Author: Boshkezenian Garik

Prime Minister of Armenia condoles with his Ukrainian counterpart

armradio.am
27.12.2008 12:26

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Sargsyan, extended condolences to
Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko on the tragic events in
Evpatoria. The message states:

`On behalf of the Government of Armenia and myself I extend condolences
on the numerous human losses as a result of the blast in a multistory
building.

At this tragic moment for the people of Ukraine I extend my sincere
condolences and mourn with you.’

ARMENIAN TREE PROJECT: NEARLY 2,5 M TREES PLANTED

Lragir.am
14:13:23 – 26/12/2008

Fruit trees planted by ATP provided a harvest of 227,439 kg (507,317
lbs) of fresh fruit in 2008; Photo after the apricot harvest at
St. Gevork Monastery in Mughni Armenia Tree Project (ATP) has just
completed the planting of 460,070 trees in 2008, bringing the total
number of trees planted and restored close to 2,500,000 since the
organization was founded in 1994.

This fall, ATP’s Rural and Mountainous Development (RMD) Program
planted 402,720 tree seedlings at new forest sites in the Gegharkunik
and Lori regions, while the Community Tree Planting (CTP) Program
planted 57,350 trees at 188 sites in 10 regions of Armenia.

CTP Program Works in Urban and Rural Communities

"The number of trees planted by the CTP program exceeded our annual
objectives. All of these high-quality indigenous tree seedlings
were planted at sites chosen to maximize the survival rate due to the
availability of irrigation water, fencing and monitoring, soil quality,
as well as the inspiration and willingness of the local population
to care for the trees," stated program manager Anahit Gharibyan.

The CTP program planted 22,085 trees and shrubs from ATP’s Karin and
Khachpar nurseries in the spring, along with 1,300 pine seedlings
from the Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery which were planted in
collaboration with the Nor Nork Greenery Department.

In the fall, the CTP program planted 33,965 trees and shrubs at 97
sites in Yerevan and nine regions of Armenia. In addition, ATP’s
apricot, wild apple, peach, and pear trees at 115 sites provided a
harvest of 227,439 kg (507,317 lbs) of fresh fruit which benefited
the local communities and institutions.

Throughout the year, ATP’s CTP program participated in events and
environmental campaigns launched at Tsitsernakaberd, Kashatagh,
Nubarashen, Noravank, Khor Virap, and elsewhere. ATP supported these
initiatives by providing healthy seedlings along with special training
on planting techniques and tree care.

For example, ATP worked with organizations and students to plant trees
at the Nubarashen Boarding School, and worked with HSBC Bank, Synopsys
CJSC, American University of Armenia, Armenian Monuments Awareness
Project, and a number of other institutions operating in Armenia.

The CTP program also increased the number of beneficiaries of its
planting project in 15 villages where 5,572 families have benefited
from the fruit trees planted by ATP since 2004. The village planting
project was initiated to improve the quality of rural backyard gardens
in order to present them to ATP donors for sponsorship.

RMD Program Plants Over 400,000 Trees

ATP began a completely new reforestation program on a 40 hectare
(100 acre) plot of community owned land in Jrashen, near ATP’s Mirak
Family Nursery and the20newly planned Michael and Virginia Ohanian
Environmental Center in Margahovit. "It was noteworthy that ATP
established a new forest and obtained the land in Jrashen as a result
of collaboration with Armenia’s Hayantar State Forestry Service," noted
RMD program manager Vadim Uzunyan. This fall, ATP began by planting
the first 7,000 oak seedlings at the site in cooperation with Hayantar.

"ATP had the full support of the community and 25 trained tree-planters
hired from the Lori region welcomed the opportunity to work as part
of the ATP initiative. This program has allowed families to improve
their socio-economic situation, while at the same time improving the
local environment and natural resource base," stated Uzunyan.

This year a total of 399 rural families from the Gegharkunik and
Tavush regions grew 309,720 seedlings in their backyards, which were
purchased by ATP for reforestation purposes. The program received the
prestigious Energy Globe Award for Sustainability at the European
Parliament in May. The other 86,000 reforestation seedlings were
planted this fall from ATP’s Mirak Family Nursery.

ATP hired 100 local residents to plant new seedlings on 100 hectares
(250 acres) of land belonging to the communities of Aygut and
Dprabak. "The local residents were inspired and enthusiastic about the
reforestation initiated by ATP to combat the interrelated problems
of deforestation and massive landslid es that threaten the villages
of the Getik River Valley," noted Uzunyan.

