The Rise of the Russian Empire: Russo-Armenian Relations

[Armenian]

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

Serbia considers retaliatory steps against West if Kosovo breaks free

Grafitti in Belgrade on Wednesday that reads "No to NATO." Prime
Minister Vojislav Kostunica also lashed out at the United States

Moscow refuses to give up on Kosovo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PFs6...Q8/default.jpg

The Associated Press, December 26, 2007

Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica condemned the United States on Wednesday for supporting the independence of Kosovo as Parliament debated a measure that would sever diplomatic ties with Western countries that recognized the province's statehood. "America is openly striving for the destruction of the international order," Kostunica said in Parliament. "America, which once seemed like a symbol of freedom, now advocates the policies of force." The measure in Parliament, proposed by Kostunica's government, rejects the idea of the European Union's setting up a mission in Kosovo before the status of the breakaway province is resolved. The resolution threatens to halt Serbian integration into the European Union if Kosovo gains statehood, and denounces NATO and the West for their alleged support of separatists in Kosovo.

If adopted, the measure would oblige Serbian officials to reject Kosovo's independence and would almost certainly lead to further deterioration of Serbia's relations with the West. Ethnic Albanians, who make up about 90 percent of the two million people in Kosovo, have said they will proclaim independence early in 2008. The United States and several EU countries have said they will recognize Kosovo's independence because the province has not been under Serbian control since 1999, when NATO intervened to stop a military crackdown against separatists. Serbia, backed by Russia, insists that Kosovo remain a part of its territory and has urged more negotiations with the Kosovo Albanians. Kostunica accused the U.S. of blocking efforts to find a compromise through its open support of Kosovo's independence.

"The United States has decided that there could be no more talks," Kostunica said. "America decided that the problem, which the UN Security Council started to solve, must be solved outside the council." The Serbian president, Boris Tadic, was more moderate in his speech, saying the country must strive to keep Kosovo, but it should not give up "its European future" in the effort. The resolution says Serbia must "reconsider" diplomatic ties with Western countries that recognize Kosovo's statehood. It says that, because of NATO's alleged support for Kosovo independence, Serbia must remain outside the Western military alliance. The document also said the possible signing of a pre-membership trade-and-aid deal with the European Union in January "must be in the function of preserving the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The nationalist leader Tomislav Nikolic said in Parliament that his Radicals, the biggest group in Parliament, would support the resolution if it guaranteed that Serbia would not sign the so-called EU Stabilization and Association Agreement unless the agreement explicitly specified that Kosovo was part of Serbian territory. "Our fight for Kosovo is the fight for the state borders," Nikolic said. The leader of the opposition Liberal Party, Cedomir Jovanovic, who does not oppose Kosovo's independence, said the resolution represented "a blow to Serbia's ambitions to become a EU member." Jovanovic accused Tadic and Kostunica of turning Serbia into a "training ground for the conflict between Russia and America, from which they will see no harm, but Serbia will."

Source: http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=8908107

Russia plans controlling Serbia oil, gas

Russia has offered Serbia $1.5 billion for control of its oil industry and additional deals related to a gas pipeline and a gas underground storage. The Russian government offered $750 million in cash and $750 million in investments for a majority interest in Serbia's NIS oil company, the Serbian daily Blic reported Wednesday. No international tender would be involved, Blic said quoting an unidentified Serbian government official. The offer includes arrangements for a leg of the Russian South Stream gas pipeline, yet to be built, that would transport natural gas from the Black Sea across Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and on to Western Europe. The construction of large natural gas underground storage at Banatski Dvor, 65 miles north of Belgrade, is also included in the offer. The deal would give Russia full control of Serbia's gas and oil markets, Blic said.

Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/...ope/kosovo.php

Ultranationalist leader calls for Russian military bases in Serbia

Serbia's possible loss of Kosovo does not sit well at all with Tomislav Nikolic. And if it happens, Nikolic, who could become Serbia's next president, favors a very muscular response. Serbia needs Russian military bases established inside its borders to counter the U.S. "threat" over Kosovo, he said. And if Kosovo declares independence, he added, Serbia should use force to protect non-Albanians there if NATO does not. In an interview with The Associated Press, Nikolic, an ultra-nationalist who is a front-runner in coming presidential elections, advocated downgrading Serbia's diplomatic and economic relations with the United States and other Western countries if they recognize Kosovo's independence. And Serbia, he said, should impose "a complete blockade" of the southern province if it secedes. The pro-Russian leader of the Serbian Radical Party, the biggest group in the parliament, will face pro-Western incumbent Boris Tadic in presidential elections scheduled for Jan. 20. Polls show the two in a statistical dead heat.

