Ukraine

[hipeter924]

Re: Ukraine

What is interesting is that Cyprus (that is Greek Cyprus) voted against Russia at the UN

The Cyprus problem was mainly about the Greek Cypriot majority campaigning to join Greece (and Turkey and Great Britain blocking this movement)

Well, Greece at the time was basically a military dictatorship, so it wasn't surprising that Turkey invaded. Now Cyprus is divided (largely on ethnic lines) and whatever unity it had is now gone. Can't say I blame Greek Cyprus wanting to become part of Greece.

[lampron]

Re: Ukraine

What is interesting is that Cyprus (that is Greek Cyprus) voted against Russia at the UN

The Cyprus problem was mainly about the Greek Cypriot majority campaigning to join Greece (and Turkey and Great Britain blocking this movement)

[Haykakan]

Re: Ukraine

CRIMEA RUSSIA'S ARTSAKH

Editorial, 23 March 2014

For more than two decades Artsakh's fate has hinged on
two contradictory international principles: the territorial
integrity of states versus the inviolable right of people for
self-determination. These two key principles are enshrined in the
United Nations charter and in a number of fundamental international
documents. Armenians don't see a contradiction in the two schools of
thought when it comes to the status of Artsakh because they believe
that since Artsakh was illegally given to Azerbaijan, by Joseph Stalin
in the early '20s, the territorial inviolability of Azerbaijan did
not apply when the Armenians of Artsakh declared independence. They
were merely exercising their right of self-determination.

Thus when Russian-speaking Crimeans opted for self-determination
and joined Russia, President Serge Sarkissian of Armenia recognized
the Crimean referendum within a few days. And even if Armenia hadn't
believed in the principle of a people's right to self-determination
or there was no Artsakh issue, Armenia had no choice but to accede
to Vladimir Putin's wishes. That Armenia is dependent on Moscow
militarily, politically, and economically is no secret, especially
to neighboring countries such as Ukraine. Thus Kiev's high dudgeon
against Armenia is ingenuous.

Soon after Sarkissian recognized the Crimean referendum to join
Russia, Kiev recalled its ambassadors from Yerevan and threatened
Ukraine/Armenia relations were about to go south. One would have
thought Kiev authorities, aware of Armenia's circumstances and of
the centuries of friendship between the two people's would have
been more circumspect in their condemnation. When Kazakhstanâ?"a
much-stronger state than Armenia and a Turkic country in sympathy
with the Crimean Tatarsâ?"recognized the results of the referendum,
why would Ukraine pick on tiny Armenia? As well, Kiev should remember
that despite Ukraine's weapons sales to Azerbaijan, a country which
regularly threatens to invade Armenia, Yerevan did not complain,
let alone recall its ambassador from Ukraine.

It's too early to determine whether the Crimea development would
buttress Artsakh's assertion of people's right to self-determination,
particularly when so much of international politics depends on who
has the power to get what it wants. Russia can recognize Artsakh in a
jiffy and cite the principle of self-determination. But since Russia is
concerned in NATO's courtship of Baku, it sees no benefit in alienating
Azerbaijan to please Armenia, a small country dependent on Moscow.

The West will play similar games of self-interest: It backed
self-determination in Kosovo justifiably expecting that the
mini-state would be a Western puppet and a constant irritant
to hostile-to-the-West Serbia. Since an independent Artsakh or an
Artsakh united with Armenia is of no perceived benefit to the West,
it would let Artsakh's remain in suspended animation.

Whether Artsakh becomes independent or joins Armenia depends on Baku,
but not in a martial sense. If Baku decides to go to bed with the West,
Russia will at first try to abort that plan. If it fails, it will give
up on the Azerbaijan's rulers and punish them be recognizing Artsakh.

The story line might also change if Russian/European Union commercial
relations go into deep freeze and Germany, France, et al begin to
look for an alternative source for natural gas which they now buy from
Russia. A new natural gas source might be the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey
pipeline. But the Azeri wells are now shallower than they were believed
to be a few years ago. Would the Europeans invest billions of dollars
when the well might go dry in ten to 15 years? A much richer source
is Iran. It has the second-biggest proven natural gas sources. But
Iran is in the bad books of the West, particularly that of the United
States. If Iran and the West make peace, Iranian fuel can be exported
to Europe through Syria's Mediterranean ports. If Iran and the West
make peace, Saudi Arabia and Qatar would halt their support of the
extremist Sunnis who want to topple Assad of Syria.