"Landslides became more frequent and destroyed the homes of a number
of families this year. These families understand that well-established
and maintained forests have the potential to provide economic, social,
and environmental benefits," the press release of the ATP runs.

WHY AZERBAIJAN HAS NO FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL

Journal of Turkish Weekly
-azerbaijan-has-no-full-diplomatic-relations-with- israel.html
Dec 25 2008
Turkey

Azerbaijan and Israel has a developed relationship on the economical
and political spheres and Israel consider Azerbaijan as its important
strategic partner in the region. But despite of the developed
relationship between these states Azerbaijan has no full diplomatic
relation with Israel. This factor has a great impact on the relations
between two states. During her interview with the Azerbaijani news
agency Today.Az, Israeli Foreign Minister Tsipi Livni also addressed a
statement to the Azerbaijani government that why Azerbaijani embassy
has not been opened in Israel. For answering this question we have
to look at the historical development of the relations between these
two countries and analyze the reason why Azerbaijan has not opened
its embassy in Israel.

Azerbaijan is the third Muslim country after Turkey and Egypt to
develop bilateral strategic and economic relations with Israel. It
established relations with Israel after gaining its independence in
1991. Azerbaijan is a secular state with eight million predominantly
Shiite and ethnically Turkic population. But despite it is religious
view, Azerbaijan has no anti-Semitic tradition in its history. Even
from the late 19th century, Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan,
became one of the centres of the Zionist movement in the Russian empire
and the first Havevei Zion (Lovers of Zion) was created here in 1891,
followed by the first Zionist organization in 1899.

The movement remained strong in the short-lived Democratic Republic
of Azerbaijan (1918-1920) marked with the establishment of the Jewish
Popular University in 1919, and a number of schools, social clubs,
benevolent societies and cultural organizations. Even the Minister of
Health, Dr. Yevsei Gindes, of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan
was an Ashkenazi Jew.

Following history we know that, Russia was one of the birth places
of the anti-Semitism in Europe. Because of that reason, with the
occupation of Azerbaijan by the Soviet Union in 1920, all Jews
organizations in Azerbaijan were closed. Beginning in the 1960s,
Azerbaijani Jewish community has experienced cultural revival. Jewish
samizdat (Samostoyatelnoe Izdatelstvo-independent publication,
during the Soviet Union there was such a publication, which had no
connection to the state) publication began. Many cultural and Zionist
organizations were re-established in Baku and Sumgait since 1987,
and the first legal Hebrew courses and the first Jews Sochnut School
in the Soviet Union was opened in Baku, in 1982.

Today the country has prided itself on its good relations with
Israel and Jewish minority in the country. Azerbaijan is a home to
some 11,000 Mountain Jews, residing primarily in Baku and Krasnaya
Sloboda settlement in the Quba district of Azerbaijan. There are also
nearly 5000 Ashkenazi Jews living mostly in Baku.

While looking at the relations of Israel with the Azerbaijan Republic,
since its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has a good relation on
the field of strategic matters, security, and trade, cultural and
educational exchange with Israel. After independence of Azerbaijan,
there were diplomatic negotiations over the exchange ambassadors
between the two states. Eliezer Yotvat appointed as a first ambassador
of Israel to Azerbaijan. But the embassy of Azerbaijan has not been
open in Israel.

In October 2001, President of Azerbaijan, Haydar Aliyev pledged
to open an embassy in Israel and sent his Foreign Minister to
visit Israeli government. But until today Azerbaijan has not
fulfilled its responsibility to open an embassy in Israel, because
of some political events. Azerbaijan has said that, its complicated
geopolitical situation, particularly its proximity to Iran, as well
as its membership in international Islamic organizations, prevented
it from opening a mission in Israel.

But despite all these, Azerbaijan-Israel strategic cooperation
grows step by step; even Azerbaijani government has an unofficial
representative, AZAL (Azerbaijan National Airline), in Israel.

Iran Islamic Republic was worry about the development of the relation
between Azerbaijan and Israel. For that reason after Ilham Aliyev
became the president of Azerbaijan in October 2003, Iran, the biggest
threat for Israel in the Middle East, tried to improve the diplomatic
relations with Azerbaijan in favour of cutting relations with
Israel. Even several high-level Iranian military officers visited Baku
in August 2004, intended Azerbaijan to cease security cooperation with
Israel and stop receiving Israeli military and intelligence officers.