The outcome could determine whether Serbia continues moving toward membership in the European Union or returns to its nationalist past. "I think that my chances of winning the vote are better than ever," Nikolic said at his office in the Serbian parliament. Over his head hung a portrait of the Radical Party's founder, Vojislav Seselj — now on trial for war crimes. Nikolic said Serbia could not sit idly by as its cherished Kosovo province, considered the cradle of Serbia's medieval state, wins recognition by the United States and most EU countries. Kosovo is expected to declare independence early in 2008. "It is obvious that there will be a unilateral proclamation of independence, and that the United States will immediately recognize it," Nikolic said. "I will demand from the parliament that we be ready for such an act."

"We must react with measures that are currently available to us, and those include complete isolation of Kosovo by Serbia, including the stoppage of trade and the movement of people and the adoption of measures to protect non-Albanians," he said. If the 16,000 NATO troops in Kosovo fail to protect the Serbs, a minority in Kosovo, from triumphant ethnic Albanians, "then Serbia will have to help in the preservation of peace and security," Nikolic said. But he said the Serb military would intervene only with NATO'S approval. "Serbia is not capable of fighting NATO," he said. The way to establish military balance in the Balkans would be to establish a Russian military presence in Serbia, he said. "If we already have an American base (in Kosovo), why can't we have a Russian base in Serbia?" he asked. "They would be watching each other and taking care of each other, and Serbia would be perfectly safe."

Nikolic said Serbia must "reduce its diplomatic ties to a protocol level" with all states that recognize Kosovo's statehood, while enhancing its ties with Russia, a traditional Serb ally, as well as with China and other countries that refuse recognition. "Our road toward the European Union has to be careful, while our road toward Russia is open," Nikolic said. "Our people would punish us if we cooperate with those who don't respect us as a state and a nation — with those who occupy Kosovo." Kosovo has been run by the United Nations, backed by NATO troops, since the alliance's 1999 bombing campaign ended a Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. Serbia has rejected phased-in, supervised statehood for Kosovo. Kosovo Albanians, who comprise 90 percent of the province's 2 million people, want nothing short of independence.

Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/...ationalist.php

EU force in Kosovo 'not impossible': Russia's Lavrov

Russia's foreign minister said Friday that a proposed European Union police mission to Kosovo might be acceptable if it was approved by the United Nations and Serbia. "If the EU wants to replace the UN in this way, it is not an impossible variant," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Vesti 24 television news channel. "But to do so, there are two things to respect: first, an appropriate resolution at the (UN) Security Council ... Secondly, there must be approval from Belgrade," he said.

"Because the indispensable characteristic in any peace operation is agreement of the country on whose territory this operation occurs." Kosovo is expected to declare unilaterally its independence early in 2008 following the collapse of international attempts to reach a negotiated deal with Serbia. Last week European leaders said they were ready to send a major police mission to the southern Serbian province in a move intended to help ease any transition from the UN administration, in place since 1999, to independence. Kosovo has been administered by the UN since NATO bombed Belgrade in 1999 to end a crackdown on separatist ethnic Albanians, and the Albanian majority has been impatient for independence ever since.

Lavrov added that though that "nothing must change in Resolution 1244," the 1999 UN resolution allowing the province to be under the world body's supervision. EU officials believe 1244 gives the bloc the right to back the kind of internationally supervised independence which UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari has suggested. A Russian newspaper on Friday quoted Lavrov as saying that Moscow would veto any attempt by the UN Security Council to back independence for Kosovo. "If a resolution is proposed that approves a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo, then of course there will be a veto," Lavrov told the Vremya Novostei daily. It was not the first time Russia has threatened to veto UN backing for Kosovan independence, which the United States and EU support.

Russia supports Serbia, which says the majority ethnic-Albanian province should be allowed autonomy, but no more. Lavrov's interview came two days after the UN Security Council, where Serbian ally Russia is one of five countries with veto power, failed to break the impasse. He defended Russia's isolated position, saying, "They criticise us for putting a veto, that we are refusing to sanctify the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo with a UN Security Council resolution." "But this is not blocking attempts to resolve the problem. The veto is an integral part of the UN statute. And the UN statute is the cornerstone in modern international law." If the European Union circumvents the UN Security Council, "then they will put themselves outside of international law," Lavrov said.

