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RusData Dialine - Russian Press Digest
October 19, 2012 Friday
US probes South Caucasus' attitude to Iran
by Igor Potylov
source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta
Eric Rubin, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and
Eurasian Affairs, is touring Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia to
promote democracy and cooperation and develop partnership on the
issues of Syria and Iran. The media in Azerbaijan reports that Rubin's
visit to Georgia focused on economic issues, civil freedoms and
Nagorno-Karabakh. The US Embassy in Armenia's press service said Rubin
would attend a meeting of the US-Armenian group on economic
cooperation to discuss stimulating investment in energy and trade, as
well as nuclear power.
The agenda for high-ranking Washington officials' visits to the South
Caucasus seldom varies, and this is not simply because Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Armenia face largely similar problems, but also for
ethical reasons. Washington wants to convince them that they are all
equal partners. Therefore, if Rubin talked about Iran in Georgia, he
did or will do the same in the other two South Caucasus states.
"During the meetings with the President and future Prime Minister of
Georgia, we discussed the international community's efforts to prevent
Iran from developing nuclear weapons," Rubin told a press briefing at
the US Embassy in Tbilisi as quoted by Azernews. "We are broadly
cooperating over the Turkish-Syrian issue, and Georgia is called upon
to play a peacekeeping role in the region." However, some Georgian
experts believe that Rubin met with Mikheil Saakashvili and Bidzina
Ivanishvili to probe Georgia's attitude to Iran, where Washington will
want Georgia to play a special role if the situation escalates.
Georgian politician Irina Sarishvili said before Rubin's visit that
many hospitals built in Georgia recently under a presidential program
bear an alarming likeness to standard US military hospitals.
Considering the speedy modernization and construction of airports for
heavy transport planes and other infrastructure improvements, this
could be more than straightforward concern for the Georgians. Eric
Rubin also said in Tbilisi, clearly referring to Russian bases in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia that "the US position regarding the
obligations that Russia undertook in 2008 to withdraw its troops from
the Georgian territory remain unchanged." He said the US stance on the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia is firm and clear.
Commenting on the recent parliamentary election, Rubin congratulated
Ivanishvili on the victory and praised Saakashvili's personal
contribution to positive developments in Georgia. He said the world
can see that democracy in Georgia is real, and that the country can
become a model for the region. Rubin also met with ministerial
nominees, notably Irakly Alasania who is slated to become the Defense
Minister. Alasania assured him that Georgia would honor its
commitments in Afghanistan. In response, Rubin said that Washington
would redouble its efforts to promote Georgia's rapprochement with
NATO. The US official refused to comment on Ivanishvili's plans to
participate in the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014. He said he was
pleased with Saakashvili's assurances that Georgia is committed to
strengthening ties with Euro-Atlantic organizations and the United
States, and to guaranteeing press freedom.
From: A. Papazian
October 19, 2012 Friday
US probes South Caucasus' attitude to Iran
by Igor Potylov
source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta
Eric Rubin, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and
Eurasian Affairs, is touring Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia to
promote democracy and cooperation and develop partnership on the
issues of Syria and Iran. The media in Azerbaijan reports that Rubin's
visit to Georgia focused on economic issues, civil freedoms and
Nagorno-Karabakh. The US Embassy in Armenia's press service said Rubin
would attend a meeting of the US-Armenian group on economic
cooperation to discuss stimulating investment in energy and trade, as
well as nuclear power.
The agenda for high-ranking Washington officials' visits to the South
Caucasus seldom varies, and this is not simply because Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Armenia face largely similar problems, but also for
ethical reasons. Washington wants to convince them that they are all
equal partners. Therefore, if Rubin talked about Iran in Georgia, he
did or will do the same in the other two South Caucasus states.
"During the meetings with the President and future Prime Minister of
Georgia, we discussed the international community's efforts to prevent
Iran from developing nuclear weapons," Rubin told a press briefing at
the US Embassy in Tbilisi as quoted by Azernews. "We are broadly
cooperating over the Turkish-Syrian issue, and Georgia is called upon
to play a peacekeeping role in the region." However, some Georgian
experts believe that Rubin met with Mikheil Saakashvili and Bidzina
Ivanishvili to probe Georgia's attitude to Iran, where Washington will
want Georgia to play a special role if the situation escalates.
Georgian politician Irina Sarishvili said before Rubin's visit that
many hospitals built in Georgia recently under a presidential program
bear an alarming likeness to standard US military hospitals.
Considering the speedy modernization and construction of airports for
heavy transport planes and other infrastructure improvements, this
could be more than straightforward concern for the Georgians. Eric
Rubin also said in Tbilisi, clearly referring to Russian bases in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia that "the US position regarding the
obligations that Russia undertook in 2008 to withdraw its troops from
the Georgian territory remain unchanged." He said the US stance on the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia is firm and clear.
Commenting on the recent parliamentary election, Rubin congratulated
Ivanishvili on the victory and praised Saakashvili's personal
contribution to positive developments in Georgia. He said the world
can see that democracy in Georgia is real, and that the country can
become a model for the region. Rubin also met with ministerial
nominees, notably Irakly Alasania who is slated to become the Defense
Minister. Alasania assured him that Georgia would honor its
commitments in Afghanistan. In response, Rubin said that Washington
would redouble its efforts to promote Georgia's rapprochement with
NATO. The US official refused to comment on Ivanishvili's plans to
participate in the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014. He said he was
pleased with Saakashvili's assurances that Georgia is committed to
strengthening ties with Euro-Atlantic organizations and the United
States, and to guaranteeing press freedom.
From: A. Papazian