The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

[Armenian]

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

Russia warns against Iran war

Russia expressed worry Tuesday over the possibility of war with Iran as French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner pressed for tougher sanctions against the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasised Russia's "concern" over "multiple reports that military sanctions against Iran are being seriously considered. It's hard to imagine what that could do to the region."

Kouchner called for "working on precise sanctions" and added that France and Russia had differences on the issue. However, the French foreign minister also said that "everything should be done to avoid war." "War is the worst that could happen," he said. "Everything should be done to avoid war. We have to negotiate, negotiate, negotiate -- without cease, without rebuff."

His comments appeared aimed at quieting an uproar over his statement Sunday that the world should prepare for a possible war with Iran -- a warning Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed Tuesday as fanciful. The Russian and French ministers met ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Friday that may impose new sanctions against Tehran for its controversial uranium enrichment activity.

Pressure on Iran has escalated in the runup to the meeting, including Kouchner's statement on Sunday: "We have to prepare for the worst, and the worst is war." Ahmadinejad told journalists in Tehran on Tuesday: "We do not take these declarations seriously. Comments to the media are different to the real positions."

Tehran vehemently denies US accusations it is seeking an atomic weapon, saying its nuclear drive is aimed at generating electricity. Russia, which is building Iran's first nuclear reactor in the southern Russian city of Bushehr, has consistently warned against attacking the Islamic republic. In an interview published just ahead of the Kouchner-Lavrov meeting, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov warned that a "bombing of Iran would be a bad move that would end with catastrophic consequences."

The United States has never ruled out using military strikes to punish Iran for defying UN Security Council demands that it halt its enrichment activity. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Sunday that "all options are on the table."

Iran has said it would never initiate an attack but would respond with crushing force if the United States launched a strike on its territory. Kouchner is set to fly to Washington on Wednesday to take up the issue with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Fearing possible military action, Moscow has drawn up plans to evacuate its nuclear experts from Bushehr in the event of a conflict, deputy foreign minister Losyukov said. He stressed in an interview with daily Vremya Novostei that the use of force would only "worsen the situation in the Middle East" and "bring a very negative reaction from the Muslim world."

On Monday, the UN atomic agency chief warned against the hasty use of force in the Iranian nuclear dispute but dismissed the French comments about possible war as "a lot of hype." "We need always to remember that use of force could only be resorted to when ... every other option has been exhausted. I don't think we are at all there," ElBaradei told reporters at a conference of his International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"There is a UN charter and there are rules for the international use of force," ElBaradei said. Iranian Vice President Reza Aghazadeh told the general conference of the IAEA's 144 member states that Western countries "have always chosen the path of confrontation instead of the path of understanding and cordial relations toward the great nation of Iran."

Source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5...EX-uWs_OEW7RHQ

[Siamanto]

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

The unity of orthodox christians be them chalcedonian or not is something to be actively pursued both in the spiritual and cultural spheres. The bond with a resurgent Russia is of utmost importance for the future of Armenia as a spiritually strong (and thus free) nation in the ocean of globalized western decadence.

Whether "Western decadence" is real or perceived - and to what degree - is, though relevant, beyond the scope of my reply; however, the answer - or "solution" - that you are suggesting is reminiscent of the ones suggested by Hitler, the Talibans and hardcore Christian neo-cons.

The dangers, excesses, abuses and the destabilizing nature of such "solutions" are well documented and I see no need to remind them to the reader; instead, I will simply emphasize on the fact that, as I see it, a main danger - a timebomb - of such an approach is the attempt to institutionalize and impose upon the masses what is a rather individual experience i.e. faith and it's spiritual expression. Some, like Naregatsi, understood the individual nature of spirituality many centuries ago.

It is also worth mentioning - without any explanation - Nietzsche's reply to (European) decadence and "Passive Nihilism" i.e. "Active Nihilism" - envisioned as an individual choice and experience.