Source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5...Q7nVFfeXujilZQ

[skhara]

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

Is the shyte about to hit the fan?

[Armenian]

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

Here is something else I found in my desk drawer, about ten years old. I am glad it is still posted on the internet. For the religious and/or the superstitious, an interesting interview by the eccentric Roman Catholic Priest and former Jesuit, Malachi Martin. With great interest I have read many of his works concerning theology and politics. The following interview, recorded on April 18, 1996, among other things touches upon the "One World Order" and the Russian Federation. The paragraph about "Our Lady of Fatima" and its predictions about Russia are interesting, to say the least. The believers in the prophesy are more-or-less saying that once Russia corrects its Bolshevik errors it will become a global savior. I think this is an interesting proposition, especially now that Russia is increasingly finding itself having to resist the evils of the global elite. Something to think about...

Armenian

************************************************** *********

Malachi Martin

Interviewer:

One of your books is about the `New World Order'. What is it?

Malachi Martin:

The `New World Order' is a new system of financial arrangements by which the trade of the world has been re-organized according to the new globalist principles. Most people think the New World Order is about to come. The New World Order is here already, which means that our trade and the flow of capital and the flow of capital goods are regulated by an international body of men and women, mainly men, and that has only started, and, I suppose, when you are my age it will be in full swing. It's the New World order and it's going to regulate governments because all governments depend on money and if they don't get the money and don't have the flow of capital and capital goods; if they can't trade, they die. That's the New World Order. Seventy or a hundred years ago a nation could live without ever trading. Now you can't, and even the so-called communist states like North Korea now find that they will perish unless they trade, and they have to enter this New World Order. It all depends how far this New World Order is going to go because the New World Order is animated by one thing, and one thing only - profit - money. You and I both know as human beings and as believers that money has no morality in itself, just as capitalism has no inherent morality in itself, so that if money is the dominant factor in the New World Order it must be leavened by belief and by religion and by the more beautiful things of human life, otherwise we will deteriorate into a jungle, so that's the New World Order.

Interviewer:

You mentioned that the New World Order is controlled by global principles. Can you tell me about these global principles?

Malachi Martin:

The global principles nowadays are in ways rather baffling because there's no doubt about it that the tendency of the globalist groups now existing, who are very powerful, is to limit the population of the earth. It is to make certain continents both dumping grounds and extraction grounds, that is, grounds where waste can be dumped and where the goods of the earth can be extracted. It is very safe to say, for instance, that Africa, the continent of Africa, is now a place from which the other nations are going to extract goods, and they're not going to enrich Africa necessarily, and anyway, Africa politically is way back I suppose at the level at which Europe was in the 12th Century, not even that, so that there's no real governmental institutions in the various countries, but Africa is one of those countries which is unfortunate because the New World Order is going to use it as a place for extracting gold, oil, manganese, lead, wood, etc., etc., but not enriching it to the same measure, so that's one principle, it's to limit population the use of population. Number two: There is the fact that certain nations are favored; there's no doubt about that. The major seven industrial nations have a higher standard of living and accordingly, as they advance their standard of living the others can't catch up. You can't imagine the Pygmies in the Kalahari Desert catching up with New York or England or Germany or Belgium or France, so there's necessarily a big division arising. You have that exemplified completely in India where there are about 25 million people who can hold their own with anybody in the West in culture, in science, in religion, and then you have a vast population.

[...]

Interviewer:

Could you give me a short list of the principles of the New World Order?

Malachi Martin:

There's the question of international trade, everybody must trade, you can't live without trading. You must belong to the international banking system, otherwise you won't get capital and you must trade in order to get capital goods come to you and you send your capital goods abroad and therefore live and not die. You must also participate in global education for your children, for your families, for your cities, for your government; and you must also subscribe to the international laws that are now being established. For instance, the European Union, the EU insists that every government provide abortion for their people, and that's a necessity; you must have that. Also contraceptives, you must apply that, it's one of the laws of the EU and they're going to extend it to any nation that joins the European Union, and so on. Then you have the question of foreign policy. That one alone will be decided by local Parliaments, by say, the Parliament in Canada, in Ottawa, or the United States Senate and Congress, that would be all decided by an international body, probably some form of the United Nations. Those are the main principles of the New World Order, but it is also basically anti the morality as preached by the old religions. It is against that. It wants to have another form of the family. It doesn't want the traditional family style. It wants family in the broad sense of the word, whether it's homosexual or heterosexual, whether it's single units or many units, communal families, it wants a very, very pliable and flexible and plastic definition of family, whereas the old religions say no, it's father, mother and children and extended relatives, so there's a clash there.

Interviewer:

Who are the main players working to create the New World Order?

Malachi Martin:

What most people don't know is that every day there are billions of dollars sloshed around in the international markets - London, Tokyo, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Rome, Paris, wherever, and there are probably millions of small investors. There are just a few investors who play daily, hold your hat, they play with about $60 billion. That's an awful lot of money. And they decide the flow of capital goods, they decide the life and death of nations and of governments, and it's not a conspiracy, it's just that they're very wealthy. They have timber here and rubber there and coal over there and automobiles in another country and gold mining or diamonds or in another country; they have extensive wealth, and they're mainly men, about 60-80 of them, some women, but mainly men, and of course they decide communications, they decide the big questions that are to be decided. They're in armaments, they're merchants of death, as we call them, but the decide the flow of armaments and who can create a war, who can fight a war and who can't fight a war. These are mainly the people who do it. It's a question of money, and they know each other because as the present Pope is always saying, if you have thirty men in a room and five men are ten feet high and the rest are five feet high, guess who the 10-feett high men are going to talk to. It stands to reason. If I can gamble with you, if I can play opposite you with my $40 billion, and you have $40 billion or $10 billion or $60 billion, obviously you and I are going to be sparring partners and partners too in business because we can finance things, so they run the world from the point of view of trade and capital and the New World Order, and they will decide whether the United Nations can make a decision in the UN Security Council or not, if they're going to finance it, or not, and whether the American government would be allowed finance for a visit to Bosnia with its 25,000 troops we have there at the present moment, whether Syria can wage a war, whether Israel can attack Iran, which now seems is one of the possibilities in order that they can kill off the terrorism, but that's not a decision by the Kinesit in Israel alone. They've got to depend on financial backing.

Malachi Martin:

There is a place in Portugal called Fatima, after the eldest daughter of Mohammed, who converted, at least the person who carried her name was a Moorish princess who converted, and she was called Fatima, and the town is called Fatima. There in 1917 three children claimed that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to them and gave them special messages for Catholics and for the Pope and the messages were very, very dire and were very chastising. They threatened the world with great punishment if the world didn't stop committing sin. There were three secrets mainly, and there was a third secret which hasn't been revealed yet, and the Pope in Rome has the third secret written down on a sheet of paper in a box on a mantelpiece in his private apartments and it has not been revealed. Fatima has become very important because the Virgin apparently made promises that affect the well-being of the Papacy and of the Catholic Church. John Paul II used to be very devoted to Fatima and he had a great devotion to Our Lady of Fatima as they speak about the Virgin who appeared there. He started off very devoted to Our Lady, very devoted to Fatima and to propagating the message of Fatima which was repent from sin and convert to God. Of late he has swung away from Fatima. He is not very much in favor of Fatima. He still believes it happened but he believes that it is not of great importance, and he has given permission for Vatican officials to more or less limit Fatima and limit devotions at Fatima to the Virgin, which has displeased a lot of people. So John Paul II has changed in this regard, because Fatima is a very apocalyptic message. It says that no matter what happens there are going to be terrible wars, there are going to be diseases, whole nations are going to be wiped out, there are going to be 3 days darkness, there are going to be epidemics that will wipe out whole nations overnight, parts of the earth will be washed away at sea and violent tornadoes and storms. It's not a nice message at all, and John Paul II is not inclined to think like that, so he has dropped emphasis on Fatima's message, and that fits in with his Globalist outlook, because his outlook is that man has been blessed and man is going to succeed and man must be helped to build his human habitat. It's an entirely different philosophy and outlook from what Catholicism used to be.

Interviewer:

What's Russia's role in the Vision of Fatima?

Malachi Martin:

Russia's role in the Vision of Fatima is very important because if we're to believe the Vision of Fatima, salvation for the world, the cure for the world ills, will start in the Ukraine and in Russia, and that was why the Virgin in the Fatima vision of 1917 was supposed to have spoken actively about Russia and that Russia first of all has to be cured of her errors and then she will help the entire world to get better and to cure itself of its sins. It's a very bizarre message in that sense because one would have said that salvation was going to come from the West as we always think because we are Westerners, but no, according to the message of Fatima, salvation will come from the East, and particularly, from Ukraine and from the State of Russia itself, which is extraordinary.