But for Azerbaijan to have relationship with Israel is much more
important than Iran, because Israel was one of the strategic partners
and supporters of Azerbaijan in Karabakh War with Armenia. As a
result of Nagorno-Karabakh War, nearly 20% of Azerbaijan territory
was occupied by Armenian troops and till today it has been under
the control of Armenia. The war caused almost one million Azeris to
flee from Armenia and the occupied territories. In this war Iran and
Russia traditionally supported Armenia. When war broke out, Iran just
remained largely neutral despite the fact that a large Shiite majority
inhabited Azerbaijan. Iran, a country ruled by Muslim Shiites, has an
Azeri ethnic minority population living in the northwest corner of the
country, known as "southern Azerbaijan", totaling more than 25 million
people, compared with a population in Azerbaijan of 8 million. During
the Nagorno-Garabagh conflict, Iran was suspicious that, support for
Azerbaijan against Armenia would encourage for unification between
the two "divided" Azerbaijan that had been separated by the Persian
and Russian Empires since the 19th century. Because of these Iran
supported Armenia against Azerbaijan. Even in April 1992, for example,
Iran supplied natural gas and fuel to Armenia, which helped sustain
Armenian action. Iranian-Armenian cooperation seems to be developed in
future, and currently there are negotiations over the construction of
Armenia-Iran railway and building a new gas pipeline. Iran is using
Armenia as a potential buffer to insulate against the future rise of
power of Azerbaijan.

But looking at the other side of the coin, in April 1993, in
response to the Armenian occupation of Azeri lands, Turkey closed its
border with Armenia. Throughout the conflict Israel also supported
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. According to London based
Arabic language weekly al-Wassat, during Nagorno-Karabakh War Israel
and Turkey have provided Stinger missiles to Azerbaijan. Even many
Azerbaijanis expressed the hope that friendship with Israel may
help resolve the continued Nagorno-Karabakh dispute and expatiate
Azerbaijan’s integration with the West.

Israel also provides training for Azerbaijani security and intelligence
services, as well as security for the Azerbaijani president during his
foreign visits. Israel might have also set up electronic listening
stations along the Caspian Sea and Iranian border. In sum, Iran and
Armenia see that, cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel is a big
threat for Iranian-Armenian relations, and also see Azerbaijan as
a part of a geostrategic axis that also includes Turkey, historical
"enemy" of Armenia, Israel, and Georgia. For that reason they want
to disrupt that axis.

Another aspect of warm relations between Israel and Azerbaijan is
currently evolving strategic partnership of both countries with Turkey
and United States. By this cooperation, Azerbaijan and Turkey try to
ensure the support of the Israel-American lobby for preventing the
attempt of a small but powerful Armenian-American lobby to influence
over the US foreign policy toward these countries.

During the visit of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in
1997 to Baku, the relations entered a new phase. Since that time
Israel has been developing closer relations with Azerbaijan for
modernizing the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. Israeli military have
been a major provider of battlefield aviation, artillery, antitank,
and anti-infantry weapon to Azerbaijan.

After 9/11 terror attacks Azerbaijan took side with America as an ally
against world terrorism. Since that event a new sphere of cooperation
has emerged in security with the US. Azerbaijan has provided an air
corridor for American military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq and
has joined the US led coalition in Iraq. These events also improved
the Azerbaijan-Israel relations strategically, because Israel is one
of the major partners of the US in the Middle East.

The Azerbaijan-Israel Friendship Society facilitates and promotes
bilateral diplomatic and business links. After the creation of the
relations, economic cooperation between Israel and Azerbaijan has
been growing significantly. Attempting to deregulate industry and to
create free market and liberal economy, attracted Israeli companies
to Azerbaijani markets. Many companies have invested in the service
sector. Bakcell, which was started as a joint venture between Ministry
of Communication of Azerbaijan and GTIB (Israel) in early 1994 as a
first cellular telephone operator in the country, can be good example.

According to the President of the Azerbaijan-Israel Business Forum,
many Israeli companies also operate in energy sector of Azerbaijan. For
instance, an Israeli based supplier of high technology to the energy
industry, mainly oil and gas field, Modcom System Ltd. opened an
office in Azerbaijan in 2000. According to UN statistical analyses,
the exports of Azerbaijan have increased from US$2 million to $323
million between 1997 and 2004. Israel was the largest importer
of Azerbaijani oil after Italy in 2002. There is a growing covert
collaboration in the energy sector between Azerbaijan and Israel.