In any case, there is no indication that institutionalizing faith and mentally regressing in time will or may guarantee a "spiritual, strong and free" Armenia.

How can we possibly talk about human dignity without spiritual freedom? And where is spiritual freedom to be found if not in Christ, the Christ of orthodox christianity?

I don't know if there can be human dignity without freedom - spiritual or not ; but, for me, freedom - spiritual or not - is essential, including for, but not limited to, human dignity.
The question is: Why are you - by institutionalizing imposing one possible expression of faith - limiting and restraining "spiritual freedom?"

Yes, "spiritual freedom" can be experienced with and without Jesus - of Orthodox Christianity or not; in fact, Jesus, incarnates only one form/expression of spirituality or spiritual experience - among a myriad of others.

Beauty is in the faith - that is innate: a reflection of the "soul" - but not in the particular expression of it - that is acquired and cultural: a reflection of the "spirit" - that can be inspired by Jesus, Confucius, Musil, Gide, Mishima, Linkin Park, Bauhaus, Mos Def or....(why not by what may symbolize decadence to some) Oscar Wilde, Lautreamont, Maupassant, Marquis de Sade, Tanizaki or...
[Note: You may remember how I distinguish - and oppose - the (acquired, formal) spirit and the (innate, substantial) soul.]

Of minor importance but worth to be noted, one of Russia's foremost theologian in the twentieth century, Pavel Florensky, who was martyred by the bolsheviks, was of armenian descent through his mother.

Such abuses are among the many ineluctable and unfortunate consequences of institutionalizing religion and/or faith; the Soviet Union institutionalized Atheism as a religion and you are suggesting to institutionalize "Christian Orthodoxy," in the same way that the Talibans/Islamists intend to institutionalize Islam.

[axel]

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

I guess anyone who doesn't subscribe to relativism, you associate with a taliban.

This same relativism that is very apparent from your post and that plagues western thought. One of the roots of modern decadence.
Relativism does not accommodate with transcendence and this is one of modernity's distinctive traits that the meaning of the sacred has been lost. And man is left alone in a world where "God is dead". And this is the real tragedy of "modernity".

Still modern man speaks of the "spiritual" blah blah, but when he does so this is nothing more than a form of aestheticism, romanticism... all too human, in one word, nombrilism! (which siamantoism is apparently bound to become a synonym for, in the years to come)

Some, like Naregatsi, understood the individual nature of spirituality many centuries ago.

Faith is of individual nature but it allows the individual to transcend himself and his individuality to enter in communion with the faithful. Individualism which characterizes your thought is precisely the negation of one of the main ideas of orthodoxy, that which Russians call sobornost (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sobornost)
Without communion, there is no ekklesia, there is no Church, there is just self delusion.



I'm afraid there is little room for discussion here for we most certainly do not have neither the same acceptation of words nor the same conception of things.

So spiritual freedom in particular, I guess you cannot understand at this point and I won't elaborate with someone who puts christian faith and confucean philosophy on the same plane, not to mention Gide... all the more with great assurance and assertiveness. It is more than apparent that you do not have the slightest experience of orthodoxy, actually not even the "idea". In fact you are way too much infatuated with your own views and knowledge to possibly "enter the door".

Even so, you still are capable of reading other people's post properly, aren't you?
So before you start a new round of posting absolute and definitive baliozianisms, could you please tell me where I suggested anything should be imposed or institutionalized?

institutionalizing faith and mentally regressing in time

For you really believe modern man is mentally more "advanced"? How pretentious, how stupid.

PS: Active nihilism? Nietzsche? The pope of western modernity?
We are not going to open up this discussion once again, are we?

http://forum.armenianclub.com/showpost.php?p=139978&postcount=6

[Siamanto]

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

the answer - or "solution" - that you are suggesting is reminiscent of the ones suggested by Hitler, the Talibans and hardcore Christian neo-cons.

I guess anyone who doesn't subscribe to relativism, you associate with a taliban.

No. But, as I did, I would associate/compare what you and Armenian have suggested to the Talibans, Nazis and hardcore Christian neo-cons.

