Armenian Envoy Says New Us Mediator To Visit Region Soon

Mediamax news agency

YEREVAN
16 Apr 04

(Mediamax correspondent) Your Excellency! The US Deputy Secretary of
State, Richard Armitage, who visited Yerevan recently, stated the
“extreme importance” of Armenia for the United States. If these words
are not just a tribute to politeness, then what does the importance of
Armenia for the USA imply, if we take into account that from the
economic point of view Washington has much more interests in Azerbaijan
and Georgia?

(Arman Kirakosyan) This statement by the deputy secretary of state could
be considered from the standpoint of the USA’s regional approaches that
view the South Caucasus countries as a geopolitical unit, a “regional
triangle”, in which each side has its functions formed during the last
decade as a result of certain political and economic processes.

Armenia’s importance for the United States in this context lies in the
considerable role which our country plays in maintaining stability in
the South Caucasian region – first of all, in developing and deepening
close relations with neighbouring Georgia, maintaining a cease-fire in
the zone of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, preventing the penetration
or transit through our territory of international terrorist groups and
materials for the production of weapons of mass destruction.

Finding a speedy and peaceful settlement to the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict, opening borders and establishing relations between Turkey and
Armenia, securing the democratic and economic development of the South
Caucasus countries and developing stable regional cooperation are the
main constituents of the USA’s policy. The United States actively
cooperates with Russia in the region on the issues concerning the
peaceful settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and the struggle
against international terrorism.

The “human aspect” of bilateral relations must not be overlooked either.
It is based on the presence of a large and well-organized Armenian
diaspora in the USA, which is influential both from the political and
economic standpoints.

As to the economic interests, I can only say that considerable US
investment into the Armenian economy, including also that from Americans
of Armenian origin, is concentrated in strategic and prospective spheres
for our country and the entire region such as tourism, high
technologies, agribusiness and non-ferrous metallurgy.

(Correspondent) It has become known recently that Steven Mann, who used
to be the US special representative for energy policy on the Caspian
Sea, will be appointed new US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group. In
this connection, the Azerbaijani media report that this appointment will
somehow be “advantageous” to Baku, as Steven Mann played a key role in
the realization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (oil pipeline) project. What
could you say in this connection? If you know Mr Mann personally, could
you share your impressions with us?

(Kirakosyan) Recently, I have had a long talk with Ambassador Steven
Mann. He visited our embassy in Washington before attending the (16
April) meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen with the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Prague, where he will be officially
presented as the new US co-chairman. Steven Mann will leave Prague for
Yerevan and then go to Baku on his first visit to the region as a
co-chairman, and this will be a fact-finding visit.

He will not be a new guest in Armenia; this will be Steven Mann’s third
visit to Armenia. First time he visited our country in 1979 as an
employee of the US embassy in Moscow. Second time, Steven Mann arrived
in Yerevan in early 1992 with a special mission – to open the US embassy
in Armenia. Thus, the new US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group is the
first charge d’affaires of the United States in Armenia.

(Passage omitted: Kirakosyan first met Mann in 1992)

(Corespondent) Sometimes there is an impression that US-Armenian
military cooperation, which began two years ago, bears mainly a
“virtual” character. In particular, Armenian society is unaware of the
tasks solved by US-Armenian military cooperation, of the programmes
realized. In mid-2003, the Armenian Defence Ministry was expected to
sign a contract with a US company on the delivery of communication
means. Was this contract signed, at what stage of realization is it?

(Kirakosyan) Actually, it can be said that US-Armenian cooperation began
after the tragic events of 11 September 2001, particularly after US
Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld’s visit to Yerevan in December
2001. The reciprocal visit of Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan
to Washington and his talks with the US military leadership took place
in March 2002. At the same time, the first consultations between the
representatives of the armed forces of the two countries were held,
which transformed into annual consultations later. We agreed to
cooperate in the spheres of communications, staff training,
peacekeeping, English language training.

More than 10 Armenian servicemen have been trained under the US
International Military Education and Training programme and are
continuing their education in different US military schools.
Familiarizing trips by Armenian and US military officials are organized
every year. Special attention is paid to the language training of
Armenian servicemen, which is a necessary condition for progress and the
further deepening and expansion of cooperation.

In addition, our country is establishing partnership with the US State
of Kansas based on cooperation between the Kansas National Guard and the
Armenian Defence Ministry. In future, this cooperation is expected to be
expanded to involve civil spheres, such as emergency situations’
management, public health, agriculture, environment protection.

As to the contract on the delivery of communication means to Armenia, it
was signed in Washington at the end of last year. The first shipment of
radio equipment is expected to be delivered to Armenia in the near
future. The deliveries will be continued with the further allocation of
funds. This is a long-term programme.

(Correspondent) Mr Kirakosyan, US military officials and diplomats have
repeatedly stated that the United States is not going to station
military bases or “mobile units” in Azerbaijan. Despite this fact, there
is an opinion among certain political circles that “there is no smoke
without fire”. Do you consider as real the US military presence in
Azerbaijan in the near future?

(Kirakosyan) I do not think that the long-term stationing of US military
bases or units is advantageous to either USA or Azerbaijan (for
different reasons, of course). Taking into account today’s prevalent
perception of terrorism in Washington as the main threat to the USA’s
national security and interests, I find rather rational and therefore
probable the setting up or reconstruction (and then maintenance) of an
appropriate infrastructure (a pair of landing strips for heavy planes,
navigation equipment, barracks, depots, etc) for a speedy entry of
rapid-reaction forces in case of terrorist threats to the USA’s
interests on the Caspian. Presumably, these forces will be withdrawn
after the end of the operation. The USA and NATO have already been using
landing strips in Azerbaijan to transfer freight to Central Asia and
Afghanistan.

(Correspondent) Richard Armitage said in Yerevan that the USA’s
intentions to increase the amount of military aid to Azerbaijan in 2005
are conditioned by the fact that the participation in peacekeeping
operations in Afghanistan and Iraq is a heavy burden for this country’s
budget, which the United States would like to ease. Despite this, many
people in Yerevan find this explanation unconvincing.

(Kirakosyan) As it was mentioned above, the reconstruction of the
infrastructure, the strengthening of border troops and, why not,
peacekeeping operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, in my opinion, are
considered to be the most prospective spheres in US-Azerbaijani military
cooperation at present. The scope and content of this cooperation entail
considerable US financial assistance. However, the allocation of
additional funds to Azerbaijan causes concern of the Armenian side and
the Armenian diaspora of the USA. After the waiver of Section 907 of the
Freedom Support Act (banning direct US assistance to the Azerbaijani
government), an agreement was reached on the proportional allocation of
military assistance funds to Armenia and Azerbaijan, which would not
alter the military balance between the two neighbour states formed in
recent years.

The US side explains the additional financing by the necessity to create
a “barrier” on the Caspian Sea to hamper the penetration of terrorists
into the region, impede the spread of weapons of mass destruction and
drugs. Military boats, radar and other equipment is planned to be
delivered to Azerbaijan on these funds. There is also such an important
factor as providing the security of the construction and exploitation of
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which is one of the “objects” of
the USA’s strategic interests in the region. Nevertheless, we hope that
the parity will be restored.

(Correspondent) How are the talks on sending Armenian military experts
to Iraq proceeding? Do you think that this process is being dragged out
a little?

(Kirakosyan) Intensive talks and consultations concerning this issue are
being held both in the USA and Armenia. It is known that the Armenian
side is going to send a limited contingent of unarmed military
specialists to Iraq to render assistance in the post-war reconstruction
of that country. The contingent will include sappers, medical officers,
as well as drivers with freight transport for the organization of
transportation. The process of providing all the necessary conditions
for sending the Armenian contingent is proceeding but is rather
protracted.

This is the first mission of this kind for Armenia, and it is necessary
to set up an appropriate legislative basis in order to take part in it.
The National Assembly, the Constitutional Court and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs are involved in this process. The Armenian Defence
Ministry keeps in touch with appropriate US services and organizations
which coordinate the whole complex of issues concerning the Armenian
participation.

(Passage omitted: figures for Armenian export to the USA in previous
years)