YEREVAN, September 21 (Itar-Tass) -- Armenia has managed to defend itself, develop the state system, lay down the foundation of the national economy and give a fresh impetus to culture, education and health care in the 17 years of independence, President Serzh Sargsyan said at the Sunday event that marked the national Independence Day.

“Our country is developing,” he said. “Our fellow citizens, their labor and loyalty are the backbone of this process.”

“We are forming new traditions of the Armenian state,” Sargsyan said. “We are a mature country, which must eradicate the phenomena hindering our progress and encourage the values gained through the effort of generations – freedom, democracy and everyone’s equality in the eyes of the law.”

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev congratulated Sargsyan on Independence Day, the Kremlin said earlier in the day.

“I cordially congratulate all citizens of the friendly Armenia and you personally on the national holiday, Independence Day,” the message runs. “Over recent years Armenia has achieved impressive results in the consolidation of statehood and the economic development and has built up its authority on the international scene.”

“Russia values high the traditional friendship with Armenia. I am sure that mutual confidence, dynamic political dialog and efficient business cooperation will promote further development of the allied relations between Russia and Armenia. This course fully meets the interests of out states, as well as the goals of peace, stability and security in the South Caucasus,” the message runs.

Medvedev wished health and success to the Armenian president and prosperity to the people of Armenia.

From http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2....5614&PageNum=0

[ZORAVAR]

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

Nevermind the harsh rhetoric due to the Georgian conflict, business goes on as usual.

ZORAVAR
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Russia, France sign contract to launch 10 rockets from Kourou

SOCHI, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's space agency and French satellite launch firm Arianespace signed a contract on Saturday to launch 10 Russian Soyuz-ST carrier rockets from the Kourou space center in French Guiana.

The contract was signed by Russian Federal Space Agency head Anatoly Perminov and Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall after a session of a bilateral inter-governmental commission, which took place on the sidelines of the investment forum under way in Russia's Black Sea resort Sochi.

"The contract envisions the purchase of ten Soyuz carrier rockets to be launched from the space center in Guiana... The contract is estimated at a total of $300-$400 million," Le Gall said adding that the first launch is scheduled for late 2009.

The Kourou launch site is intended mainly for the launch of geostationary satellites. Its proximity to the equator will enable the Soyuz-ST to put into orbit heavier satellites than from Baikonur in Kazakhstan and Plesetsk in northern Russia.

Under a contract signed in June with Arianespace, the Soyuz will have a separate launch pad near Sinnamari, a village 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of the site used for the Ariane-5, the main European-made booster.

Launches of Soyuz spacecraft are the key part of the Russian-French program of cooperation in space exploration.

Le Gall said three or four Soyuz boosters are planned to be launched annually as of 2010.

Source: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080920/116990159.html

[Armenian]

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

"It would be wrong to talk about one nation having exclusive rights to Latin America"

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin

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Russian navy sails to Venezuela

Russian warships have set off for Venezuela for joint exercises unprecedented since the Cold War. The fleet of ships, headed by the nuclear-powered Peter the Great cruiser, set off from its base at Severomorsk in the Arctic. The ships are due to take part in joint manoeuvres with Venezuela in November. The move is seen as a rebuff to the United States, which is facing increasingly fraught relationships with the two nations. Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo said the ships set sail at 1000 local time (0600 GMT), and would travel 15,000 nautical miles to reach their destination. "It's the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Peter the Great, the anti-submarine warship Admiral Chebanenko and other accompanying ships," he told the AFP news agency. Two Russian bombers arrived in Venezuela last week for training flights. Moscow has intensified ties with Venezuela and other Latin American countries recently as its relationship with Washington has become strained. Caracas and Moscow have signed arms contracts, and are looking to extend bilateral co-operation on energy. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, in Caracas last week, said five Russian oil firms were looking to begin operations in Venezuela. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who will visit Moscow this week, said on Sunday that Latin America needed a strong friendship with Russia to help reduce Washington's influence in the region. A staunch critic of the US, he backed Russian intervention in Georgia last month and has accused Washington of being scared of Moscow's "new world potential". Mr Sechin also warned the US not to view Latin America as its own backyard. "It would be wrong to talk about one nation having exclusive rights to this zone," he told the Associated Press. During the Cold War, Latin America became an ideological battleground between the US and the then USSR.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7628899.stm

In other news:

Russian strategic bombers to join military drills with Belarus

Russian strategic bombers will conduct practice launches of various types of missiles on October 6-12 during large-scale Russia-Belarus military exercises which started Monday, the Air Force commander said. The Stability-2008 exercises will last until October 21 in various regions of Russia and Belarus with the goal of practicing strategic deployment of the Armed Forces, including the nuclear triad, to counter potential threats near the Russian border. "The exercise will involve the majority of personnel and strategic aircraft in service with strategic aviation," Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said. "The crews will deploy the entire range of on-board weaponry." According to various sources, the Russian Air Force currently has in service at least 141 Tu-22M3 Backfire-C, 40 Tu-95 Bear-H and 16 modernized Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers. The bombers carry long-range cruise missiles and short-range nuclear missiles as primary weaponry. Moscow has repeatedly stressed the need to continue the development of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces, including its airborne component, and said they should be able to respond promptly and effectively to any aggression. The Russian Air Force combat training program has scheduled more than 200 exercises with 350 live firing drills for the second half of 2008.

Source: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080922/117021293.html

[North Pole]

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

Russia, Cuba to implement joint space programs

22/ 09/ 2008

MOSCOW. (Andrei Kislyakov for RIA Novosti) - There is every reason to say that Russia has started reasserting its global position. This includes big-time politics and efforts to expand scientific and military-technical cooperation with other countries, including Cuba, the Soviet Union's main Latin American ally.

It is hard to overestimate the importance of Latin America, and Cuba in particular, for Russia. Commenting on the results of Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev's August 2008 visit to Cuba, Andrei Klimov, deputy chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the State Duma, said Russia, as a major power, needed to maintain its economic and security presence in Cuba.

In mid-September, Moscow and Havana negotiated joint space projects. Anatoly Perminov, director of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), said the sides had discussed the possibility of setting up a Cuban space center with Russian assistance.

Perminov said both countries had discussed the implementation of agreements reached by the Russian-Cuban inter-governmental commission two months ago. "This primarily concerns the drafting of a cooperation agreement on civilian space programs, another agreement on the Global Navigation Satellite System and navigation support on Cuban territory," Perminov said.

The proposed Cuban space center will process data received from Russian remote-sensing and navigation satellites. We also plan to jointly use orbital telecommunications networks, Perminov said.

Cuba, which at one time implemented an ambitious space program, retains the required infrastructure for resuming large-scale space research.


In the mid-1960s, Moscow and Havana launched a space-physics project, obtaining new data on the upper ionosphere with the help of Soviet satellites. A tracking station, built near Santiago de Cuba in 1967, made it possible to observe high-orbit Soviet scientific satellites.

In September 1980, Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez became the first Cuban cosmonaut and the first person from a country in the Western Hemisphere other than the United States to travel into Earth orbit, spending about eight days aboard the Soviet Salyut-6 station.
The Cuban space-research experience, plus up-to-date Russian technical achievements, will help both countries implement advanced space programs.

READ MORE -- http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20080922/117019780.html

Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez (born January 29, 1942) was the first Cuban cosmonaut and the first person from a country in the Western Hemisphere other than the United States to travel into earth orbit. He was also the first Hispanophone and first person of African ancestry in space.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnaldo_Tamayo_M%C3%A9ndez

And the Yanks are already freaking out.....

Russia-Cuba ties worry U.S.

Igor Sechin, center, one of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's closest aides, walks through the historic center of Old Havana in late July. During the trip, Sechin met with Raul Castro in an event that was qualified by the local media as "cordial and friendly."


Officials in the United States are worried that Russia is signaling that it wants to reignite its close relationship with its former ally Cuba. Paul Richter reports this morning that:
"Amid rising tensions over Georgia, U.S. officials are increasingly concerned that Russia is moving to rebuild one of the most dangerous features of the old Soviet Union's security structure -- its alliance with Cuba."

Moscow has been signaling that it wants to restore a long relationship with Havana that included not only economic ties, but also military and intelligence cooperation. The relationship brought the world to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, when Russia secretly installed nuclear missiles on the island.

READ MORE -- http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lapl...-cuba-tie.html

Russian deputy PM in Cuba over 'aid'

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:18:54 GMT

Some 500,000 homes were demolished.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin has made a one-day visit to Cuba to figure out hurricane damage and boost commercial ties.