[...]

Interviewer:

How does China fit in with the global agenda?

Malachi Martin:

The connection between China and the Leninists in the Soviet Union has never been broken. We in the West were duped into thinking that there was a huge rift between China and the Soviet Union. There was never a rift. There was a separation for strategic purposes, but the same people that decide on where China is going to go next are the people that decide where Russia is going to go next and where the Soviet Union states are going to go next, because they have the money and eventually everybody depends on the flow of capital and the flow of capital goods. You can't survive today as a country unless you belong. They will choke you.

[...]

Interviewer:

How does the New World Order look upon the Middle East peace process?

Malachi Martin:

The Middle East is for one thing, and one thing only - oil. Remember, the United States has built a new empire in the Middle East. We have invested more military equipment in the Middle East than we ever did in any part of the world. We now hold the Middle East. Nobody can take it from us, except China, and we need oil, until we discover a new form of energy which we will discover, which we are on the way to discovering, due to space flight, but we haven't got that commercialized yet, so we can't bring it into our cities; we can't drive our automobiles with it, we can't drive our engines with it, we can't go to the moon with it or to Mars, but we will. When we no longer need the Middle East oil we'll drop it like a hotcake or like an old cake. All our military logistics are geared to the Middle East at the present moment. We're going to hold it, despite anybody. We are going to hold it.

[...]

Source: http://www.starharbor.com/fr_martin/view1.html

[crusader1492]

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

Is the shyte about to hit the fan?

The xxxx has hit the fan in Pakistan...it's just a matter of time before the West gets a wiff of it.

[Armenian]

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

The xxxx has hit the fan in Pakistan...it's just a matter of time before the West gets a wiff of it.

The kaka has also hit the fan in Bethlehem - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7161557.stm

Regarding Pakistan, I don't know if this qualifies as chaos, or kaka hitting the fan as you called it, as of yet.

Although I am very surprised to hear of her assassination, I think Bhutto's death was an experiment of sorts that went terribly wrong. There obviously were plans set in place for her. I don't think anyone will know who in fact ordered the assassination, it could be a number of entities, including a lone fanatic. The politics in Pakistan is perhaps amongst the most complicated, most secretive, most deadly in the world. Most of what goes on regarding Pakistan, which is in essence the center of Islamic fundamentalism/militancy and the so-called Al-Qaeda, remains far behind the scenes. So, it's very difficult following events there via mainstream news media - you simply have to wait and see as what develops out of this.

[crusader1492]

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

The kaka has also hit the fan in Bethlehem - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7161557.stm

Regarding Pakistan, I don't know if this qualifies as chaos, or kaka hitting the fan as you called it, as of yet.

As far as Bethlehem is concerned, this kind of stuff has been going on for 100's of years. The Armenian priests in this familiar senario were protecting their real-estate from the Greek priests who use the excuse of cleaning to encroach (and them claim) Armenian sections. Although this may sound petty, over many years a few inches per incident can add up.

Good for the Armenian priests in stoping this.

[Armenian]

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

As far as Bethlehem is concerned, this kind of stuff has been going on for 100's of years. The Armenian priests in this familiar senario were protecting their real-estate from the Greek priests who use the excuse of cleaning to encroach (and them claim) Armenian sections. Although this may sound petty, over many years a few inches per incident can add up. Good for the Armenian priests in stoping this.

I agree. Don't get me started on this topic. I have nothing against Greeks, but speaking from purely a 'political' perspective, Byzantine Greeks caused more damage to the Armenian nation than the Ottoman Turks. Our first genocide were at their hands; We lost our kingdom in Armenia Major because of them; We lost the royal city of Ani to the Turks because of them; Asia Minor got over run with Turks because of them... Anyone that wants to dispute these statements of mine should first familiarize themselves with Byzantine history and its relations with various Armenian kingdoms. The Geek church even to this day looks down on the Armenian Church as heretics. Due to the common genocide Armenians and the Greeks suffered at the hands of Turks at the turn of the twentieth century many Greeks today get along with Armenians. However, scratch the surface of a Greek nationalist, or a Greek traditionalist, you will find severe hostility towards Armenians. It's all Byzantine derived hostility, in my opinion. It's a shame how much of a great role Armenians have played in Byzantium - only to be payed back with massive deportations and persecutions of Armenians that essentially allowed the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. As far as I'm concerned, the only true Orthodox church today is based in Russia.