The next six months would be as unpredictable and suspenseful as a
chess match between two grandmasters. In this case the chess board is
three dimensional and the players a dozen or more. Armenia will be
a pawn in the match, but being a pawn isn't necessarily a bad thing
when you are on the side which says "Check mate."

[hipeter924]

Re: Ukraine

But back on topic, looks like Right-Sector is trying to threaten and un-stabilize the government there, again: http://rt.com/news/right-nationalist...m-ukraine-701/

Over 1,500 nationalists from the Right Sector have circled Ukrainian parliament in Kiev threatening to storm it on Thursday. They demanded the resignation of the interior minister after their leader Muzychko was killed in a police operation.

Up to 2,000 members of the Right Sector, which recently was revamped into a political party, flooded the square in front of Verkhovna Rada in the Ukrainian capital on Thursday night. The radicals, who brought car tires to burn with them, were banging on the Parliament’s doors, smashing the glass parts in them.

Wearing masks and brandishing bats, they were shouting "Avakov, get out!"

The parliament building was empty except for guards, some administrative staff and reporters. All the MPs had earlier left the building through an underground tunnel, RIA Novosti reported.

The protesters were threatening to break into the parliament if their demands were not met, journalists reported from the scene. The Rada’s security in the meantime concentrated in front of the entrance to the building and prepared water cannons, urging the journalists inside not to approach the windows looking onto Constitution Square.

[hipeter924]

Re: Ukraine

[...]They stated that the incident "is an example of the right of peoples
to self-determination through free will". According to the Press
Service of the Armenian leader, the conversation was initiated by
Sargsyan. Yerevan's position on the Crimea caused a negative reaction
from US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern.[...]

Well, the Obama Administration has been no friend of Armenia, at some point Obama tried to get US aid cut to Armenia: http://www.anca.org/press_releases/p....php?prid=2102

WASHINGTON, DC - President Obama has called for a sharp 19% reduction in economic aid to Armenia in the last budget request of his term, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The President has proposed $27,219,000 in Economic Support Fund (ESF) aid for Armenia in his Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) budget, which is nearly $12,781,000, or 32%, less than the $40,000,000 approved by Congress for FY12. The President's ESF figures for FY13, however, do not include $2,824,000 in International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement assistance and 2,500,000 in Global Health Programs (USAID), both categories that were formerly included under the ESF heading. Adding these two line items to the $27,219,000 ESF proposal, brings the economic aid total to Armenia to $32,543,000, which is a sharp 19% cut, measured from FY12 to FY13.

That is before you get to Obama's broken promise on recognizing the Armenian Genocide, and his sucking up to Turkey.

[lampron]

Re: Ukraine

On Thursday at the "NATO Partnership for the South Caucasus"
international conference head of the US Mission to Armenia John
Heffern regretted statements of official Yerevan on the Crimean
issue

His regrets are of no interest when his organization vigorously supports Kosovo's claim to
independence while strongly opposing the same for Karabakh

NATO has no business in the south Caucasus. Pity Georgians are not being informed by their media of NATOs hypocrisy

[Haykakan]

Re: Ukraine

Restating the obvious is interesting nowdays?

Ukraine: Ominous World War II parallels?
As world leaders call each other 'Nazis' and 'fascists', clarity is needed on the application of international law.

An interesting article by Vartan Oskanian

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opi...034569427.html

[londontsi]

Re: Ukraine

Ukraine: Ominous World War II parallels?
As world leaders call each other 'Nazis' and 'fascists', clarity is needed on the application of international law.

An interesting article by Vartan Oskanian

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/03/ukraine-ominous-world-war-ii-pa-201431372034569427.html

[Haykakan]

Re: Ukraine

YEREVAN QUARRELS WITH WASHINGTON: THE PRO-RUSSIAN STANCE OF ARMENIA IRRITATED THE US

Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Russia
March 21 2014

by Yury Roks

In a telephone conversation Armenian and Russian Presidents Vladimir
Putin and Serzh Sargsyan discussed the situation around the Crimea.

They stated that the incident "is an example of the right of peoples
to self-determination through free will". According to the Press
Service of the Armenian leader, the conversation was initiated by
Sargsyan. Yerevan's position on the Crimea caused a negative reaction
from US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern.

On Thursday at the "NATO Partnership for the South Caucasus"
international conference head of the US Mission to Armenia John
Heffern regretted statements of official Yerevan on the Crimean
issue He said that NATO and the US tried to find options out of the
Ukrainian crisis. He noted: "Peaceful solutions were offered during
the conversations between Obama and Putin, Kerry and Lavrov...

However, Russia did not heed the proposals". The Ambassador noted that
he was disappointed with pro-Russian position taken by the Armenian
leadership in the Crimean issue that was expressed in a statement
that the right of people to self-determination was implemented in
the Crimea.

Up to this point, Armenia's position was not so articulate. It is
clear that currently that position has become definite and clear. In
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenian side
insists on the priority of the principle of the right of people to
self-determination, while Azerbaijan insists on the principle of the
inviolability of another principle - of "territorial integrity".

With regard to the Crimea Baku took an extremely cautious stance. And
it can be understood, because recognizing the legitimacy of the
Crimean referendum would be a sign to recognize valid the claims of
Nagorno-Karabakh to independence, while the announcement the will of
the Crimeans irregular could lead to a deterioration of relations with
Russia, which plays a significant role in the Karabakh settlement. But
it becomes difficult to keep silent - the "Musavat" opposition party
demanded from the authorities to support Ukraine, and decide on the
Crimean issue in general.

However, speaking on Thursday on the occasion of Nowruz, President
Ilham Aliyev was very cautious in walking reefs. Without touching
upon the Crimean issue, he focused solely on restoring his country's
borders: "I am absolutely confident that the growing power of
Azerbaijan, our potential and well-balanced foreign policy will allow
us to restore our territorial integrity".

Ilgar Velizade, leader of the South Caucasus Political Analysts Club
(Baku), urged not to link the Crimean events to the Karabakh conflict.

He noted: "They will not have direct impact on political developments
around Nagorno-Karabakh, because they are determined by other factors.

The Karabakh settlement has its own history and its own geopolitical
situation. It was not affected by the events in Georgia in 2008, when
the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were recognized; and the
events in the Crimea will have no impact on it, either". According to
him, the Karabakh process is in stagnation marked by prolonged lack of
results, although the fact that the situation does not deteriorate, can
already be considered positive in a certain sense. Ilgar Velizade said:
"In late March talks between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia
are scheduled, which confirms the lack of communication between the
Crimean and Karabakh processes. The meeting's result depends on what
issues will discuss".

In contrast to him, Russian politician and expert on the South
Caucasus Andrey Areshev finds a lot in common between the Crimea and
the Karabakh. Areshev said: "The parallels between today's Crimea
and Nagorno-Karabakh of the late USSR are unmistakable. It is no
coincidence that telephone conversation between the two presidents
caused a quick and, apparently, very nervous reaction of the American
ambassador in Yerevan. Unfortunately, the US actions are becoming
increasingly less predictable; they will take every effort to ensure
that the actions of Russia in the Crimea, primarily aiming to keep
regional and internal political stability, were left without support,
even from Russia's closest allies". According to him, in the long
term, this line is doomed to failure, and the Crimea with its rich
history can become a factor in the strengthening of Russian- Armenian
relations.

Implying that the NKR adopted resolutions in support of the people
of Crimea, and a concert and rally to express solidarity with the
peninsula were held in Stepanakert, Areshev added: "Relations of the
Nagorno Karabakh with the new subjects of the Russian Federation - the
Crimea and Sevastopol - can positively influence Russian society, which
generally has an insufficient or distorted view of the Karabakh issue".

Nagorno Karabakh Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghoulyan declared: "We
could not but welcome the decisive step of the Crimean people. We
also reminded of our past ways, as for many people currently stepping
on the path of self-determination, the example of Karabakh is one of
the best ones".