Sechin accompanied with his entourage arrived in the country on Monday paying his second visit in two month, Reuters reported.

The Russian team was to consider ways to help Cuba recover from two devastating hurricanes, Gustav and Ike that inflicted extensive damage on the country.
Earlier Cuba had welcomed Russian aid following the devastating hurricane Gustav.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=69583&sectionid=351020702

[Federate]

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

Vacation's over folks!
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Russia to Hike Gas Price for Armenia

Russia’s gas for Armenia’s clients will cost $154/ths cu meters starting from April 1, 2009 vs. today’s $110/ths cu meters, Armrosgazprom CEO Karen Karapetyan announced Tuesday, in time of the meeting with Armenian President Serge Sargsyan, Interfax reported.
So, the increase will be as much as 40 percent and it will be only the beginning. The price will soar to $200/ths cu meters from April 1, 2010, Karapetyan said. The growth will be in line with the price increase on Russia’s energy market, but Armenia is expected to shift to European prices from 2011. The forthcoming increase in gas prices won’t reduce hydrocarbon consumption, Karapetyan assured.

Armenia’s president responded that the logic of negotiations with Gazprom was based on the gradual increase in gas prices, which enables the nation and the business to foresee the future. The growth in prices won’t significantly affect the population, Sargsyan promised, pointing out that it will create brilliant opportunity for the business to improve competitive ability.

Sargsyan urged Armrosgazprom to actively proceed with Armenia’s gasification.

Russia’s gas monopoly Gazprom inked in September of 2008 the contract for gas supplies to Armenia in 2009 and 2010. Gazprom supplied 2.05 billion cu meters in 2007.

From http://www.kommersant.com/p-13272/Gas_price_Armenia/

[Armenian]

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

Ah! Merci. Adorable... and you are the "Armenian Putin". How's that??

Coming from Hyeclub's First Lady these words mean a lot to me. However, let's get serious, I am not worthy to be even mentioned in the same breath as him. We are talking about a living legend, a great king, perhaps one of the greatest statesmen the world has had since Darius the Great. Watching him feels like watching history being made. The political and economic mechanisms put in place by Putin will have saved humanity from another dark age. The Russian Federation is the last and only front against the rabid American empire, it is the only front against the dangers of Pan-Turkism, the only front against Zionism, the only front against Wahhabi Islam, and the only front against the world's newest form of Bolshevism - Globalism... Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright believed that the natural resources found in Russia was too much for one country to posses. It's obvious that the West would have loved to live off the decaying carcass of the Soviet Union, and they managed to do so somewhat during the 1990s. But Putin put a stop to it all. Within a few short years he turned a failed state into a great world power with a great future. And the West is still trying to figure out who is this Putin and what went wrong with their grand plans. I firmly believe that Western civilization, Apostolic Christianity and political sanity on earth will have been preserved as a result of the sudden emergence of the Russian Federation as a superpower asserting itself in global politics. I also hope that the presence of powerful Russia will somehow force the population of the United States to rediscover their humble and democratic roots. Nonetheless, imagine the geopolitical state of world today without the existence of the Russian Federation. Putin's appearance was in a sense God sent. What Putin and his supporters in the Kremlin managed to accomplish during the past seven years was in my opinion one of history's most important turning points. I firmly believe that Putin will someday be ranked amongst the world's finest rulers.

Putin made me, an Armenian nationalist, into a Russophile.

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West still asking: Who is Mr. Putin?

It would be very difficult to name another international leader who has had more trash - potato peels and all - dumped on his doorstep than Vladimir Putin, the former two-term Russian president and present prime minister that "the West" loves to loathe. But perhaps in no other business than politics does one's accumulated amount of garbage speak volumes about the natural abilities of the politician in question. Indeed, it is only the retired, resigned or impeached who sit dejected on the porch of power, waiting for the postman to deliver the next batch of steaming hate mail. But like the judo expert he is, Putin is at his most effective when on the defensive, twisting the black press to his general advantage. The work of analysts, pundits and politicians, laboring to unravel the mystery of the Putin puzzle after almost a decade, has become an entire cottage industry unto itself. The unemployment rate in American academia alone would jump a full percentage point should Vladimir Putin ever opt out of the political game. And of course, the Russian leader's stint with the KGB back in the Soviet era only enhances the intrigue.

