ARMENIAN MP: AMERICAN RADARS WILL MOST POSSIBLY BE DEPLOYED IN NAKHICHEVAN INSTEAD OF GEORGIA
Regnum, Russia
March 5 2007
The question of deploying a US radar station in Caucasus is to a
certain amount a staged surprise played by American politicians,
Member of the Armenian Parliament, Member of the Republican Party
Armen Ashotyan told a REGNUM correspondent.
Speaking of true aims of deploying a radio location system in South
Caucasus, Ashotyan divided them into three scenarios. Depending on what
the radio location system will be directed at, the question is to be
treated from the points of view of Russia, Iran and Armenia, the MP
believes. Russian officials, he continued, have already announced that
a radio location system will not put Russia’s security under threat;
so, the Russian leadership determined its position and, probably,
developed certain steps to counteract. "As for Iran, probably, a
radio location system is a kind of counteraction to possible missile
launches from Iran. But such scenario, as well, to all appearances,
can be subjected to criticism, as it is clear that at present stage
Iran has no missiles with the range of 10,000 km necessary for possible
bombardment of the United States. Maximal range of missiles, by which
the Iranian Armed Forces are equipped, is 1,500-2,000 km, and it is
clear that such talk is only concealing USA’s true aims," he said.
Ashotyan said that the true aim of deploying the RLS is a wider
coverage and control over Black Sea and Caspian Sea area, with access
to India and Middle East. "It is clear that from geographic point of
view, the Caucasian Range will prevent the RLS from working towards
Russia. The most effective deployment of the system would be in lower
parts of Caucasus, despite the fact that Georgia is mostly mentioned
in the media." "However, I think that Georgia will be far from goals
and aims posed to the radio location system: control over the Black Sea
and Caspian area with access to the Middle East and the Indian Ocean,"
Ashotyan said adding that, most probably, lower part of Azerbaijan,
the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, suits this target most.
Meanwhile, Ashotyan believes that information of US readiness to deploy
its radio location system in South Caucasus is "an information action"
aimed at examining reaction of local elites from neighboring countries
as well as countries in South Caucasus. "Till true aims are concealed,
it is hard to discuss on characteristics of the station.
As soon as the radio location system is built and directed, it will be
clear against whom it is targeted. From the technical point of view,
it is question of three-four years. And when the station is ready, one
will have more grounds to say how it will affect Armenia’s national
security and for changing the balance of powers in the regions,"
Ashotyan stressed.