By the way, just curious, did you mention only the Talibans because you're comfortable with being associated to the Nazis and hardcore Christian neo-cons?

This same relativism that is very apparent from your post and that plagues western thought. One of the roots of modern decadence.
Relativism does not accommodate with transcendence and this is one of modernity's distinctive traits that the meaning of the sacred has been lost. And man is left alone in a world where "God is dead". And this is the real tragedy of "modernity".

Yes, "God is dead" - as Nietzsche observed and exclaimed - and that is exactly why I made a reference to his concept of "Active Nihilism" as a possible answer.

However, the observation that "God is dead" does not make your "solution" less dangerous, abusive, oppressive of freedom and destabilizing. Furthermore, it does not justify oppression and abuses.

By the way, what is meant by "transcendence" and why is the monopoly of some???

Still modern man speaks of the "spiritual" blah blah, but when he does so this is nothing more than a form of aestheticism, romanticism... all too human, in one word, nombrilism! (which siamantoism is apparently bound to become a synonym for, in the years to come)

Yes, "aestheticism, romanticism" are forms of spiritual experiences, though not the only ones.
No, they do not necessarily mean or imply "nombrilism" - unless one views life as a Nazi or a Taliban.

By the way, what's wrong with being "all too human?" Please humor us and share with us your "divine transcendental experience." Maybe, we are not "illuminatus?" like some seem to be?

Some, like Naregatsi, understood the individual nature of spirituality many centuries ago.

Faith is of individual nature but it allows the individual to transcend himself and his individuality to enter in communion with the faithful. Individualism which characterizes your thought is precisely the negation of one of the main ideas of orthodoxy, that which Russians call sobornost (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sobornost)
Without communion, there is no ekklesia, there is no Church, there is just self delusion.

Are you saying that the Buddhist chants, the Dervish dances, the tribal rituals or other similar practices do not allow to achieve the same ????
You are so self-centered and yet accuse others of "nombrilism???"

In any case, Naregatsi, like others, believed that such a communion can be achieved directly without the "ekklesia."

[Note: It may be of some interest to consider how monads communicate through God, in Leibniz's Monadology.]

I'm afraid there is little room for discussion here for we most certainly do not have neither the same acceptation of words nor the same conception of things.

LOL Why do you think discussions occur; is it because the parties have "the same acceptation of words" or "the same conception of things??"

So spiritual freedom in particular, I guess you cannot understand at this point and I won't elaborate with someone who puts christian faith and confucean philosophy on the same plane, not to mention Gide... all the more with great assurance and assertiveness.

Yes...And Linkin Park, Bauhaus, Mos Def, Marquis de Sade, Tanizaki, Mishima, Oscar Wilde, Maupassant etc.
They may not be to the liking of some of us, but we still don't live among Talibans or in your "ideal world."

It is more than apparent that you do not have the slightest experience of orthodoxy, actually not even the "idea". In fact you are way too much infatuated with your own views and knowledge to possibly "enter the door".

I'm probably "all too human" - to use your words - and such an experience is reserved to the "divine illuminatus" such as you?

Even so, you still are capable of reading other people's post properly, aren't you?
So before you start a new round of posting absolute and definitive baliozianisms, could you please tell me where I suggested anything should be imposed or institutionalized?

Your statement

The unity of Orthodox Christians..both in the spiritual and cultural spheres...for the future of Armenia as a spiritually strong (and thus free) nation in the ocean of globalized western decadence?

Implies that
1. Orthodox Christianity is not only essential but an identifying aspect of Armenians
2. Not only it should identify, but it should protect and shield us against/from "Western decadence"
3. Because it identifies and shields, anything that disagrees will be recognized as "foreign" and excluded as undesirable and threatening ; just like an immune system rejects all bodies that it does not recognize as part of us and considers as noxious and dangerous

Building that "immune system" is institutionalizing.

institutionalizing faith and mentally regressing in time

For you really believe modern man is mentally more "advanced"? How pretentious, how stupid.