The perennial question, ‘Who is Mr. Putin?' has not taken a pause since that magnetic moment in 2001 when US President George W. Bush dared to gaze into Vladimir's steely poker blues, whereupon the Texas oilman - no easy pushover for partners, we must assume - declared to the world: "I looked him in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy... I was able to get a sense of his soul." You could almost hear the collective shriek from the US intelligence community from Washington. So American experts had basically two uncomfortable choices: declare their commander-in-chief incompetent, dim-witted or the unwitting subject of some new Manhattan Project, or Vladimir Putin as he is now portrayed in the western world: cold, cunning and calculating. The subject of Putin's soul - despite so many other matters of urgency - continues to haunt the US political scene. In an effort to show her strong feminine side, apparently, Hillary Clinton, while campaigning for the Democratic nomination, said, "He was a KGB agent... By definition he doesn't have a soul," to which Putin cooly replied, "I think that a head of state must have a head as a minimum. And in order to build interstate relationships, one must be governed by the fundamental interests of one's own country rather than by emotions."

Incidentally, Putin was nominated Time Magazine's Man of the Year for 2007, for his "extraordinary feat of leadership." Nobody ever said politics was easy. John Kenneth Galbraith described it as forever making a choice between "the disastrous and unpalatable." Putin, like every leader, has made his share of arguably ‘unpalatable' choices, but he could never be accused of not serving the interests of his nation. Perhaps this is the source of the contempt he regularly attracts from abroad: Putin contradicts by 180-degrees the stereotypical image of the ‘Russian leader' - an oxymoron in the west in its own right. Images of Putin performing judo, fishing bare-chested along the Volga, or bringing down a tiger in Siberia are actions that speak far more accurately about the man - and the country at large - than do the contemptible words of jaded critics. Putin's phenomenal political success is underscored by Russia's rapid resurgence since he first stepped onto the political stage. Many critics, however, explain away Putin's political fortunes as due to the lucky spin of the resource wheel; they ignore the fact, however, that Russia had oil and gas prior to Putin's rise to power, yet still managed to wallow in debt and decadence (Here is an easy way to disprove the resource argument: the next time you meet a Russian tourist abroad, ask what type of business they are engaged in. Unless you somehow found an oligarch, the last answer you will hear is "gas and oil").

Having lived in Russia for the duration of Putin's presidency, I am at a loss to explain what irritates the West about this man. After all, he achieved everything "we" demanded from Russia: the economy is back on track; the military has full control over its weapons of mass destruction; and nowhere else is freedom more alive and well than on a Russian street. Finally, Putin fully respected the borders of foreign nations - something the US, NATO and the EU glaringly failed to do. Despite, or because of, Putin's solid record of honoring the territorial integrity of sovereign states, western analysts charged him with actually prompting the Georgians to attack on August 8, as if the Russian prime minister himself held Mikheil Saakashvili's trigger finger to the fire button. "Bush... lingered in Beijing yukking it up with our beach volleyball team," neocon hothead Charles Krauthammer foamed on the pages of The Washington Post, "while Putin flew to North Ossetia to direct the invasion of a neighboring country." Some would call it self defense, Charles.

But few mentioned that Russian forces stopped far from the gates of Tbilisi, while NATO forces in 1999, acting in their own ‘democratic' interests, bombed Belgrade for 78 days to ‘free' Kosovo. Perhaps Putin's problem with getting fair western representation hinges on nothing more than the public's notoriously short memory. But we can be sure that Putin will always remind them of their shortcomings.

Source: http://www.mnweekly.ru/columnists/20.../55345171.html

[Armenian]

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

Stability-2008 military exercises begin in Russia

The Russian Armed Forces began the Stability-2008 strategic command staff exercises on Monday. These war games will be held “in compliance with the combat readiness plan of the Russian Armed Forces from September 22 to October 21 under the command of Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov,” the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry told Itar-Tass. “Many federal bodies of the executive authorities, including the Interior Ministry, the Emergencies Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Federal Security Service and Transport Ministry have developed a scenario of the exercises in cooperation with the Belarussian Defense Ministry,” Serdyukov told reporters earlier.

He noted that the scenario of the strategic command staff exercises envisages “to train the deployment of the Russian Armed Forces, combat missions of troops to localize and fight armed conflicts, terrorist activity, natural disasters and man-made catastrophes in order to provide strategic deterrence and security of the Russia-Belarus Union State.” “The Russian strategic command staff exercises Stability-2008 and the Belarussian complex operative exercises Autumn-2008 are held to examine the combat capability of the power-wielding structures” of the countries in order to ensure security of the Union State, the press service of the Belarussian Defense Ministry said.

