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  • Russia Joins Turkish-Azeri Blockade

    RUSSIA JOINS TURKISH-AZERI BLOCKADE

    Azg/am
    6 Oct 04

    Price of Armenian-Russian Strategic Cooperation

    The Armenian-Russian strategic relations arouse suspicion. Anyway,
    Moscow, close friend of Armenia, its strategic and the only ally, put
    Armenia in a situation that is unprecedented for the last 13
    years. There were cases of misunderstanding in the Armenian-Russian
    relations in the past as well. There were times, for example during
    the Georgian-Abkhazian war, when Georgia was in chaos, when Armenia
    was blocked from three sides and the neighbouring Iran was the only
    way for us to communicate with the outer world.

    Soon, it will be a month that the Russian-Georgian border is locked,
    i.e. Russia is indirectly keeping Armenia in blockade. According to
    some information, over 1500 cars are stuck on the Russian part of
    Verin Lars checkpoint. It's worth reminding that Moscow closed its
    border with Georgia after the terrorist act in Beslan, condemning
    Georgia and Azerbaijan of making no sufficient efforts to prevent the
    entrance of the hirelings and terrorists to Chechnyathrough their
    territories.

    By the end of the last week, Sergey Mironov, chairman of the Council
    of Federation of Russia, who paid an official visit to Armenia,
    expressed hopethat "the Armenian authorities will treat with
    understanding the decision of the Russian authorities to close the
    border with Georgia in Verin Lars point. Mironov characterized it as a
    "forced measure". "Terrorists penetrate into Russia from Georgia. They
    feel quite free there. This measure is not directed against the
    transportation of the Armenian goods. We are aware of Armenia's
    problems," Mironov said.

    Mironov arrived in Armenia just in time. It seemed that his Armenian
    colleague will express concrete discontent. It is not a secret that
    President Kocharian can't express discontent for well-known
    reasons. Yet, thebehaviour of Artur Baghdasarian exceeded all the
    expectations. And not only his behaviour. Instead of expressing
    concrete discontent to Mironov, the second person of our country
    (according to the Constitution), at the airport, at the
    parliament,during the press conference, displayed such a flattering
    behaviour as if nothing happened. Meanwhile, this was the case when
    the very chairman of the parliament and the deputies should have
    expressed concrete discontent to Russia.

    One can understand Russia. The terrorist acts of the recent years made
    the Russians take additional security measures. On the other hand,
    difficult questions occur. For instance, why Russia doesn't allow the
    cars leaving for Armenia to pass the Georgian-Russian
    border. According to our information, the cars stuck in Verin Lars are
    going to Armenia or Azerbaijan mainly. Isn't it possible to let at
    least one car move in a day? Do the terrorists pass through the
    Russian-Georgian passport control points to reach to Chechnya? The
    Russian side assures the Armenian drivers and passengers stuck in
    Northern Ossetia for weeks that the border is blocked from the
    Georgian side.

    About a month ago, the Georgian president ordered to close the
    Southern Ossetian part of the Georgian-Russian border. Trucks heading
    for Armenia manage to pass the Northern Ossetian border by bribing
    guards but have to stay in South Ossetia as the Georgian side is
    reluctant to let them cross the Georgian-Ossetian border. For several
    times in Tbilisi by the assistance ofthe Armenian Embassy it became
    possible to let some of the cars cross the border. In this case, a
    complicated situation is shaped for the Georgian authorities. It turns
    out that the instructions of Mikheil Saakashvili don't concern the
    Armenians. There were speeches held at the Georgian Parliament,
    saying that the blocked borders should be blocked for everybody,
    including Armenians.

    In fact, Georgia doesn't suffer from Russia's blockade. Let's suppose
    that the Georgian budget loses several million of dollars because of
    the blocked borders. It is obvious that Saakashvili, who is enjoying
    the assistance of the West, will get ten times more sums for that. In
    fact, Russia put in blockade its strategic ally Armenia.

    One should suppose that by this step Moscow is expressing discontent
    for Armenia's policy to deepen relations with NATO. But the measure
    Russia chose to punish Armenia is not good for a long period. If
    Russia wants to arouse anti-Russian moods among the political and
    public circles of Armenia, it can continue keeping locked the
    Russian-Georgian border, i.e. to keep Armenia in blockade.

    By Tatoul Hakobian
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