LOL Logic 101: How does my statement implies that I "really believe modern man is mentally more 'advanced'?"
Isn't it "pretentious and stupid" of you to come to such a erroneous and confident conclusion?

PS: Active nihilism? Nietzsche? The pope of western modernity?
We are not going to open up this discussion once again, are we?

http://forum.armenianclub.com/showpo...78&postcount=6

"Open up this discussion once again?" Shall I remind you that nothing was discussed in that thread where you failed to answer my questions, and are you making excuses to avoid them "once again????"
No discussion occurred.

[Armenian]

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

Russia to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure

SOCHI, Russia – Russia will invest $1 trillion in infrastructure over the next 10 years and aims to open access to monopolised sectors of the economy, acting First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Friday.
The state would contribute about 20 percent of investment in Russia's fast-growing economy, with private business supplying the bulk, acting Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said. Ivanov, speaking at an investment forum in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, said state investment in the economy would equal 3.8 percent of gross domestic product in the next two years and rise to 4.5 percent by 2015.

“We are prepared to give investors additional tools that will guarantee a high level of returns in infrastructure investment,” Ivanov said. “We are broadening competition. We aim to guarantee liberal access to monopolised sectors of the economy by strengthening free market regulatory methods,” he added, without specifying which sectors. He said: “In those areas where maintaining monopolies is economically justified – and I emphasise the word economically – we are prepared to privatise the maximum number of structures within the service and maintenance sectors.”

Ivanov said Russia should pass long-awaited legislation governing foreign investment in strategic areas of the economy by the end of this year. The lower house of parliament passed the draft at a first reading last week. The legislation defines 39 business areas where national security is affected and requires foreign investors seeking a controlling interest in such a business to undergo an approvals process. Kudrin, also speaking at the forum, said capital investment in Russia would total $370 billion in 2010, compared with $168 billion in 2006. Priority government 'national projects' have been a key driver of capital investment in Russia of late.

Ivanov told the forum Russia would invest 170 billion roubles ($6.8 billion) next year in the state power grid company, FSK, plus another 120 billion roubles ($4.8 billion) in federal state atomic energy agency Rosenergoatom. Russia also planned to build 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) of new roads annually by 2010 and to invest 11 trillion roubles ($437.9 billion) in its rail network by 2030. Investment in the country's airport network would reach $30 billion by 2020, Ivanov said. All of Russia's government ministers are working in an acting capacity pending a reshuffle of the cabinet after Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov's appointment last week.

Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/b...vestment-.html

[Armenian]

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

Russian Bear bombers fly along Alaskan, Canadian coastline



MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - Two Russian strategic Tu-95MS Bear-H bombers carried out a flight along the coasts of Alaska and Canada during recent command and post exercises, the Russian Air Force announced Thursday. "Each Tu-95 plane took about 30 tons of fuel on board, for the first time since the Soviet era. Their average flight duration was about 17 hours, during which the planes covered a distance of over 13,000 km [8,000 miles]," said Alexander Drobyshevsky, an aide to the Air Force commander. According to the Air Force, the bombers were refueled in the air by Il-78 Midas tankers.

Drobyshevsky also said another pair of Tu-95MS flew around Greenland into the eastern Atlantic, a flight that took about 12 hours. President Vladimir Putin announced the resumption of strategic patrol flights on August 17, saying that although the country halted long-distance strategic flights to remote regions in 1992, other nations had continued the practice, compromising Russian national security. The latest flights were in line with an air patrolling plan, and the planes were accompanied by NATO fighters. According to various sources, the Russian Air Force currently deploys 141 Tu-22M3 bombers, 40 Tu-95MS bombers, and 14 Tu-160 planes.