Head of the Information and Analytical Center under the President
of Nagorno-Karabakh, political scientist David Babayan said that the
decision of the Crimea became another precedent of the people's will
from the legal point. He specified: "The year 2014 promises to be rich
in such events. Referendums are expected in Scotland, and Catalonia.

Last year we witnessed the choice of the residents of the Falkland
Islands, before that South Sudan gained independence. This is an
irreversible process".

[Groong: Translated from Russian]

[Haykakan]

Re: Ukraine

TURKEY EXPRESSES SECURITY CONCERNS AFTER DEATH OF CRIMEAN TATAR

Today's Zaman (Turkey)
March 20, 2014 Thursday

Turkey has expressed its concern for the security of Turkic Tatars
on the Crimean Peninsula after a Tatar was killed in the Black Sea's
volatile Autonomous Republic of Crimea, saying that their exposure
to pressure and threats is unacceptable.

Releasing a written statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry
said Turkey had learned with great sorrow of the death of Crimean
Tatar Resat Ametov and called for the perpetrators to be arrested
and brought to justice.

Ametov went missing on March 3 and was found dead on March 16,
news agencies reported on Tuesday. His body reportedly showed signs
of torture.

The Foreign Ministry statement said the killing had caused indignation
among the public and people of Tatar origin, who are ethnically and
linguistically related to Turks. "The Crimean Tatar Turks were able to
return to their homeland after suffering a lot in the past, and voice
their views and demands in peaceful terms. We find it unacceptable
that our kin are being pressured and exposed to threats in spite of
their responsible stance, as well as the fact that they have been
deprived of security during the 'referendum' process and since then,"
the statement said.

The statement referred to the referendum held last weekend, in which
the region voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia. According
to the final results of the referendum, around 97 percent of voters
had opted to secede from Ukraine. Crimea's Tatars, who make up 12
percent of the population, generally support Ukraine's pro-European
interim government, while the ethnic Russian majority wants secession.

The statement also commented on some allegations that there had been
provocations targeting Tatars. "We felt concern about reports released
that have cited 'official sources' on our kin being driven out of
the regions where they live," the statement stressed, reiterating
that the current situation in Crimea should not be the cause of
such provocations.

The Foreign Ministry statement also conveyed Turkey's condolences to
the families of the victim and all Crimean Tatars.

These concerns about the security of Crimea's ethnic Tatars have also
been voiced by Ivan Simonovic, assistant UN secretary-general for human
rights. The UN official talked of the disappearance of Ametov after
he participated in a protest in early March. He said that Ametov's
body bore the marks of "mistreatment" when it was found on March 16.

Crimea is important to Turkey due to the presence of the Crimean
Tatars on the peninsula. Although Ankara has refrained from using
harsh words against any side in the Crimea unrest, it has declared
that Turkey does not recognize the Crimean referendum, calling the
poll "illegitimate." Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has reiterated
that the well-being of the Crimean Tatars on the peninsula is one of
Turkey's strategic priorities.

Davutoglu also talked of the situation of Crimean Tatars in the
crisis-hit peninsula during a televised interview on Kanal 24 on
Thursday. "Any ethnic clashes breaking out there [Crimea] would be
an unacceptable situation for Turkey," he said, adding that Turkey
has been working in the international arena to ensure Crimean Tatars'
rights and security.

Davutoglu said diplomacy can still be a tool for the Crimea crisis. He
said there are no hot clashes at the moment and diplomacy can still
solve the problem in Crimea. "However, if any clashes break out
in eastern Ukraine and Russian troops consider it a fait accompli,
there will be serious consequences," he said.

He also warned of a possible domino effect of the Crimean crisis,
saying, "If the Crimea crisis triggers the Karabakh problem, it may
strain nerves in the Caucasus region." He said Armenia's fortification
is "dangerous" and stated that these kinds of acts inflame crisis in
the region.

Crimea was a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire from 1478 to 1774.

Although it was then absorbed into the Russian Empire, the majority of
its population maintained its Muslim traditions and Tatar roots. The
Turkish government and Crimean Tatars are concerned about the
possibility of violence against the peninsula's ethnic Tatar minority.