[Armenian]

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

Kocharian Signs Armenian Defense Doctrine

President Robert Kocharian signed on Wednesday Armenia’s official military doctrine that describes Azerbaijan’s pledges to win back Nagorno-Karabakh as a key threat to national security and asserts Yerevan’s right to launch pre-emptive military strikes against potential aggressors. “In the event of an immediate threat of armed aggression, the Republic of Armenia reserves itself the right to take military actions aimed at neutralizing it,” reads the doctrine approved by Kocharian’s National Security Council on Friday.

The 18-page document was drawn up by a special commission of the Armenian Defense Ministry in collaboration with local and foreign experts. Its main points are in tune a separate “national security strategy” that was signed by the president in February. Both documents were developed as a result of Armenia’s decision three years ago to deepen its defense and security links with NATO and other Western security structures. The Armenian government has since upgraded its participation in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program by negotiating an “individual partnership action plan,” or IPAP, with the U.S.-led alliance. Accordingly, the military doctrine states that Armenia will increasingly cooperate with the armed forces of NATO member states and the United States in particular in reforming its military and contributing to international security. It specifically commits Yerevan to expanding its involvement in Western-led peace-keeping operations abroad. The Armenian military already has small contingents deployed in Kosovo and Iraq and is considering joining the NATO-led multinational force in Afghanistan.

The doctrine makes it clear at the same that “strategic partnership” with Russia will remain the bedrock of Armenia’s defense policy. It says the two countries will continue to maintain close military ties both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization. The agorno-Karabakh conflict and Azerbaijan’s persistent threats to resolve it by force are high on the list of “external threats” to Armenia’s security contained in the document. “The Republic of Armenia is the guarantor and supporter of the security of the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and their chosen path of development,” it says. Among other perceived security threats is Turkey’s “strategic alliance” with Azerbaijan and continuing economic blockade of Armenia.

The doctrine also lists internal security challenges such as attempts to change the country’s “constitutional order,” set up “illegal armed groups” and “discredit” the Armenian Armed Forces. The latter are to play the central role in meeting all these challenges. The government, for its part, undertakes to make the army more combat-ready by supplying it with modern weaponry and boosting the morale of military personnel. The doctrine reaffirms the government’s commitment to defense reforms that are meant to bring the Armenian military into greater conformity with NATO standards and practices. The government undertook to implement such reforms three years ago and plans to complete them by 2015. If implemented, they will lead to greater civilian control over the military and a so-called “civilianization” of the Armenian Defense Ministry. The ministry’s current organizational structure essentially mirrors that of the formerly Soviet and now Russian armed forces, with army officers holding just about every ministerial position and facing little civilian oversight. The doctrine further envisages that the proportion of contractual personnel in Armenia’s conscription-based army will grow significantly in the coming years.

Source: http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeni...6665B4419A.ASP

[Armenian]

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

Russia Lends a Hand

There were echoes of the cold war yesterday, as Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar announced that Russia would supply his country with an S-300 air defense system, capable of shooting down aircraft, as well as ballistic and cruise missiles. The White House, of course, expressed concern about the agreement, coming at a time when it has asked for a new round of United Nations sanctions on Iran. Russia, meanwhile, hasn't acknowledged the sale. But earlier this month, Russian military cooperation chief Mikhail Dmitriev argued that defense ties between Russia and Iran "reinforces stability in the region." While there's a certain amount of nose-thumbing in Russia's position, there's also some merit. An improved Iranian air defense system could improve security in the region, particularly by deterring a unilateral Israeli attack. But while there are some upsides to Russian-Iranian cooperation on defensive systems, cooperation on offensive military equipment is something to worry about. With a 90-mile maximum range, the S-300 is similar to the U.S. Patriot system. Along with the short-range Tor-M1 surface-to-air missile system that Russia delivered to Iran earlier this year, it would modernize Iranian air defenses -- previously based largely on deteriorating 1970s American technology. And it would pretty much put the kibosh on Israel's ability to attack Iran on its own. Former Israeli Air Force Commander Eitan Ben-Eliyahu has said that the Russian missiles would make it significantly harder for Israel to attack from the air. And, even if an Iranian nuclear weapons program some day crossed a line that justified preemptive attack, the world would be far safer if there were technological and other constraints on unilateral action. Adopting these systems would also make the Iranian military somewhat more transparent and make Iran more dependent on outside sources of military goods, both of which could be positive in the long-run if U.S.-Russian relations stay warm. But those benefits are counterbalanced, though, when you move from talking about defensive military systems to offensive ones. And, indeed, Iran and Russia are in negotiations to expand military cooperation beyond air defenses, including attack helicopters and jet engines for a fleet of indigenous Iranian fighters. There have also been reports that Iran intends to purchase Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighters. Despite the cold-war-like response to the S-300 announcement, these other negotiations have gone on without much notice. But the buildup of Iranian military capabilities is far more likely than the buildup of its air defenses to be the spark of future conflict.

Source: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/early...l?nav=rss_blog

Russia Helps Iran Keep Balance of Power

A meeting of the Russian-Iranian intergovernmental commission on military-technical cooperation took place n Tehran at the end of last week. The commission discussed leasing Russian helicopters and deliveries of modified RD-33 engines for Iranian jet fighters. Head of the Federal Military-Technical Cooperation Service Mikhail Dmitriev stated that cooperation with Iran would continue with the goal of maintaining the balance of power in the region. The engines will power multipurpose supersonic fighter jets developed in Iran to replace American F-5 models obtained in the 1970s and the Iranian modification of them, called the Azarakhsh (Lightening). The deal was discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iran in October. A modification of the Ka-32 helicopter is also being considered. Iran began negotiations on the serial assembly of the Ka-32 two years ago, but those negotiations were discontinued. In 2006 and 2007, Russia supplied Iran with Tor-M1 air defense systems to defend the atomic power plant being built at Bushehr by the Russians. Talks on deliveries of S-300V air defense systems and MiG-29 and Su-30 fighter jets were also discontinued about a year ago. A delay in the U.S.-Iranian war is implied by the recent publication of a U.S. intelligence report indicating that Iran closed down its military nuclear program in 2003. Russia is clearly taking advantage of the situation to sell as many weapons as possible. Dmitriev stated that “Russia and Iran are strengthening stability in the region.” He added that “We are talking about defensive types of weapons… Iran has never asked for and Russia would never give Iran offensive weapons to encourage any, conditionally speaking, aggression against anyone.”

Source: http://www.kommersant.com/p839198/r_500/arms_sales/

Russian official: Russia, Iran should bolster all-out ties

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said on Thursday that Iran has a special position in Russia's foreign policy. Speaking to reporters, he said the two sides' leaders especially after the recent visit of Russian leader Vladimir Putin to Iran have called for bolstering of ties between the two countries. Iran is regarded as Russia's most important and powerful neighbor, he said, adding that Russia gives priority to expansion of cooperation with Asian countries including Iran, China, India and Japan. Mutual cooperation between Iran and Russia would help restore security to the region, he pointed out. Iran and Russia have closely cooperated in anti-drug fight and terrorism in Afghanistan, he said. On Iran's nuclear programs, he said since the two countries enjoy very close ties, Moscow has played a special role to this end. On international cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, he said the two countries have adopted close stands on international developments and are determined to pursue the same path.

Source: http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/men...9787165043.htm

[Virgil]

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

I agree. Don't get me started on this topic. I have nothing against Greeks, but speaking from purely a 'political' perspective, Byzantine Greeks caused more damage to the Armenian nation than the Ottoman Turks. Our first genocide were at their hands; We lost our kingdom in Armenia Major because of them; We lost the royal city of Ani to the Turks because of them; Asia Minor got over run with Turks because of them... Anyone that wants to dispute these statements of mine should first familiarize themselves with Byzantine history and its relations with various Armenian kingdoms. The Geek church even to this day looks down on the Armenian Church as heretics. Due to the common genocide Armenians and the Greeks suffered at the hands of Turks at the turn of the twentieth century many Greeks today get along with Armenians. However, scratch the surface of a Greek nationalist, or a Greek traditionalist, you will find severe hostility towards Armenians. It's all Byzantine derived hostility, in my opinion. It's a shame how much of a great role Armenians have played in Byzantium - only to be payed back with massive deportations and persecutions of Armenians that essentially allowed the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. As far as I'm concerned, the only true Orthodox church today is based in Russia.

This is true, the Orothodox world is divided due to ridiculous religious rites. We are losing the war, western civilization is at a crossroads, we must either decide to unite and preserve our way of life or else go the way of the dinosaur.