Source: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070920/80150569.html

[Armenian]

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

Russia says it will invest more oil wealth in its economy



September 21, 2007

MOSCOW: The Russian government said Friday that it would invest more of its oil wealth directly into the economy, mainly in infrastructure, as it sought to maintain its longest expansion since the fall of the Soviet Union. Budget-funded investment will rise to at least 900 billion rubles, or $36 billion, next year, the acting first deputy prime minister, Sergei Ivanov, said at an investment conference in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. State investment will climb to 3.8 percent of gross domestic product in coming years, Ivanov said.

"Russia more than ever before is using oil and gas revenue for financing projects," the acting finance minister, Alexei Kudrin, said. Budget revenue from taxes on oil and natural gas now equals 5 percent to 6 percent of gross domestic product, versus 2.5 percent a few years ago, Kudrin said. Analysts have been urging Russia to wean itself from its nearly total dependence on oil and natural gas revenue through diversification measures, from improving transportation to encouraging small businesses. It is an ideal time to act, they say, because of the economy's remarkable turnaround since the financial crisis of 1998, when the Russian ruble collapsed.

The Russian economy will probably expand 7.5 percent this year, more than the 6.5 percent originally forecast, as rising oil prices translate into record revenue, the acting economy minister, German Gref, said Thursday. The economy expanded 6.7 percent in 2006, the eighth-straight year of growth. Russia plans to spend $1 trillion between now and 2020 on infrastructure. So-called state monopolies, including Gazprom, Unified Energy System and Russian Railways all plan to spend tens of billions of dollars in the coming decade to upgrade Soviet-era equipment and increase capacity.

"Developing power and transportation infrastructure is a key factor for the economic development of Russia," Ivanov said. Economic growth will average "no less than 6 percent" a year through 2010, he said. Several major Russian companies will benefit. The Federal Grid will get 170 billion rubles, or $6.78 billion, next year, the nuclear power plant manager Rosenergoatom will receive 120 billion rubles and the hydroelectric dam operator RusHydro will be allotted 75 billion rubles, Ivanov said.

Russia's foreign currency reserves have surged 35-fold in the last decade to $420 billion, exceeding that of all other countries except China and Japan. The government also created the Stabilization Fund for windfall oil revenue that now holds 3.41 trillion rubles. The government plans to invest 400 billion rubles in the sparsely populated Far East alone in the next five years on roads, rail links and other infrastructure. This spending is part of a drive by the world's biggest energy supplier to develop areas outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and diversify the economy away from oil and gas.

Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/...ss/rusecon.php

Russia to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure

SOCHI, Russia – Russia will invest $1 trillion in infrastructure over the next 10 years and aims to open access to monopolised sectors of the economy, acting First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Friday.
The state would contribute about 20 percent of investment in Russia's fast-growing economy, with private business supplying the bulk, acting Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said. Ivanov, speaking at an investment forum in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, said state investment in the economy would equal 3.8 percent of gross domestic product in the next two years and rise to 4.5 percent by 2015.

“We are prepared to give investors additional tools that will guarantee a high level of returns in infrastructure investment,” Ivanov said. “We are broadening competition. We aim to guarantee liberal access to monopolised sectors of the economy by strengthening free market regulatory methods,” he added, without specifying which sectors. He said: “In those areas where maintaining monopolies is economically justified – and I emphasise the word economically – we are prepared to privatise the maximum number of structures within the service and maintenance sectors.”

Ivanov said Russia should pass long-awaited legislation governing foreign investment in strategic areas of the economy by the end of this year. The lower house of parliament passed the draft at a first reading last week. The legislation defines 39 business areas where national security is affected and requires foreign investors seeking a controlling interest in such a business to undergo an approvals process. Kudrin, also speaking at the forum, said capital investment in Russia would total $370 billion in 2010, compared with $168 billion in 2006. Priority government 'national projects' have been a key driver of capital investment in Russia of late.

