SOUTH CAUCASUS FACES SERIOUS CHALLENGES: REPUBLICAN PARTY
ARMINFO News Agency
October 11, 2006 Wednesday
"South Caucasian Region faces serious challenges coming from intentions
of Russia, USA and European Union, the main geopolitical players in
the region, to strengthen their influence", said Armen Ashotyan, MP of
the Republican Party included in the parliamentary ruling coalition,
at the press conference in ‘Pastark’ club today.
He said that the most acute problem for Armenia in the geopolitical
development of the region is tension of Georgian-Russian relations.
Cause of the tension is that the neighboring country (Georgia)
fulfils orders of third parties "Russia, by its force, can attempt
to take political revenge in Georgia like it was in Ukraine.
Anyway, if Georgia ever joins the NATO, Armenia will appear in the
middle of Georgian-Turkish-NATO alliance", said the MP. A. Ashotyan
said that communication, energy and state independence issues become
of priority for Armenia in that situation. He added that Russia will
try to stop gas supplies to Caucasus because after gas crisis in
Ukraine it has to take measures to demonstrate to European Community
the image of Ukraine as a secure exporter of energy carriers.
The MP said that Russia can put up gas prices for Georgia. Georgia
in its turn will increase prices of gas transit via its territory to
Armenia. "Georgia will start to receive gas supplies from Azerbaijan
in 2007. Armenia should speed up the construction of the Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline. This will be a key guarantee of Armenia’s independence
in the energy sphere", concluded A. Ashotyan.