“The Stability-2008 exercises are a core of an operative and combat training” of the armed forces in Russia and Belarus, acting spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky said. He emphasized that “the Stability-2008 war games include a range of operative, special and command staff exercises and training sessions at various scales that have the coordinated targets, missions and time limits.” The Stability-2008 exercises, “which are being held in various regions of Russia and Belarus, have the common scenario.” “The Stability-2008 exercises will have two stages. The scenario of the drill envisages a gradually deteriorating situation when crisis situations are growing into armed conflicts,” Drobyshevsky said.

“The Stability-2008 strategic command staff exercises involve military command bodies, troops and military commissariats from the Moscow and Far East military districts, the Baltic, Northern and Pacific Fleets, the 11th Air Force/Air Defense Army, the 16th and 37th Air Force Armies, the 32nd Air Defense Corps, the Strategic Missile Troops and the Space Troops, units and organisations of the Russian logistic forces from the Russian Defense Ministry, operative groups from the federal executive authorities, as well as military command bodies and units from the Belarussian Armed Forces,” Drobyshevsky said. The Stability-2008 exercises will last until October 21.

Source: http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2....6169&PageNum=0

[Armenian]

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

Russia resolute on troop levels



Joy and tears as nation is born: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAH-WBXoPCQ

Putin defies call to withdraw from territories

Thumbing its nose at Georgia and the United States, South Ossetia rolled yesterday what Russian media said were captured American-made jeeps and Georgian tanks through the streets of its capital, Tskhinvali, in an Independence Day military parade. Thumbing its nose at Georgia and the United States, South Ossetia rolled yesterday what Russian media said were captured American-made jeeps and Georgian tanks through the streets of its capital, Tskhinvali, in an Independence Day military parade. Only Russia and the "countries" of South Ossetia and Abkhazia will decide how many troops Moscow can keep on their soil, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said yesterday, signaling that the Kremlin will do as it pleases in the separatist Georgian regions regardless of Western demands.

The statement was in frank defiance of calls by Georgia, the United States, and the European Union for a withdrawal of most Russian troops from the breakaway territories, which only Russia and Nicaragua have recognized as independent nations. Thumbing its nose at Georgia and the United States, South Ossetia rolled what Russian media said were captured American-made jeeps and Georgian tanks through the streets of its capital in an Independence Day parade. The developments underscored the reality taking shape following last month's war. Putin stressed that Russia will adhere to its promise to pull back from the strips of land surrounding South Ossetia and Abkhazia once European Union monitors are deployed. Those areas are Georgian territory, he said.

But he said any "possible" Russian pullout from South Ossetia and Abkhazia themselves was a "separate issue," suggesting Moscow's recognition of the separatist regions as independent nations has changed the rules. "The question of the presence of our armed forces in South Ossetia and Abkhazia will be decided bilaterally," Putin said after a meeting with Prime Minister François Fillon of France. According to the ITAR-Tass news agency, he added that such decisions will be based on "international law and agreements between Russia and these countries." The remarks indicate Russia will continue to ignore Western calls to pull nearly all its forces out of Georgia under a cease-fire deal brokered by President Nicolas Sarkozy of France to end the five-day war that erupted last month in South Ossetia.

The United States and European countries say Russia is violating its commitment to withdraw its forces to preconflict positions. Russia has announced plans to maintain nearly 8,000 troops in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, far more than in the months before the war. Putin said Russia has no intention of annexing any land, saying it was "solely a question of providing security in the region." Putin suggested that by backing Kosovo's independence declaration in February, Western nations had ruined any argument against Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. "It is not we who opened this Pandora's box," he said.

In the war-battered South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali, residents lined streets to watch South Ossetian soldiers and military vehicles roll by, behind what state-run Russian media said were Georgian tanks, armor, and military vehicles - booty grabbed as Georgian forces retreated. Russia's First Channel showed what it said were American-made military jeeps and an armored vehicle. In an evocation of a World War II victory parade on Moscow's Red Square, Georgian flags were thrown to the ground in front of a podium on the central square. Amid increasing Russian support and mounting exchanges of fire, Georgian forces launched a large-scale offensive targeting Tskhinvali on Aug. 7. Russian forces repelled the attack and drove deep into Georgia.

