Tweet
Wolves in Sheep Clothes: Armenian pasture rental to potential armed
Azeri-Iranians raises concern among nationalists
NEWS | 26.04.13 | 15:50
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Another wave of clamor is raised over the controversial lease of
fallow grazing lands in Armenia's strategically important northern
gate, the highlands of Syunik province, to Iranian shepherds.
A number of news outlets in Armenia, with a reference to Fars Iranian
news agency, have published a statement by one of Iran's Eastern
Atropatene province officials, claiming that by June, 10,000 sheep
will be transferred to pastures in Syunik for a six-month term.
Syunik local administration body has refuted that information as `untrue'.
The Armenian side recently has been forced to periodically refute
claims related to the grazing leases coming from Iranians, however
their denials no longer sound trustworthy.
The Ecolur environmental NGO declassified two documents on February 1,
one of which is titled `Memorandum of understanding between Iran's
Eastern Atropatene province and RA Syunik province'. The NGO
especially highlights Point 3 in this document signed by the governors
of Syunik and Eastern Atropatene on July, 2012: `The Iranian side has
expressed its willingness to use the pastures and agricultural farming
lands.' The second document was signed on January 15, 2013, during the
Armenian delegation's visit to the Eastern Atropatene and is called an
Agreement. In particular, it becomes clear that Iranians want to rent
50,000 hectares of grazing land for the minimum of 10 years and pay
$25 per hectare of land per month. The NGO draws a conclusion that
`the process has started, and the plan is to make it happen on a local
level to avoid undesirable publicity'. The Armenian government back
then stated that `no agreement implying any legal consequences' has
been signed between Iran's Eastern Atropatene and Armenia's Syunik
provinces.
Those concerned over the possible lease of pastures point out two
major objections - potential overgrazing and ecology, and national
security issues. Turkish-speaking ethnic Azeris populate this Iranian
state. This fact considered, it is mostly nationalist structures
speaking against the grazing leases. For example, Armenian Aryan Order
and Armenian Nationalists' Union (ANU) have stated that the Armenian
authorities should not allow Syunik lands `to be voluntarily or
involuntarily handed to Turkish-Azeri disposal'.
Members of a Facebook group `NO to Syunik Sale' are preparing an open
letter to the president and the prime-minister of Armenia demanding
clear explanation to the grazing leases.
It is noteworthy that an English-language Russian Moscow Times
periodical made a reference to Syunik pastures. The author of the
article writes: `The Iranian sheep deal could come with as many as
10,000 ethnic Azeri shepherds, their families, and their watchdogs.
But there is another wrinkle: Over the past 20 years, the withdrawal
of Armenian shepherds from the mountain pastures has allowed the
nation's wolf population to surge. Armenian authorities now pay a $275
bounty for each wolf shot. So it stands to reason that Iranian
shepherds would carry rifles to protect their flocks from wolves and
other predators. In a nutshell, Armenians say, the Iranian sheep deal
would mean several thousand ethnic Azeri men, most of whom are armed
with rifles, infiltrating into a strategic area.'
Azeri-Iranians raises concern among nationalists
NEWS | 26.04.13 | 15:50
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow
By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Another wave of clamor is raised over the controversial lease of
fallow grazing lands in Armenia's strategically important northern
gate, the highlands of Syunik province, to Iranian shepherds.
A number of news outlets in Armenia, with a reference to Fars Iranian
news agency, have published a statement by one of Iran's Eastern
Atropatene province officials, claiming that by June, 10,000 sheep
will be transferred to pastures in Syunik for a six-month term.
Syunik local administration body has refuted that information as `untrue'.
The Armenian side recently has been forced to periodically refute
claims related to the grazing leases coming from Iranians, however
their denials no longer sound trustworthy.
The Ecolur environmental NGO declassified two documents on February 1,
one of which is titled `Memorandum of understanding between Iran's
Eastern Atropatene province and RA Syunik province'. The NGO
especially highlights Point 3 in this document signed by the governors
of Syunik and Eastern Atropatene on July, 2012: `The Iranian side has
expressed its willingness to use the pastures and agricultural farming
lands.' The second document was signed on January 15, 2013, during the
Armenian delegation's visit to the Eastern Atropatene and is called an
Agreement. In particular, it becomes clear that Iranians want to rent
50,000 hectares of grazing land for the minimum of 10 years and pay
$25 per hectare of land per month. The NGO draws a conclusion that
`the process has started, and the plan is to make it happen on a local
level to avoid undesirable publicity'. The Armenian government back
then stated that `no agreement implying any legal consequences' has
been signed between Iran's Eastern Atropatene and Armenia's Syunik
provinces.
Those concerned over the possible lease of pastures point out two
major objections - potential overgrazing and ecology, and national
security issues. Turkish-speaking ethnic Azeris populate this Iranian
state. This fact considered, it is mostly nationalist structures
speaking against the grazing leases. For example, Armenian Aryan Order
and Armenian Nationalists' Union (ANU) have stated that the Armenian
authorities should not allow Syunik lands `to be voluntarily or
involuntarily handed to Turkish-Azeri disposal'.
Members of a Facebook group `NO to Syunik Sale' are preparing an open
letter to the president and the prime-minister of Armenia demanding
clear explanation to the grazing leases.
It is noteworthy that an English-language Russian Moscow Times
periodical made a reference to Syunik pastures. The author of the
article writes: `The Iranian sheep deal could come with as many as
10,000 ethnic Azeri shepherds, their families, and their watchdogs.
But there is another wrinkle: Over the past 20 years, the withdrawal
of Armenian shepherds from the mountain pastures has allowed the
nation's wolf population to surge. Armenian authorities now pay a $275
bounty for each wolf shot. So it stands to reason that Iranian
shepherds would carry rifles to protect their flocks from wolves and
other predators. In a nutshell, Armenians say, the Iranian sheep deal
would mean several thousand ethnic Azeri men, most of whom are armed
with rifles, infiltrating into a strategic area.'