Ivanov told the forum Russia would invest 170 billion roubles ($6.8 billion) next year in the state power grid company, FSK, plus another 120 billion roubles ($4.8 billion) in federal state atomic energy agency Rosenergoatom. Russia also planned to build 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) of new roads annually by 2010 and to invest 11 trillion roubles ($437.9 billion) in its rail network by 2030. Investment in the country's airport network would reach $30 billion by 2020, Ivanov said. All of Russia's government ministers are working in an acting capacity pending a reshuffle of the cabinet after Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov's appointment last week.

Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/b...vestment-.html

[Armenian]

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

China, Russia to expand investment co-op



China and Russia will further promote two-way investment in a bid to strengthen ties between the two soaring economies, senior trade officials said in Russian city of Sochi on Thursday. "China-Russia cooperation in various fields is expanding while the cooperation mechanism keeps improving," Ma Kai, Chinese minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), told an investment-promotion conference at the Black Sea resort. Chinese investment in Russia has grown annually by 100-160 percent since 2004, Ma said, noting that the two countries have inked agreements on 24 projects valued at US$3 billion. Progress has also been made in cooperation in forestry, infrastructure, the processing industry, the high-tech sector, as well as in the agriculture and energy sectors, Ma noted. He suggested devising plans for future cooperation, and that delegates take advantage of the conference to facilitate two-way investment and provide preferential policies.

Russian acting Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref spoke highly of the conference, saying Chinese companies are welcome to invest in Russia, especially in energy, forestry, industry, the high-tech sector, transportation and the Sochi Winter Olympics projects. China's direct overseas investment reached US$21.16 billion last year, ranking 13th in the world. Some 10,000 Chinese-funded companies had been established in 172 countries and regions by the end of 2006, official figures showed. Hong Kong, the United States, Russia, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Australia and Germany were the most popular on the destination list.

Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchin...nt_6125220.htm

China, Russia wind up exploration on border mountain

Chinese and Russian scientists have accomplished a field research at the border mountain of Altaiafter over three years of hard work, which led to findings of new plant species. Six botanists from Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAC) and Russian State University of Altai carried out four field expeditions since the joint exploration was launched in 2004 with the approval of the National Natural Science Foundation (NNSF) of China. After traveling across the low-laying and highland areas, river valleys and Siberian plains of the Altai Mountain, which borders China's northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Russia's Siberia region, scientists discovered some 22 species that had never been discovered in China and eight others never seen in Russia among a collection of more than 20,000 pieces of plant specimen.

Before the joint investigation, only a Chinese scientist from CAC organized a field trip on the mountain within the Chinese territory in 1955, but the mountain remained rather unacquainted to many researchers in the past 50 years. The latest joint expedition, the first and largest of its kind in terms of scale and duration, will help to find out the overall plant resources in the mountain area and facilitate joint biological protection and future developing efforts, officials with NNSF said. Altai, also known as Golden Mountains, winds its way through China, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia for over 2,000 km, boasting more than 2,000 plant species, including 212 endemic and 17 endangered. The mountain range is also an important habitat for rare and endangered animal species such as the snow leopard.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_6768282.htm

[Armenian]

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

Russia bolsters ties with Iran



Relations between Russia and the United States will be put to the severe test in the coming weeks as there are growing signs that the US has decided, or has almost decided, to launch a military strike against Iran. Russian observers do not rule out that the administration of US President George W Bush is yet to think through its policy on Iran, and the spate of media "leaks" keeps Tehran and the world community guessing. They analyze that a US military intervention would become inevitable unless Iran relented in its regional policy in Iraq. It is inconceivable for the US to leave its Arab allies in the region to face Iran single-handed.

But then, Russian experts do not visualize that the US has reached anywhere near the point where it can claim the security situation has been stabilized and political reconciliation achieved, which would allow a complete withdrawal of troops. On the contrary, they see the situation in Iraq continuing to deteriorate. Moscow would weigh that the real US agenda is aimed at "regime change" in Iran. Washington has more or less ensured that all military equipment (three aircraft-carrier battle groups) necessary for an air and sea strike against Iran are already in position in the Persian Gulf. The Bush administration has launched a concerted campaign for mobilizing domestic opinion in the US for an attack on Iran.