On June 5, 2005, the 14th Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition were opened
in Baku. In his speech during the exhibition Arthur Lenk, Ambassador
of Israel to Azerbaijan since April, 2005, talked about continuous
trade between Azerbaijan and Israel in energy sector. "-Israel and
Azerbaijan have close political and economical relations. The main
thing is that Israel buys Azerbaijan’s oil through Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
pipeline. Interstate relations are also strengthening and the
ministries of the two countries pay mutual visits. Azerbaijani Economic
Development Minister Heydar Babayev visited Israel in February, chief
of State Committee for Azerbaijanis Living Abroad Nazim Ibrahimov in
April and Transport Minister Ziya Mammadov visited Israel two weeks
ago. Israeli Foreign Ministry official Joseph Gal has also visited
Azerbaijan recently. Deputies Prime Minister – Minister of Strategic
Planning Avigdor Liberman and Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz will visit
Azerbaijan in the second half of this year. Our positions coincide in
most strategic issues. I think that the relations between Azerbaijan
and Israel are of strategic character".

The Ambassador also mentioned that, Israel could be strategic partner
for selling Caspian oil to Asia through Ashkelon-Eilat pipeline. "-Over
the past year, discussions have begun examining the feasibility of
a pipeline corridor-with the possibility of carrying oil and natural
gas from Turkey to Israel. Such a plan, if carried out, would extend
the position of Azerbaijan crude oil to the edge of the Indian Ocean",
he said.

All these statement show that, Israel is seeking for possibilities of
importing gas from the Caspian Sea region, because it is surrendered
with oil reach countries, but has no chance to get it. Due to
partnership with Azerbaijan is significant for Israel.

Coming to the future of the relations between Azerbaijan and Israel,
it is quite unclear. Because as I mentioned above Azerbaijan is
a member of the OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference),
which created in 1969 in response to the defeat of Arab coalition
in 1967 War (Six Day War) and one of main targetof the Organization
was regaining of the holy lands, which was occupied by Israel after
gaining its independence in 1947, with the UN Partition Plan (United
Nation General Assembly Resolution 181).

Today, Arab World demanded withdrawing of Israel from the sacred
places according to the United Nation Resolution 242 and 339
(According to these Resolution Israel has to withdraw till the 1947
borders). Azerbaijan also supports this plan in the favour of Arab
World. Even in resent Israel Lebanon War Azerbaijan was one of the
eight OIC states, which sent an ultimatum to Israel for stopping
violent action in Lebanon. Azerbaijan also agreed to send peacekeeping
forces to Lebanon.

Developing diplomatic relation with Israel will provoke Iran against
Azerbaijan, in a period of escalation of Iran-America-Israel
relation. That is a great threat for the security of
Azerbaijan. Because Iran several times declared that, if the US
declares war against us, the first target will be the US allies in the
Middle East. Today the tension between America and Iran is very high,
and Israel is one of the big supporters of America in this issue
and the first target of Iran. Developing full diplomatic relations
with Israel can damage the relations with one of the most important
neighbours of Azerbaijan. For that reason balancing policy can be
good diplomacy during this period.

But following all of these factors Azerbaijan has good economic
and cultural relations with Israel. Even, according to Azerbaijani
officials, Azerbaijan plans to open a trade office in Israel, which
will represent the Azerbaijani government in Israel. In an interview
with The Jerusalem Post, Foreign Minister Elmar Memmedyarov also
added that "having full diplomatic relations will happen for sure".

Israel investors are interested not only in the energy sector,
but also in agriculture, Azerbaijan’s largest employer and second
largest sector after oil. And Azerbaijan is a tolerant state, and
ready to develop good relations with any country, as long as, these
relations will not damage its security, national interests and also
international prestige.

REFERENCE:

1. Hilary Leila Krieger: May 17, 2006,"Azerbaijan to open trade office
in Israel", Jerusalem Post

2. Ilya Bourtman: Summer 2006, "Israel and Azerbaijan’s Furtive
Embrace", Middle East Quarterly, pp.47-57

3. Israeli Ambassador: 27 June 2007 "Azerbaijan and Israel have
strategic relations",

html

4. Joanna Sloame: July 10, 2006 "The Virtual Jewish History Tour
Azerbaijan"

http://www.jewishvirtuallib rary.org/jsource/vjw/Azerbaijan.html

5. Lev Krichevsky: February 9-13, 2006, "In meeting with
Jews, Azeri leader hints at stronger relations with Israel,
jan.shtml

