Tweet
USA may use occupied Azeri territories to attack Iran - Armenian paper
Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
20 Jan 05
The Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani territories are the most
convenient place for deploying American bases and attacking Iran, the
Armenian newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak has said. This option will be
advantageous to the United States as it will solve several problems,
including the Karabakh conflict, it said. The newspaper went on to say
that the sense of US-Azerbaijani diplomatic cooperation in the recent
period is to convince the world that the Azerbaijani territories
controlled by the Armenian forces belong to Azerbaijan and are its
sovereign territories. On this basis, Azerbaijan and the USA will sign
an agreement under which Azerbaijan will allow the USA to deploy its
military bases in the occupied districts. The paper added that the
"Iran problem" may damage Armenia's relations with Iran and Russia and
called on the government to draw up a clear-cut contingency plan. The
following is the text of Arman Karapetyan's report by Armenian
newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak on 20 January headlined "New complications
for Armenia". Subheadings as published:
US President George Bush's statement that he does not rule out that
the USA will take military action against Iran complicates Armenia's
geo-political situation. This statement means not only that the USA is
interested in our country from a geo-political or military-political
point of view, but also that our country is of very specific
significance in the context of settling a very specific problem. And
the policy of complementarity established by [Armenian President]
Robert Kocharyan and [Armenian Foreign Minister] Vardan Oskanyan, who
are torn between Russia, the USA and Europe in their unsuccessful
attempts to establish equal relations, may simply collapse as a result
of the Iran problem becoming more intense and affect Armenia.
For this reason, from now on, the political forces, authorities and
diplomats of Armenia should develop a strict position and have several
scenarios of possible developments around Iran and models of Armenia's
position if any of these scenarios is put into practice. But before
drawing up these strategic approaches, Armenia has more pressing
problems in the context of Iran-US relations, which are directly
linked to the settlement of the Karabakh issue.
Bases in the occupied territories
Irrespective of whether Bush orders an attack on Iran or not, the USA
will continue strengthening its military presence in areas close to
the Iranian border. This is necessary not only for the successful
conduct of possible military actions, but also in order to launch a
psychological attack on Iran. Iran's borders are almost surrounded by
US troops: Iraq and Turkey are to the west of Iran and there are
enough US troops there. The Persian Gulf in the south is totally
controlled by the US armed forces. Afghanistan is to the east, and
there are enough American troops there.
The other eastern neighbour of Iran, Pakistan, is the USA's strategic
partner. And only in the north, does the USA not have a military
presence on the Iranian border. Iran's northern neighbours are
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Thus, it is evident that the
USA's next strategic problem is to ensure its military presence north
of Iran, and there is a natural question against this background:
where may US military bases be located? The Turkmen option should be
ruled out immediately as American-Turkmen relations are not at the
necessary level to discuss such an issue. Turkmenistan's domestic
political situation is another reason for this, and the USA cannot
cooperate with this country first of all on principle.
Analysis shows that the so-called "liberated-occupied" territories are
the most convenient place for deploying American military bases north
of Iran. The recent statement made by US Assistant Secretary of State
Elizabeth Jones about the criminal nature of the authorities of the
Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR] confirms this view once again. This
option will be advantageous to the US authorities as it will settle
several problems, including the Karabakh conflict.
Is it possible to deploy American military forces in the
"liberated-occupied" territories? The sense of US-Azerbaijani
diplomatic cooperation in the recent period is to convince the world
that the Azerbaijani territories controlled by the Armenian forces
belong to Azerbaijan and are its sovereign territories that have been
illegally taken by Armenians.
The factfinding group that will visit these occupied territories by
the end of the month will make "horrible discoveries" about the
situation there and the world community will conclude that it is
necessary to return these territories to Azerbaijan immediately. This
point will have a declarative nature, and the main essence of such
propaganda again will be that the occupied territories belong to
Azerbaijan. Through diplomatic channels, it will be suggested that the
Armenian authorities pull out of the occupied territories. Naturally,
our authorities will not agree to such a "betrayal". During that
period, it will be fixed in all the documents and people's minds that
the occupied territories belong to Azerbaijan and are de-jure
controlled by its authorities. Only on the basis of this note, will
Azerbaijan and the USA sign an agreement under which Azerbaijan will
allow the USA to deploy its military bases in Fuzuli, Zangilan,
Cabrayil, Kalbacar, Agdam, Lacin and Qubadli Districts
[Armenian-occupied districts of Azerbaijan], and this will be de jure
an unquestionable decision again [as published].
Let us hope that the Armenian army does not have commanders who will
order their soldiers to fire at the American army, understanding that
it is pointless.
Other complications
The aforesaid is not the only complication for Armenia in the context
of the further development of events around Iran. As is the case with
Iraq, we shall have the problem of providing the USA with an air
corridor in this case as well. Of course, the problem will not be
limited only to providing an air corridor, and the Americans will try
to rent one of Armenia's military airports. And here the problem will
be seen not only in the context of Armenian-Iranian relations, but
also in the context of Armenian-Russian relations. And on the whole,
if the USA has the problem of changing the political regime in Iran,
what will Armenia's position be like?
These are really complicated problems and it will be impossible to
avoid them not only in conditions of rivalry between Armenia and Iran
[as published], but also between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In the
context of all these developments, Armenia should be able not only to
demonstrate a correct position regarding the USA, Russia and Iran, but
also to try not to lag behind Azerbaijan in this process in terms of
gaining dividends. This is a problem that seems impossible to settle
in the current domestic political situation in Armenia. Over the last
few years, Armenia has created such a geo-political bloc around itself
that it is possible to overcome it only by using Ukrainian and
Georgian experience [as published].
Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
20 Jan 05
The Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani territories are the most
convenient place for deploying American bases and attacking Iran, the
Armenian newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak has said. This option will be
advantageous to the United States as it will solve several problems,
including the Karabakh conflict, it said. The newspaper went on to say
that the sense of US-Azerbaijani diplomatic cooperation in the recent
period is to convince the world that the Azerbaijani territories
controlled by the Armenian forces belong to Azerbaijan and are its
sovereign territories. On this basis, Azerbaijan and the USA will sign
an agreement under which Azerbaijan will allow the USA to deploy its
military bases in the occupied districts. The paper added that the
"Iran problem" may damage Armenia's relations with Iran and Russia and
called on the government to draw up a clear-cut contingency plan. The
following is the text of Arman Karapetyan's report by Armenian
newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak on 20 January headlined "New complications
for Armenia". Subheadings as published:
US President George Bush's statement that he does not rule out that
the USA will take military action against Iran complicates Armenia's
geo-political situation. This statement means not only that the USA is
interested in our country from a geo-political or military-political
point of view, but also that our country is of very specific
significance in the context of settling a very specific problem. And
the policy of complementarity established by [Armenian President]
Robert Kocharyan and [Armenian Foreign Minister] Vardan Oskanyan, who
are torn between Russia, the USA and Europe in their unsuccessful
attempts to establish equal relations, may simply collapse as a result
of the Iran problem becoming more intense and affect Armenia.
For this reason, from now on, the political forces, authorities and
diplomats of Armenia should develop a strict position and have several
scenarios of possible developments around Iran and models of Armenia's
position if any of these scenarios is put into practice. But before
drawing up these strategic approaches, Armenia has more pressing
problems in the context of Iran-US relations, which are directly
linked to the settlement of the Karabakh issue.
Bases in the occupied territories
Irrespective of whether Bush orders an attack on Iran or not, the USA
will continue strengthening its military presence in areas close to
the Iranian border. This is necessary not only for the successful
conduct of possible military actions, but also in order to launch a
psychological attack on Iran. Iran's borders are almost surrounded by
US troops: Iraq and Turkey are to the west of Iran and there are
enough US troops there. The Persian Gulf in the south is totally
controlled by the US armed forces. Afghanistan is to the east, and
there are enough American troops there.
The other eastern neighbour of Iran, Pakistan, is the USA's strategic
partner. And only in the north, does the USA not have a military
presence on the Iranian border. Iran's northern neighbours are
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Thus, it is evident that the
USA's next strategic problem is to ensure its military presence north
of Iran, and there is a natural question against this background:
where may US military bases be located? The Turkmen option should be
ruled out immediately as American-Turkmen relations are not at the
necessary level to discuss such an issue. Turkmenistan's domestic
political situation is another reason for this, and the USA cannot
cooperate with this country first of all on principle.
Analysis shows that the so-called "liberated-occupied" territories are
the most convenient place for deploying American military bases north
of Iran. The recent statement made by US Assistant Secretary of State
Elizabeth Jones about the criminal nature of the authorities of the
Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR] confirms this view once again. This
option will be advantageous to the US authorities as it will settle
several problems, including the Karabakh conflict.
Is it possible to deploy American military forces in the
"liberated-occupied" territories? The sense of US-Azerbaijani
diplomatic cooperation in the recent period is to convince the world
that the Azerbaijani territories controlled by the Armenian forces
belong to Azerbaijan and are its sovereign territories that have been
illegally taken by Armenians.
The factfinding group that will visit these occupied territories by
the end of the month will make "horrible discoveries" about the
situation there and the world community will conclude that it is
necessary to return these territories to Azerbaijan immediately. This
point will have a declarative nature, and the main essence of such
propaganda again will be that the occupied territories belong to
Azerbaijan. Through diplomatic channels, it will be suggested that the
Armenian authorities pull out of the occupied territories. Naturally,
our authorities will not agree to such a "betrayal". During that
period, it will be fixed in all the documents and people's minds that
the occupied territories belong to Azerbaijan and are de-jure
controlled by its authorities. Only on the basis of this note, will
Azerbaijan and the USA sign an agreement under which Azerbaijan will
allow the USA to deploy its military bases in Fuzuli, Zangilan,
Cabrayil, Kalbacar, Agdam, Lacin and Qubadli Districts
[Armenian-occupied districts of Azerbaijan], and this will be de jure
an unquestionable decision again [as published].
Let us hope that the Armenian army does not have commanders who will
order their soldiers to fire at the American army, understanding that
it is pointless.
Other complications
The aforesaid is not the only complication for Armenia in the context
of the further development of events around Iran. As is the case with
Iraq, we shall have the problem of providing the USA with an air
corridor in this case as well. Of course, the problem will not be
limited only to providing an air corridor, and the Americans will try
to rent one of Armenia's military airports. And here the problem will
be seen not only in the context of Armenian-Iranian relations, but
also in the context of Armenian-Russian relations. And on the whole,
if the USA has the problem of changing the political regime in Iran,
what will Armenia's position be like?
These are really complicated problems and it will be impossible to
avoid them not only in conditions of rivalry between Armenia and Iran
[as published], but also between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In the
context of all these developments, Armenia should be able not only to
demonstrate a correct position regarding the USA, Russia and Iran, but
also to try not to lag behind Azerbaijan in this process in terms of
gaining dividends. This is a problem that seems impossible to settle
in the current domestic political situation in Armenia. Over the last
few years, Armenia has created such a geo-political bloc around itself
that it is possible to overcome it only by using Ukrainian and
Georgian experience [as published].