Source: http://www.boston.com/news/world/eur..._troop_levels/

[Armenian]

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

The American-Armenian community's very own CIA representative, Richard Giragosian (who also happens to be a close affiliate of the Armenian Assembly of America), speaks up about Armenian-Turkish-Russian relations. Agent Giragosian's comments further validate my position that Moscow has been behind the recent warming of relations between Ankara and Yerevan and that due to Russia's control of various crucial sectors of Armenia's economic infrastructure and Georgia's instability, Yerevan find's itself in a position of strenght and influence in the Caucasus.

Armenian

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Richard Giragosian: Genocide issue poses most serious obstacle for Turkish-Armenian reconciliation

The visit of Turkish President Gul was historic, and the significance of the visit stems from its role in marking the start of a new diplomatic initiative between Turkey and Armenia, Richard Giragosian, a contributing analyst at Jane's Information Group, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. “Moreover, the state of bilateral relations, or more precisely, the lack of relations, seems to have now assumed a new sense of urgency, as events in Georgia have only speeded up the process of moving toward the opening of the long-closed border between Turkey and Armenia and for the establishment of normal diplomatic relations between the two countries,” he said. “Improved relations between Turkey and Armenia also serves Russian interests for two reasons, first, due because of Russia’s control and ownership of the Armenian energy, telecommunications and railway sectors, there is now a lucrative opportunity for Moscow to leverage their position in Armenia and use Armenia as a platform to sell electricity to eastern Turkey once the border is open, and to penetrate the Turkish market through their dominant position in Armenia. In this way, a breakthrough in Turkish-Armenian relations also offers a gain for Russia,” he added. The other reason for this new Russian interest and support is that the possible opening of the Armenian-Turkish border will help the overall Russian strategy of isolating and marginalizing Georgia, especially in the wake of the August conflict in Georgia, according to him. He said there are also political and economic aspects of the future of Turkish-Armenian relations. “First, the opening of the border provides an important political success, as it demonstrates more than simple good intentions or political will, but offers a concrete step forward. And secondly, in terms of economics, although the gains will not be immediate, will offer the Armenians a new trade and transport route to new markets. And for Turkey, the new promise of border trade will provide the impoverished and under-developed eastern regions of Turkey with energy and trade, offering new jobs and potential prosperity.” “But the future course of Turkish-Armenian relations will face serious tests over the comings months. Most serious, of course, is the historical agenda item of the Armenian genocide, which must be dealt with in a sincere and comprehensive manner. The Armenian Genocide issue poses the most serious obstacle and challenge for both sides and it remains far from certain whether they can forge a new agreement on this divide,” Mr Giragosian concluded.

Source: http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=27144

[Armenian]

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

The price is still much cheaper than what the rest of the world pays. But the price Armenia is paying for Russian natural gas will gradually rise to meet global standards. Also, "vacations," as you called it, don't help nations come to terms with economic and political realities. Armenia has been living on handouts from Russia and elsewhere for a long time. We are becoming a welfare state. Armenia needs to live in the real world. Moscow can't justify charging the world one price and Armenia another. Moscow also realizes that Armenia now has Iran as an alternative source for natural gas. And that is why Gazprom officials waited this long to raise their prices. In reality, we should say thank you to them.

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Iran-Armenia gas pipeline to expand

Armenia's Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan says the capacity of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline project will increase to 2.5 billion cubic meters. This would become feasible by increasing the capacity at the Kadzharan-Yerevan section of the pipeline by November of 2008, Armen Movsisyan said according to Interfax. Mosvsisyan noted the main construction work on this section of the pipeline is already completed and its testing will be initiated soon. The Iran-Armenia gas pipeline project officially opened on March 19, 2007 by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Armenian President Robert Kocharian and would provide Armenia with an alternative to the gas it now imports from Russia. The 140-km pipeline is estimated to cost of $220 million for the two countries. Based on the signed agreement between the two countries, for each cubic meter of Iranian gas, Armenia will return 3 kilowatt hours of electricity to Iran. In case of suspension or limitations of Russian gas export to Armenia, the country may commence importing gas from Iran before beginning of the regular supply of the Iranian gas, the Minister said.

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

Vacation's over folks!
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Russia to Hike Gas Price for Armenia