6. Soner Cagaptay and Alexandr Murinson: March30, 2005, "Good Relation
between Azerbaijan and Israel: A Model for Other Muslim States in
Eurasia?" The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

7. Shamkhal Abilov, 25 July, 2007, Interview with Dr. Rovshan Ibrahimov
8. Day.Az interview with Israeli Foreign Minister Tsipi Livni, 10
November 2008,

TURKISH FM: "TURKEY ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO CONSULTATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN ON REGIONAL POLITICAL ISSUES"

Today.Az
litics/49808.html
Dec 25 2008
Azerbaijan

Turkey attaches great importance to consultations with Azerbaijan
on regional political issues, the Turkish Foreign Minister Ali
Babacan said.

Babacan said: "We continue to broaden multi-faceted relations with
Azerbaijan. Our political and economic cooperation is strengthening in
parallel with cultural one." He added "on the other hand, we hope for
continuing dialogue with Armenia and turning a new page in relations
with the country."

Babacan pointed out his country also attaches substantial importance
to political and economic stability in the South Caucasus region.

"Peaceful settlement of problems in region, expansion of regional
cooperation are basis of our policy towards the South Caucasus,"
Babacan underlined.

The Minister also stressed the necessity of building mutual trust
among countries in region in order to achieve resolution of existing
problems.

Cold War shivers
Eric Walberg

Online Journal Contributing Writer
Dec 24, 2008, 00:22

2008 will be remembered as a turning point in Russia’s relations with
the West. It was a tumultuous year, with Kosovo, missiles in Europe
and NATO’s seemingly relentless march eastward like thunderclouds
gathering on Russia’s horizon, which finally burst 8 August over
South Ossetia, bringing tragedy to Georgians, triumph and tragedy to
Ossetians and Russians, as the Russian army stopped short of Tbilisi
in their defence of the plucky Ossetians.

Poland, in a tizzy, quickly signed up for US Patriot missiles; the EU
and NATO, in a snit, suspended relations with Russia and did their
best to undermine Russia’s fragile economy. US Secretary of Defence
Robert Gates made a grand tour of countries supposedly threatened by
Russia (in addition to visiting his new friends in Kosovo), though
only the woebegone Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili bothered
meeting him at the airport. This darling of the West — and Israel —
suddenly found himself friendless after his disastrous altercation
with his neighbour. Even Israel pulled in its horns, cutting off its
lucrative arms sales out of fear of Russia.

Little more than a month later, the storm clouds over Russia seem
to have dispersed. Europe again began improving relations, with a
Euro-Russia summit in November, followed by renewed negotiations on
a strateg ic partnership and a renewal of Russian-NATO dialogue in
December. The Bush administration was not amused, but then lame-duck
President George W Bush has about as many friends these days as
Saakashvili.

It was amusing watching NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
jumping through hoops, so to speak, in early December after a NATO
foreign ministers meeting, as he explained the alliance’s decision
to begin "a conditional and graduated re-engagement" with Moscow,
despite strident disapproval from Washington, not to mention Moscow’s
own strident disapproval of NATO moves to absorb Ukraine and Georgia,
and after its spectacular assertion of authority in its "near
abroad" with the recognition of the independence of South Ossetia
and Abhazia. The Hoop argued, "Russia is such an important factor
in geopolitical terms that there is no alternative for NATO than to
engage Russia." He innocently claimed he had no idea why Russia felt
"victimised, not to be taken seriously, but if that is the perception,
we have to discuss it, because I have to try to convince them that
democracy and the rule of law are coming closer to Russia’s borders —
why should that be a problem?"

As if he actually believes that NATO is about the tired clichés of
democracy and freedom that are used to justify this Cold War relic, and
not about US empire and its attempt to end a ny residual opposition,
especially in the oil-rich Eurasian space, which Russia just happens
to control.

So why the sudden courtship of the Russian ogre? De Hoop said it was
because of Afghanistan, fighting terrorism and narcotics. We could
add the financial crisis as well. But towering over even that is the
very frightening spectre of another arms race between the two — yes
two — superpowers which Europe is uncomfortably sandwiched between.

It’s as if Don Juan realised too late that his latest flame — his
true love this time — was wise to him and had decided the jig was
up. Defying the US, de Hoop Scheffer and his Euro diplos realised
their place was the tried and true middle path between the two big
guys. He did his best to pretend that nothing really was wrong,
but no one was fooled. "I’m basically an engager," de Hoop Scheffer
said. "But engagement can’t take place in the context of spheres of
influence. We have to see if Georgia is a watershed or not. I hope
not, and I’ll do my best that it will not be." Sorry, de Hoop. You
closed the barn door too late. Your beloved has bolted.

