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KARABAKH TANGLE: REGIONAL POWERS MULLING MOVES AS TENSION MOUNTS BETWEEN ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/45054/armenia_iran_karabakh_azerbaijan_yerevan_van_fligh t_turkey
ANALYSIS | 05.04.13 | 15:49
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
A special envoy of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ramin Mehmanparast,
was on a three-day visit to Armenia earlier this week to hold various
meetings with Armenian officials. During a press conference on the
results of his visit he said that Tehran was ready for mediation in
the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Mehmanparast put the emphasis on regional cooperation in order to
promote a peaceful settlement of the crisis, calling on Armenia and
Azerbaijan for a peaceful resolution of the protracted conflict and
the elimination of tensions in the region.
Several days before that, representatives of the Armenian Defense
Ministry repeatedly made statements about amassing of Azerbaijani
troops and materiel along the border with Armenia.
Chairman of the Russian State Duma's Committee on Information Policy,
Information Technologies and Communications Alexei Mitrofanov suddenly
spoke about an imminent war in the Karabakh conflict zone.
"Preparations are underway for a war... One has to understand that
there will be no close contact wars, military facilities will be put
down within a few hours with the use of precision weapons," predicted
the Russian lawmaker.
He made the remarks soon after it became clear that Azerbaijan had
stopped purchasing weapons from Russia.
It is also during the same days that Turkey unexpectedly decided to
cancel plans for an earlier announced Van-Yerevan-Van flight, which,
despite being a commercial project, was also supposed to promote
cultural ties between the two estranged neighbors.
Azerbaijan thanked its 'elder brother' for the decision not to help
'enemy Armenia'. The Western press immediately assessed that step
as hardening of Turkey's and Azerbaijan's positions on the Karabakh
issue. Assumptions have even been made about preparations for military
action, but for 2014, since Azerbaijan will have presidential elections
in autumn.
Azerbaijan also seems to have toughened its position on Iran. Another
conference on the issue of Southern Azerbaijan was held in Baku. It
demanded the accession of this part of Iran to Azerbaijan. Iran sent
a note of protest to Baku, in reply to which Azerbaijani authorities
said it was not an official position of Baku.
Experts connect such an unusually long stay of the Iranian diplomatic
envoy in Armenia with expected tensions in the Karabakh conflict zone.
Iran has always insisted that no foreign troops should be introduced
in Karabakh, while a new escalation of the conflict may lead to the
prospect of peacekeepers' deployment.
Karabakh has a long border with Iran, and Iran is clearly worried
that Russian, NATO or Turkish troops may appear there.
It is no secret now that Russia is preparing the ground for introducing
Collective Security Treaty Organization troops into Karabakh. But
NATO is also increasing its cooperation with Armenia.
All of a sudden some pro-Russian Armenian experts remembered that
since 2005 the United States has had one of its largest embassies
in Armenia. They also claimed that "800 marines are stationed there
awaiting combat orders".
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://armenianow.com/commentary/analysis/45054/armenia_iran_karabakh_azerbaijan_yerevan_van_fligh t_turkey
ANALYSIS | 05.04.13 | 15:49
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
A special envoy of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ramin Mehmanparast,
was on a three-day visit to Armenia earlier this week to hold various
meetings with Armenian officials. During a press conference on the
results of his visit he said that Tehran was ready for mediation in
the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Mehmanparast put the emphasis on regional cooperation in order to
promote a peaceful settlement of the crisis, calling on Armenia and
Azerbaijan for a peaceful resolution of the protracted conflict and
the elimination of tensions in the region.
Several days before that, representatives of the Armenian Defense
Ministry repeatedly made statements about amassing of Azerbaijani
troops and materiel along the border with Armenia.
Chairman of the Russian State Duma's Committee on Information Policy,
Information Technologies and Communications Alexei Mitrofanov suddenly
spoke about an imminent war in the Karabakh conflict zone.
"Preparations are underway for a war... One has to understand that
there will be no close contact wars, military facilities will be put
down within a few hours with the use of precision weapons," predicted
the Russian lawmaker.
He made the remarks soon after it became clear that Azerbaijan had
stopped purchasing weapons from Russia.
It is also during the same days that Turkey unexpectedly decided to
cancel plans for an earlier announced Van-Yerevan-Van flight, which,
despite being a commercial project, was also supposed to promote
cultural ties between the two estranged neighbors.
Azerbaijan thanked its 'elder brother' for the decision not to help
'enemy Armenia'. The Western press immediately assessed that step
as hardening of Turkey's and Azerbaijan's positions on the Karabakh
issue. Assumptions have even been made about preparations for military
action, but for 2014, since Azerbaijan will have presidential elections
in autumn.
Azerbaijan also seems to have toughened its position on Iran. Another
conference on the issue of Southern Azerbaijan was held in Baku. It
demanded the accession of this part of Iran to Azerbaijan. Iran sent
a note of protest to Baku, in reply to which Azerbaijani authorities
said it was not an official position of Baku.
Experts connect such an unusually long stay of the Iranian diplomatic
envoy in Armenia with expected tensions in the Karabakh conflict zone.
Iran has always insisted that no foreign troops should be introduced
in Karabakh, while a new escalation of the conflict may lead to the
prospect of peacekeepers' deployment.
Karabakh has a long border with Iran, and Iran is clearly worried
that Russian, NATO or Turkish troops may appear there.
It is no secret now that Russia is preparing the ground for introducing
Collective Security Treaty Organization troops into Karabakh. But
NATO is also increasing its cooperation with Armenia.
All of a sudden some pro-Russian Armenian experts remembered that
since 2005 the United States has had one of its largest embassies
in Armenia. They also claimed that "800 marines are stationed there
awaiting combat orders".
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress