DURING THE HEARINGS ON SOUTH CAUCASUS ISSUES IN THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOTHING NEW WAS SAID

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2008 GMT+04:00

Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone announced that Azerbaijan is a
dictatorship, which continues coming up with aggressive announcements
and called the US Administration upon stopping the Azeri war machine.

The changing oil prices and the restless atmosphere in the Great Middle
East, where the USA also includes the countries of South Caucasus,
became the reason of the hearings of the Commission on Foreign
Relations of the US House of Representatives "the Caucasus: frozen
conflicts and blocked borders". However, practically nothing new was
said by the US Secretary of States Assistant on European and Eurasian
Issues Daniel Fried or the Head of the Commission Howard Berman.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "I would like to start with the most important fact;
the Turkish blockade of Armenia, put into action in 1993, continues
till present," with these words opened the session the chairman of
the committee, the Congressman Howard Berman. "This policy hinders the
economic development of Armenia and impedes its business opportunities
with other countries. The blockade of Armenia makes no sense even
from the point of view of Turkish interests; it’s very unlikely that
Ankara’s policy will make the authorities of Yerevan compromise in
the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh. The only political result, which it
has already grown used to, is that Armenia, having no outlet to the
sea, has to look for alliance with its historical enemies of Turkey;
Russia and Iran. In other words, in the Caucasus regional conflicts
are easily transformed into international conflicts. And Armenia is
not an exception,’ said the Congressman Berman.

One of the most important issues is the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh
Conflict regulation. Speaking about a non-optional peaceful regulation,
both Howard Berman and Daniel Fried warned Azerbaijan against its
militarist rhetoric. "Permanent militarist calls reach us from certain
officials of Azerbaijan. We call the Azeri government upon focusing
on the peaceful regulation of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This will be
useful for the regional integration, and will bring to prosperity and
stability in the Caucasian region," said Fried. In his turn, Howard
Berman emphasized that the militarist calls of the Azeri authorities
regarding the resolution of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh cause
serious agitations. "We are also concerned with the growth of the
military budget of Azerbaijan in the expense of oil resources and
violations of the regime of the cease-fire in the zone of Karabakh
conflict in March 2008, which were cause by the provocations from
the Azeri party," said the Congressman.

In his turn, the Congressman Bred Sherman announced during the session:
"We must fight against the continuing blockade of the Armenian
borders by Turkey, which has no justification. The co-chairs of the
Armenian support group in the USA Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone
announced that Azerbaijan is a dictatorship, which continues coming
up with aggressive announcements and called the US Administration
upon stopping the Azeri war machine.

Frank Pallone called the USA Administration to take measures for
establishing contacts between the governments of Nagorno-Karabakh and
Azerbaijan, as well as for creating an atmosphere of trust. He also
expressed his concerns about the fact that Azerbaijan puts pressure
on the US State Department, trying to impede the contact between the
USA and Nagorno-Karabakh.

As for the Armenian-Turkish relations, Daniel Fried thinks that the
USA believes that one of the important factors of the resolution of
the problem is opening the blockade of the borders. "The existing
status quo is bad for both parties. Fortunately, this year there is
some noticeable progress: such as opening regular charter flights
Yerevan-Istanbul, as well as to Antalya, bus communication through
Georgia, as well as business opportunities through Georgia are
important to be mentioned among the progresses. All the countries
only gain from the growth and expansion of market relations with
each other, expand their electric systems. The USA also assists the
dialogue and cooperation between the Armenians and Turks by the help
of conferences, meetings and exchange programs.

The reestablishment of the relations between Armenia and Turkey is
a very sensitive issue. Turkey must make it up with the black pages
of its history; mass killings and the deportation of the Armenians
in the Ottoman Empire. This is not easy, just like it is not for
the USA, when it needed time to recognize the black pages of its own
history. In its turn, Armenia must be ready to recognize the borders
and not to assert any territorial claims against the Modern Turkey and
to show constructive approach to the efforts from the Turkish side,"
said Fried.

In the global level, the US policy is quite clear in the region even
without any hearings; they need a complete and uncontrolled access to
the Caspian oil and gas, and that is, the sooner, the better. That
is why Azerbaijan and Ilham Aliyev, who leads the country according
"democratic and Euro-Atlantic values", get so much praise. The truth
is though, that to show that the USA sees and knows everything, Fried
mentioned about the imprisoned journalists and about the pressure on
the political figures. He expressed his confidence, that the elections
of the President of Azerbaijan scheduled for October will be held in
complete accordance with the democratic standards.

However, Howard Berman, reminding about the post-election events in
Armenia and Georgia, mentioned that Azerbaijan, where the authorities
already try to put pressure on the opposition and mass media, may
also find itself in such situation. And the fact that it is definitely
going to happen, one must not have any doubts about. There is also no
need to doubt that the USA will shut its eyes to the mass violations,
like it happened in the elections in Baku in 2003.

This gives rise to the question; if Armenia had oil, would the events
of March 1, 2008 still be judged that harshly? It seems that they
would not.

The American diplomat also mentioned three issues, which are very
important to the USA policy in the region: walking towards freedom and
democracy, security, which includes antiterrorist acts and peaceful
regulation of the conflicts and energy issues. "The first strategic
interest is spreading freedom and democracy from the Black up to the
Caspian Seas. Each South Caucasus country has an important achievement
in this issue, but each of them must still do a lot to recognize that
democracy is not irreversible. We also work with the governments of
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan for the peaceful regulation of the
conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, and Abkhazia, which have
become after the breakdown of the USSR. We also cooperate in the fight
against terrorism and spreading weapons of mass destruction, including
nuclear and bacteriological weapons. And finally, we are certain
that the Euro Atlantic community is interested in quick supply of the
Caspian gas and oil to the world market, regardless the monopolistic
tendencies and geographical location," mentioned Daniel Fried.