The emissary of the spurned lover, Russian Ambassador to NATO Dmitri
Rogozin, welcomed the decision to resume informal talks with Russia,
saying, with not a little sarcasm, "I personally do not see the
difference between formal and informal sittings, exce pt that you
don’t have coffee in an informal meeting but you still can order
one." Rogozin also said that the decision not to give a formal action
plan to Georgia and Ukraine showed that relations with Russia were
more important to NATO than either applicant. He predicted that NATO
would retreat from admitting Georgia and Ukraine, a prospect that
"does not cheer anyone in the alliance." Rogozin said that "there is
an open split within NATO, and it will widen if NATO tries to expand
further. The schemes of those who adopted a frozen approach to Russia
have been destroyed." Words that left Don Juan apoplectic. The Hoop
shot back that Rogozin could say what he liked, and American officials
dismissed his comments as bluster aimed at a domestic audience.

Upping the ante, in the NATO meeting’s final communiqué, which
went through 22 drafts, the foreign ministers gave their unanimous
support to the planned deployment in Europe of US missile defenses,
which Washington continues to say are for protection from Iran, not
Russia. Reading from a script retrieved from history’s dustbin, the
ministers called the missile system "a substantial contribution" to
defense and encouraged Russia to take up US proposals for cooperation
on missile defence, oblivious to US president-elect Obama’s own
scepticism about the system, or the comments last month by French
President Nicolas Sarkozy that the missile defense would "bring
nothing to security" but "would complicate things and make them move
backward," or Russia’s threat to install short-range missiles of its
own in Kaliningrad.

As for Russian President Dmitri Medvedev’s proposed talks on a new
"security architecture" for Europe — which Sarkozy agreed to in
November — de Hoop Scheffer said that NATO members were "quite happy
with the security structure as it exists in Europe. There is not a
shimmer of a chance that NATO could or would be negotiated away." The
Euro fans of America and foes of Russia see the Russian president’s
proposals as a direct attempt to undermine NATO. And so what? The
only way to make peace with Russia is to do what should have been
done 17 years ago, when the Warsaw Pact was disbanded: dismantle
its twin and build a European partnership from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, minus the US and Canada. There is something called the
United Nations where everyone can get together. The EU and Russia
are already working together on peacekeeping — through the UN —
as seen with the current EUFOR mission in Chad, which includes 320
Russians. I repeat: Who needs NATO to police the world?

De Hoop drew his line in the sand at a news conference with Georgian
Foreign Minister Eka Tkeshelashvili. She expressed satisfaction with
the outcome of the meeting, in which ministers reconfirmed that Georgia
and Ukraine would eventually become members of NATO and said NATO
would accelerate cooperative reform programmes with both countries
through existing NATO commissions. Don’t hold your breath, Eka. A lot
can happen between now and "eventually." The US and Germany are at odds
over how further expansion of NATO can proceed, with Germany insisting
on a MAP (Membership Action Plan) and Bush’s team arguing that "MAP
has been fetishised." Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried said that this "is not the only way to
get there," wherever "there" is. Instead of a MAP, he has in mind
the NATO-Georgia Commission established hurriedly after 8 August,
modeled after the NATO-Ukraine Commission established in 1997 —
"MAP without MAP," as the German fetishists drolly put it.

But the bottom line on Georgia is that it can’t join NATO if it is not
at peace with its neighbours, as this would oblige NATO to go to war
to "defend" it. This argument could even encourage Russia to make a
move on Crimea, putting Ukraine in the same predicament, making it,
too, ineligible. How ironic this would be, given NATO’s pretensions
to be a bastion of peace.

As the Hoop performed his verbal acrobatics, the EU was performing its
own highwire act with Russia, renewing negotiations on a new strategic
partnership. But with a nod to US desires to keep moving eastward come
hell or high water, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso
also outlined to the press the EU’s proposed new "Eastern Partnership"
with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus,
the latest move into the ex-Soviet bloc since the EU expanded in 2004
and 2007 to embrace the Baltics and all the former Warsaw Pact nations.