Bush has a new xxxxiness about him, and Moscow wouldn't be the only capital to notice. He has certainly lost his fear of the Democrat-dominated Congress on Capitol Hill. To be sure, he is step-by-step making a case for war. Commentator Patrick Buchanan wrote recently, "Confident of victory this fall on the Hill, Bush is now moving into Phase III in his 'war on terror': first Afghanistan, then Iraq, then Iran." In Moscow's perception, therefore, the next two to three months will be most critical, even as Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) enters a crucial phase. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to go ahead with his visit to Tehran on October 16, much to the chagrin of Washington. The visit is in connection with the summit of the Caspian states (Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran) that is to take place in Iran, but Putin is scheduled to hold "bilaterals" as well with the Iranian leadership. This will be Putin's first visit to Iran.

Russian stance unchanged

At a joint press conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Moscow on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov explained the Russian position on the Iran nuclear issue. He made it clear at the outset that Moscow is second to none in insisting on preventing the nuclear non-proliferation regime from being violated by Iran. In other words, Russia wouldn't countenance a "nuclear Iran". But having said that, Lavrov added that the problem has to be solved in accordance with international law. In other words, Moscow will reject any "unilateralism" on the part of Washington. Second, Lavrov argued that the steps taken by the international community so far - in the direction of the IAEA board of governors' decisions and the United Nations Security Council decisions - have proved "effective". This is borne out by the fact that last month Iran and the IAEA agreed to address outstanding issues conclusively; the two sides elaborated their agreement in an appropriate document. Lavrov said that in Moscow's estimation, the implementation of this document is proceeding satisfactorily and "we want this process to conclude unimpeded".

Third, Lavrov spoke in strong support of the IAEA's professional capabilities and asserted, "We will rely upon the professional assessments of the experts from the IAEA." He added a punch line: "We remember well what ignoring the professional opinion of this agency [IAEA] led to in the situation vis-a-vis Iraq four years ago." He virtually anticipated the US strategy, which aims at discrediting the IAEA and sidelining it on the Iran issue, if not elbowing it out of altogether, so that the UN Security Council gets into the driving seat. Fourth, Lavrov spoke emphatically against any military attack on Iran and instead stressed the "necessity to conduct negotiations in a persistent and consistent manner". Fifth, what was most interesting about Lavrov's statement was that he revisited the big-power discussions last year leading to the creation of the so-called Five Plus One format. (This comprises the five permanent members of the Security Council - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US - plus Germany.)

He recalled the understanding given by Washington at that time to Moscow and Beijing to the effect that the Security Council's involvement on the Iran issue would be with "a sole objective - to back the IAEA and ensure Iran's compliance with the IAEA". Lavrov's message to the Bush administration was plain: "Do not arbitrarily shift the goalposts now." Lavrov continued, "We remain committed to this original agreement on the understanding that the Security Council will not be forced to go beyond support of the IAEA." And, "The IAEA is now satisfied with the way Iran is implementing the accords on closing the outstanding issues on its nuclear file."

Lavrov in effect said nyet to Washington's latest move for tightening up the sanctions against Iran via yet another Security Council resolution. This echoed the statement attributed to an unnamed "senior Kremlin official in Moscow" a week earlier, who told The Financial Times of London, "As far as Iran's nuclear program is concerned, we have passed resolutions in the UN. So far, it's enough." Finally, Lavrov criticized the move by the US and the European Union to impose unilateral sanctions against Iran. He reminded the Western capitals that the original understanding while forming the Five Plus One was to develop a comprehensive dialogue with Iran "not only resolving all aspects of Iran's nuclear program, but also on economic and commercial affairs and on regional security".

