BREAKING THE BLOCKADE: STRONGER STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RUSSIA AND ARMENIA
by Alexei Matveyev
Translated by Elena Leonova

Source: Voenno-Promyshlennyi Kurier, No. 15, April 2007, p. 2
Agency WPS
What the Papers Say Part A (Russia)
April 19, 2007 Thursday

Senior Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov visits Armenia; Armenia has
moved into one of the most crucial phases of its political development:
a parliamentary election is scheduled for May 12, with a presidential
election to follow in March 2008. This country is Russia’s most
important military-strategic ally in the South Caucasus.

Moscow and Yerevan are continuing to develop their strategic
partnership – as evidenced by the results of Senior Deputy Prime
Minister Sergei Ivanov’s visit to Armenia last week. Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov also visited Armenia recently. The Russian leadership’s
increased interest in Armenia is entirely understandable.

Armenia has moved into one of the most crucial phases of its
political development: a parliamentary election is scheduled for
May 12, with a presidential election to follow in March 2008. Of
course, the Kremlin is by no means indifferent to the question of who
will hold power in Armenia. This country is Russia’s most important
military-strategic ally in the South Caucasus. When Sergei Ivanov met
with Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian in Yerevan, he noted: "Armenia is
our strategic partner, and this is not measured by military-political
interest alone." Ivanov emphasized that Russia and Armenia are linked
by centuries of shared culture and historical roots that have much
in common.

Moving on to military issues, Ivanov noted that the Russian military
base in Armenia "feels comfortable here and is defending the interests
of both Armenia and the Russian Federation." Ivanov said: "Its action
plan and scale are obviously and objectively non-aggressive and not
aimed against any other states, but they are effective in safeguarding
our common security."

The withdrawal of a Russian military base from Akhalkalaki (Georgia)
should be completed this year. Some of the arms and military hardware
from that base will be relocated to Armenia: to the 102nd Russian
military base at Gyumri. This will soon be Russia’s one and only
military facility in the South Caucasus. The Gyumri base, equipped
with S-300 air defense missile systems and MiG-29 fighter jets, is
also part of the CIS Unified Air Defense System. In December 2005,
after Russia and Armenia signed a number of bilateral agreements,
they announced that this base would be expanded. Armenia gave the
102nd base with additional land and property.

It’s also worth noting that Sarkisian said at his meeting with Ivanov
that any deployment of NATO bases in the South Caucasus would lead
to new dividing lines in the region, and this would not facilitate
improvements in regional security. Sarkisian emphasized that Russia
is reducing its military presence in the region, and it would be
inappropriate for any other force to increase its presence at the
same time.

Judging by the results of Ivanov’s visit to Yerevan, military-strategic
partnership between our countries is being actively supplemented by
economic relations. Ivanov described the trends in Armenian-Russian
economic relations as positive, "as objective figures indicate." Trade
turnover has increased by 70-80% in recent years. Russia is the
leading source of investment in the Armenian economy. Ivanov went on
to say that this growth is not "ethnic investment," but investment
by substantial Russian businesses: "This applies to many sectors and
branches of the economy, especially the energy sector, including
nuclear power, as well as transport and communciations, including
mobile communications. These areas of the economy are showing the
strongest growth in terms of Russian investment in Armenia."

He also expressed confidence that Armenia’s economic problems are being
solved, despite all the difficulties in Armenia’s position due to
the transport blockade. The new Caucasus-Poti rail ferry is already
in operation; it can hold up to 50 train carriages. Ivanov said:
"This is a full-fledged rail transport element, already offering a
solution to one of the key problems: the transport blockade against
Armenia, in effect for many years. This Gordian knot has been partially
cut." Ivanov added that a second ferry of this kind is likely to be
ready by the end of summer, thus increasing potential cargo turnover
between Armenia and Russia. In discussing cooperation plans, Ivanov
emphasized that Russia and Armenia also have long-term plans concerning
rail transport development and free movement of goods. Indeed,
transport is a key aspect of bilateral relations; as Ivanov noted,
"without transport, everything else becomes pointless."

As we see, Moscow and Yerevan are actively expanding contacts in the
military technology area and the economy. Ivanov’s visit to Armenia
showed that the potential is there, and a new phase of mutually
beneficial cooperation is expected in Russian-Armenian relations.