The partnership offers free trade deals, closer energy ties, easier
access to visas and financial assistance programmes worth a total
of 600 EUR million over two years. To their bitter disappointment,
EU-member hopefuls Ukraine and Moldova were lumped together with the
others, indicating that their applications were on hol

Interesting, the supposed rush to get Ukraine and Georgia into NATO
and the procrastination over them joining the much more important
economic organisation. The Eastern Partnership was a response to
Sarkozy’s Mediterranean Union, bringing all the Mediterranean countries
together with the EU in a loose economic club, and was put on fast
track after the war in Georgia in August. Barroso denied suggestions
that the EU was seeking to establish itself as an alternative power
centre to Moscow. "The Cold War is over," said Barroso, "and where
there is no Cold War, there should be no spheres of interest." Who
does he think he’s kidding?

But Russia has no beef with EU expansion, which can only benefit Moscow
in the long run. In fact, it is not inconceivable that Russia itself
could join this economic pact, which clearly benefits one and all,
at least economically. This cannot be said of NATO. De Hoop Scheffer
understandably wants to keep his prestige (and pension), but this is
one endangered species that deserves extinction.

As NATO prepares the fireworks for its big 60th anniversary, its plans
for Georgia and Ukraine are in disarray and its war in Afghanistan
is a nightmare which could tear the organisation apart in 2009. Happy
anniversary.

–Boundary_(ID_KHbO8LQNMRj3P4o LvTkEfA)–

‘CONSUMER PROTECTION’ ORGANIZATION URGES VICTIMS OF ‘ARMENTEL’ AND ITS GPRS SERVICE NOT TO KEEP SILENCE

ArmInfo
2008-12-24 14:02:00

‘Consumer Protection’ organization urges victims of ‘ArmenTel’ and
its GPRS service not to keep silence.

As Head of the organization Abgar Yegoyan said at today’s
press-conference in "Pastarq" club, there was an advertising of
GPRS-roaming placed on the site of "ArmenTel" which misinformed
consumers. According to the advertising text, the cost of 0.01 MB
made up 60 drams. Moreover, some employees of "ArmenTel" service
centers have multiply confused 0.01 MB with 1 MB during the talk. This
resulted in the account of more than 1 mln drams received by some
citizen. On December 10, the Commission for Protection of Economic
Competition decreed to change the content of the advertising on the
site of "ArmenTel" and release the suffered citizen from paying the
debt for GPRS service. However, the Company has not yet fulfilled the
decision of the Commission: the cost of GPRS-roaming on the site was
indicated not of 1 MB-6000 drams but 10 KB – 60 drams that could also
mislead consumers.

Currently, the advertising of GPRS service has been completely removed
from the site of "ArmenTel". "We urge all the victims of unfair
advertising of "ArmenTel" Company to appeal to our organization for
consulting and assistance", Yegoyan said.

AZERBAIJAN TO PRODUCE TANKS, AVIATION BOMBS AND PILOTLESS VEHICLES IN 2009

anARMENIAN.Net
24.12.2008 16:39 GMT+04:00

Azerbaijan is going to launch production of tanks, small arms,
armors and noctovision devices next year. The defense potential of
the republic will be considerably increased.

Minister of Defense Industry Yaver Jamalov informed that Azerbaijan
also plans to produce aviation bombs and pilotless vehicles, ANS TV
channel reports.

RA MINISTRY OF ECONOMY HELD FORUM IN DILIJAN

RIA Oreanda
Dec 23 2008
Russia

Yerevan. OREANDA-NEWS . On 23 December 2008 was announced, that the
regular Meeting Forum of Information and Telecommunication Technologies
leaders without ties took place in Dilijan on December 6-7. These
Forums are organized by RA Ministry of Economy and Information
Technologies Association.

The main objective of the Forum was the discussion of three topical
for Armenian economy issues:

competitiveness of Armenian technological sphere during the
international financial crisis,

principles for building of electronic governance infrastructure
systems in Armenia,

tax and customs difficulties in the field of Information and
Telecommunication Technologies.

RA Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan, the representatives from
RA Revenue Committee and Central Bank of Armenia, Sweden delegation
of the company Ericsson, Head of IT department of Georgian Ministry
of Finance Davit Tsekvava, representatives of Business environment
improvement USAID Georgian project and private companies, as well
as representatives from Armenian trade banks, appropriate state
institutions, NGOs and information and telecommunication sphere
participated at the meeting.

The participants discussed possible ways of overcoming the
international financial crisis and problems emerged during the
crisis. The company Ericsson presented its program on the e-governance
infrastructure system building. The exchange of experience on the
achievements of Electronic Trade of Georgias system and its development
in our country, as well as tax and customs difficulties in the field
and suggested arrangements for overcoming these difficulties were
among the topics discussed.

HEAD OF VTB (ARMENIA) BANK: 80% OF BUSINESS-PLAN FOR 2008 FULFILLED

ArmInfo
2008-12-23 18:00:00

VTB (Armenia) bank has managed to fulfill 80% of business-plan for
2008, endorsed by the shareholder of the bank – Russian VTB, Director
General, Chairman of Directorate of CJSC VTB (Armenia) Bank Valeriy
Ovsyannikov told ArmInfo.

He also added that over the current year the bank managed to reach
excellent results on all the parameters. ‘We managed to ensure
minimal dynamics of growth by 150% and achieve good volumes’, –
Ovsyannikov said and added that final results will be made public
only after finishing audit at the first decade of the first quarter
2009. Touching on the plans of the bank for 2009, he said the bank
will try to preserve the positions occupied at the market.’I think
that next year such a big dynamics of growth will not be fixed’, –
Ovsyannikov said and added that next year the bank is going to draw
special attention at the quality of the crediting portfolio and risks.

‘I am sure next year will not be so simple for the corporative clients
of the bank as well as private borrowers. Stemming from this we are
already conducting the policy of limitation of the number of borrowers,
selecting the best ones’, – he said.

According to the Ranking of commercial bank prepared by ArmInfo,
as of 1 October 2008, total capital of VTB (Armenia) Bank amounted
to 23.2 bln AMD or $76.7 mln (the second position), assets – 98 bln
AMD or $324.4 mln (the 4th position), crediting portfolio – 74.7 bln
AMD or $247.1 mln (the second position). According to the results
of 9 months profit of the bank amounted to 2.4 bln AMD or $8 mln
(the 4th position).

S-300s for Iran: an argument for peace

15:46 | 19/ 12/ 2008

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik) – The
likelihood of Russia supplying S-300 surface-to-air systems to Iran has
always been a headache for the United States and its allies. For
several years the media has reported the conclusion of a contract or
even the actual shipment of long-range air defense missiles to Iran. As
a rule, these reports came from Iranian sources and were later denied
by Russia.

On December 17, 2008, RIA Novosti, quoting confidential sources,
reported on its website that Russia is to deliver S-300 surface-to-air
systems to Iran. Which, based on previous experience, is most likely
true. How will the balance of strength change in this region if Iran
really gets the systems? (Russian mobile surface-to-air missile systems
– Image gallery)

Before considering an answer, it is necessary to see what weapons
Iran’s armed forces will receive and in what quantities.

It has been repeatedly stated that Iran expects to get five battalions
of S-300PMUs, or up to 20 systems (60 launchers), depending on the
make-up of a battalion. Each of the launchers carries four 48N6E
missiles (48N6E2s with the PMU-2 mobile launchers) with a range of 150
kilometers (up to 200 kilometers for the 48N6E2s). Each launch system
consists of three launchers and is capable of engaging six targets at
the same time, aiming 12 missiles at them. One battalion consisting of
four systems is, therefore, capable of dealing with 24 aircraft
simultaneously. After changing position and replenishing ammunition, it
can be quickly re-deployed for repulsing a repeat raid.

It should be remembered that S-300 missiles themselves need to be
protected – for this purpose Iran can use Tor-M1 surface-to-air
missiles (SAMs) and Chinese FM-80s. Coupled with S-300s, these
short-range missiles can set up a credible air defense system able to
protect the facility covered and itself. In this tandem, S-300s will
act as a long arm to shoot down sophisticated targets at long
distances, while close-in weapons will protect the facility and S-300s
from cruise missiles, aircraft and UAVs that break through.

Five battalions of S-300 SAMs will contribute significantly not only to
the protection of designated facilities, but also to the defense
capability of the country as a whole. Deliveries of new SAMs will make
it possible to move old systems to other parts of the country,
increasing its air defense density. Should Iran have time to deploy the
Russian systems and to control the grouping, the overall damage from
air defenses may exceed the threshold acceptable to Iran’s potential
opponents.

S-300s do not, of course, guarantee Iran’s invincibility or
invulnerability. The U.S. Air Force and naval aviation can, if
necessary, break through even these defenses. At issue is the time
required and acceptable level of loss. Ultimately, the question may
prove to be the main argument in the hands of those opposed to a
military operation against Iran and remove an Iran-U.S. armed conflict
from the agenda for a long time.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not
necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.