Lavrov added, "It was this kind of comprehensive approach that helped to unlock the situation surrounding the Korean nuclear program." (Under the February agreement, in exchange for North Korea's denuclearization and information on all its nuclear programs, the reclusive state will receive 950,000 tonnes of fuel oil for its thermal power-generating plants in addition to the 50,000 tonnes already delivered by South Korea for the closure of its only operational nuclear reactor at Yongbyon. If Kouchner's visit to Moscow was to persuade Russia to fall in line with the US move to introduce a new Security Council resolution, things didn't quite work that way. (Kouchner was scheduled to arrive in Washington on Friday; French President Nicolas Sarkozy is due to visit Moscow on October 11-12.)

Russia couldn't be unaware that France is playing a double game. On the one hand, Sarkozy is closing ranks with the Bush administration's policies toward Iran. On the other hand, France is using US-French rapprochement to share the spoils of Iraq's oil wealth with US oil interests. France's Total and the United States' Chevron have agreed to collaborate on the Majnoon oilfields in Iraq. The San Francisco Chronicle recently wrote, "The building of a US-French consensus on Iraq is largely the result of the willingness of US oil interests to share the spoils with their European counterparts in exchange for their military and military backing of Washington's foreign policy in the Middle East." In the coming period, Moscow will have to factor the "trans-Atlantic partnership" in dealing with the Iran nuclear issue.

Moscow backs ElBaradei

Moscow is determined not to be party to Washington's attempt to discredit the IAEA's credentials in handling the Iran problem. Washington launched a similar offensive against the IAEA in the run-up to the Iraq war. Lavrov made it clear Russia's sympathy lies with IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday, "The IAEA is not in the business of diplomacy. The IAEA is a technical agency ... It is not up to anybody to diminish or to begin to cut back on the obligations that the Iranians have been ordered to take" by the Security Council. In effect, she meant that ElBaradei was freelancing where he didn't belong.

Russia doesn't want to see ElBaradei being bullied. Russia would like the agency's inspectors to report back without fear at the end of the year on the Iran file. Russia finds itself in complete agreement with ElBaradei's approach, which is to encourage Tehran to move forward in terms of the roadmap with the IAEA so that by November or December, a definitive assessment becomes possible as to whether the Iranians would keep their promises, and a peaceful solution emerges. Moscow goes along agrees ElBaradei's view that there are hopeful and positive signs. Moscow would have no quarrels either with ElBaradei's conclusion that "We [IAEA] consistently searched for evidence that Iran intends to build nuclear weapons. We found suspicious signs, but no smoking guns. We could now make some progress in settings aside these suspicions ... It's important to exert pressure. But in addition to sanctions, we must also have incentives to encourage Iran to take a new direction ... If we turn up the heat too high, the pot could explode around our ears."

[...]

Source: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/II22Ag01.html

[Armenian]

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

Russia FM: US Shield Is to Spy on Russia



MOSCOW -- Russia's foreign minister suggested in an interview broadcast Friday that the United States wants to install an anti-missile system in Eastern Europe to spy on Russia, not to defend Europe from Iranian missiles as Washington claims. Russia has responded angrily to U.S. proposals to base elements of a missile-defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland, and proposed instead that the United States use the Russian-leased Gabala radar in the ex-Soviet state of Azerbaijan, which sits between Russia and Iran. American technical experts visited Gabala this week and U.S. officials said afterward that the radar's technology is outdated and could not replace the Eastern European elements. The issue has grown into one of the most serious roiling ties between Moscow and Washington.

"When our American partners say that Gabala cannot be an alternative to a radar in the Czech Republic, I understand them, because the Gabala radar cannot see Russian territory from its western borders to the Urals ... A radar in the Czech Republic can," Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on state-run television. The Gabala facility points south toward Iran. Elements of an anti-missile system placed in the Czech Republic and Poland would point east and presumably overlook the western half of Russia. Lavrov repeated Russian arguments that building the missile-defense system will likely spark a new arms race.

"We see a threat and we are preparing a response to it," he said. "And this for sure will stimulate the scientists on that side of the ocean, the military-industrial complex, to build some sort of more effective type of weapons. But our guys also won't be sitting on their hands."

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...092101442.html