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RUSSIA, ARMENIA OPPOSE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN
CASMII
http://www.campaigniran.org/casmii/index.php?q=node/12422
April 3 2012
by Tigran Avetisian (source: Azatutyun)
Russia and Armenia spoke out on Monday against possible Western
military action against Iran, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov warning of "very serious" consequences for regional security
during a visit to Yerevan.
Speaking after talks with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian,
Lavrov said attempts to end the West's nuclear standoff with Tehran
by force would destabilize not only the Middle East but also the
South Caucasus.
"It is hard to predict consequences [of military action] but they
would obviously be very serious and negative," he told a joint news
conference. "It would affect the security of not only Armenia but
also Azerbaijan given the fact that there are three times as many
ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran as in Azerbaijan."
"It's hard to predict how the Iranian Azerbaijanis would react to the
use of military force against their country," Lavrov said. "But if,
God forbid, that happens then there will undoubtedly be large inflows
of refugees and a large part of those refugees will end up in Russia
given the existence of a large Azerbaijani Diaspora there."
Moscow has strongly opposed use of force by the United States, other
Western nations and Israel ever since Iran embarked on a controversial
nuclear program. Lavrov reaffirmed the Russian position that it would
run counter to international law.
Nalbandian indicated that Armenia is also against air strikes and
other military operations against Iranian nuclear facilities. "Iran
is Armenia's neighbor and we are interested in solutions to problems
concerning Iran achieved through dialogue and negotiations, rather
than use of force," he said.
The Iran standoff as well as the situation in Syria were apparently
on the agenda of the two ministers' talks which Nalbandian said
testify to a "high level of political dialogue" between Moscow and
Yerevan. A statement by the Armenian Foreign Ministry said they
discussed "ongoing developments in the Middle East" and agreed on
"the need to solve problems through dialogue."
According to the statement, Lavrov and Nalbandian also had a "detailed
discussion" on international efforts to end the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Nalbandian was quoted as praising Russia for its active
involvement in the negotiating process.
Speaking at the news conference, Lavrov said that both Armenia and
Azerbaijan are his country's "strategic partners" and that Moscow will
carry on with its Karabakh mediation. He also defended the work of the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by Russia, the United States and France.
Lavrov met with Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian later in the day. An
Armenian government statement said the meeting focused on economic
issues.
"Russia is our strategic partner and we must expand and strengthen
bilateral relations," Sarkisian told the Russian minister.
CASMII
http://www.campaigniran.org/casmii/index.php?q=node/12422
April 3 2012
by Tigran Avetisian (source: Azatutyun)
Russia and Armenia spoke out on Monday against possible Western
military action against Iran, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov warning of "very serious" consequences for regional security
during a visit to Yerevan.
Speaking after talks with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian,
Lavrov said attempts to end the West's nuclear standoff with Tehran
by force would destabilize not only the Middle East but also the
South Caucasus.
"It is hard to predict consequences [of military action] but they
would obviously be very serious and negative," he told a joint news
conference. "It would affect the security of not only Armenia but
also Azerbaijan given the fact that there are three times as many
ethnic Azerbaijanis in Iran as in Azerbaijan."
"It's hard to predict how the Iranian Azerbaijanis would react to the
use of military force against their country," Lavrov said. "But if,
God forbid, that happens then there will undoubtedly be large inflows
of refugees and a large part of those refugees will end up in Russia
given the existence of a large Azerbaijani Diaspora there."
Moscow has strongly opposed use of force by the United States, other
Western nations and Israel ever since Iran embarked on a controversial
nuclear program. Lavrov reaffirmed the Russian position that it would
run counter to international law.
Nalbandian indicated that Armenia is also against air strikes and
other military operations against Iranian nuclear facilities. "Iran
is Armenia's neighbor and we are interested in solutions to problems
concerning Iran achieved through dialogue and negotiations, rather
than use of force," he said.
The Iran standoff as well as the situation in Syria were apparently
on the agenda of the two ministers' talks which Nalbandian said
testify to a "high level of political dialogue" between Moscow and
Yerevan. A statement by the Armenian Foreign Ministry said they
discussed "ongoing developments in the Middle East" and agreed on
"the need to solve problems through dialogue."
According to the statement, Lavrov and Nalbandian also had a "detailed
discussion" on international efforts to end the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Nalbandian was quoted as praising Russia for its active
involvement in the negotiating process.
Speaking at the news conference, Lavrov said that both Armenia and
Azerbaijan are his country's "strategic partners" and that Moscow will
carry on with its Karabakh mediation. He also defended the work of the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by Russia, the United States and France.
Lavrov met with Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian later in the day. An
Armenian government statement said the meeting focused on economic
issues.
"Russia is our strategic partner and we must expand and strengthen
bilateral relations," Sarkisian told the Russian minister.