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Armenian Assembly of America News
1334 G Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://armenianassembly.tumblr.com/
Russian policies in Ukraine and their effect on the South Caucasus
By: Gevorg Shahbazyan, Summer Intern, Armenian Assembly of America
June 19, 2014
On Monday, June 16, the Jamestown Foundation held a conference entitled
`Repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict on Moldova and the South
Caucasus,' at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington,
D.C. The two panel conference featured several policy experts and former US
government officials, including Margarita Assenova, Director of Programs
for the Balkans, Caucasus & Central Asia, The Jamestown Foundation; Glen
Howard, President, The Jamestown Foundation; Andrei Illarionov, Senior
Fellow, CATO Institute; Vladimir Socor, Senior Fellow, The Jamestown
Foundation; Ambassador William Courtney, former US ambassador to Georgia
and Kazakhstan; Stephen Blank, Senior Fellow, American Foreign Policy
Council; Giorgi Khelashvili, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Georgia;
Natig Bakhishov, Political Officer, Embassy of Azerbaijan; Alexander
Melikishvili, Senior Analyst, Europe/CIS Forecasting Team, IHS Country
Risk; and Janusz Bugajski, a foreign policy analyst.
Jamestown Foundation President Glen Howard opened the first panel and
discussed the importance of the current crisis in Ukraine, specifically
referencing his visit to Kiev last month. "The world is watching what US
action will be in the region," stated Howard. On his trip, he discussed
`key issues' with Ukrainian government, and emphasized how important it is
to work closely with the defense ministry of Ukraine to establish control
along the border with Russia. Howard also discussed the importance of US
military assistance to Ukraine and countries in the region, particularly
Moldova and Georgia.
"Hardly any doubt remains that the violent crises in Ukraine is being
fueled by Russia" stated Andrei Illarionov, senior fellow at the CATO
Institute. "Russia will do anything to keep Ukraine pro-Russian,"
Illarionov said.
According Vladimir Socor, senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, Russia
is using referendums in Lugansk and Donetsk as `political instruments.' By
escalating the situation in Ukraine, following Russia's illegal annexation
of Crimea a few months ago, the panel unanimously agreed that the crises is
going to escalate further. If the US does not take necessary steps, then
the crisis is sure to worsen.
"The US has no foreign policy in the region," said William Courtney, former
US Ambassador to Georgia and Kazakhstan.
The first panel concluded that despite the difficulties of enacting
sanctions on Russia, the West should be ready to further deepen these
sanctions if Russia continues with its aggressive behavior.
A second panel of speakers discussed the `South Caucasus Perspectives on
the Russia-Ukraine Conflict.' Of particular focus was the settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh dispute. In this context, it was remarkable to hear Mr.
Natig Bakhishov, the Political Officer from the Embassy of Azerbaijan,
claim that Azerbaijan is committed to "solve" the conflict by "peaceful
means." A few minutes into his statement he threatened the use of military
force. "Military action is valid if negotiations fail" Bakhishov said,
contradicting himself in the process.
When asked that "you mentioned earlier that Azerbaijan is committed to the
peaceful settlement of the NK conflict, yet your government continues to
threaten the use of force against NKR,' Bakhishov declined to comment but
continued to provide his government's position that "Azerbaijan is
still committed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict.'
One of the speakers on the panel expressed concern over Azerbaijan's
massive military build up and the arms race it has produced with
neighboring Armenia. "We are aware of the purchase of $4 billion worth of
military arms by Azerbaijan,' Stephen Blank, Senior Fellow at the American
Foreign Policy Council said, calling it `a measure to destabilize the
region." According to Blank, "The US needs to cherish OSCE [Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe] negotiations," citing limited US
influence in the region. Despite this handicap, Blank said that the US
needs to help countries in the region overcome domestic opposition and help
Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova move closer to the European Union (EU) by
signing Association Agreements (AA) on June 27th, 2014.
While the panel included `The Georgian Perspective' and =80=9CThe Azerbaijani
Perspective,' it clearly lacked an Armenian perspective. However,
representatives of the Armenian Assembly of America, the Embassy of
Armenia, and the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) were present
and addressed the various inaccuracies and sometimes outright
falsifications presented.
Andranik Hovhannisyan, Deputy Chief of Mission from the Armenian Embassy,
asked the panel why the Embassy of Armenia was not invited to participate,
alluding to what seemed to be the Jamestown Foundation's intention to
exclude the Armenian perspective. Margarita Assenova, Director of Programs
at the Jamestown Foundation, responded, saying at first that they had sent
a letter of invitation. When Mr. Hovhannisyan informed her that, as the
person who receives such correspondence, he had in fact not received an
invitation, Assenova then stated that the conference was quickly assembled
in only three days. However, the first public notice of the conference was
issued on June 11, five days prior to the conference. It was disrespectful
for Ms. Assenova to blatantly misrepresent to Mr. Hovhannisyan and the
audience the panels intended structure.
Aram Avetisyan, Counselor from the NKR office asked the Azeri embassy
representative, "Mr. Bakhishov, are you going to celebrate Safarov's
anniversary?" a reference to Ramil Safarov, the Azerbaijani soldier who
brutally killed Gurgen Margarian, an Armenian officer, with an axe while he
was sleeping, in Hungary during a NATO training course in 2004. It is
important to note that Avetisyan was interrupted numerous times by the
moderator, as was Hovhannisyan and the author.
Without proper oversight from the international community, particularly the
US and EU, Azerbajan's hostile and provocative behavior will continue to be
directed against Armenians everywhere. Therefore, it is clear that, given
Mr. Bakhishov's statements, Azerbaijan will not stop threatening Armenia
with military invasion until a settlement favorable to Baku can be reached.
Today, Georgia and Azerbaijan, with the support of the US and EU, are
trying to bypass Russian energy supply lines and create a new Southern
Corridor pipeline straight into Europe. Lessening the dependency of Eastern
Europe and the Caucasus on Russian oil and gas loosens Moscow's grip in the
process. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, on the other hand, has clearly
impacted the South Caucasus. It shows that Russia has many cards to play in
the region and it will not hesitate to do so, especially if countries in
the region signal their intention to lean toward the West.
The statement by Ambassador Courtney that "The US has no foreign policy in
the region" is very troubling because it is clear that countries in the
region are under Russian pressure. The US is not only in need of a new
policy in the region, but a vision for the future of its people; one that
helps the countries help themselves to flourish again, develop and grow as
democratic societies. It is also important for policy makers to understand
that it is crucial that Armenian Americans have a role in formulating such
a vision and articulating it through a policy that respects human rights
and the rule of law, and opens economies of the region to the rest of the
world.
Available online at: http://bit.ly/1jBunnB
Editor's Note: Photographs attached for print at publishers discretion.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
1334 G Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://armenianassembly.tumblr.com/
Russian policies in Ukraine and their effect on the South Caucasus
By: Gevorg Shahbazyan, Summer Intern, Armenian Assembly of America
June 19, 2014
On Monday, June 16, the Jamestown Foundation held a conference entitled
`Repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict on Moldova and the South
Caucasus,' at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington,
D.C. The two panel conference featured several policy experts and former US
government officials, including Margarita Assenova, Director of Programs
for the Balkans, Caucasus & Central Asia, The Jamestown Foundation; Glen
Howard, President, The Jamestown Foundation; Andrei Illarionov, Senior
Fellow, CATO Institute; Vladimir Socor, Senior Fellow, The Jamestown
Foundation; Ambassador William Courtney, former US ambassador to Georgia
and Kazakhstan; Stephen Blank, Senior Fellow, American Foreign Policy
Council; Giorgi Khelashvili, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Georgia;
Natig Bakhishov, Political Officer, Embassy of Azerbaijan; Alexander
Melikishvili, Senior Analyst, Europe/CIS Forecasting Team, IHS Country
Risk; and Janusz Bugajski, a foreign policy analyst.
Jamestown Foundation President Glen Howard opened the first panel and
discussed the importance of the current crisis in Ukraine, specifically
referencing his visit to Kiev last month. "The world is watching what US
action will be in the region," stated Howard. On his trip, he discussed
`key issues' with Ukrainian government, and emphasized how important it is
to work closely with the defense ministry of Ukraine to establish control
along the border with Russia. Howard also discussed the importance of US
military assistance to Ukraine and countries in the region, particularly
Moldova and Georgia.
"Hardly any doubt remains that the violent crises in Ukraine is being
fueled by Russia" stated Andrei Illarionov, senior fellow at the CATO
Institute. "Russia will do anything to keep Ukraine pro-Russian,"
Illarionov said.
According Vladimir Socor, senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, Russia
is using referendums in Lugansk and Donetsk as `political instruments.' By
escalating the situation in Ukraine, following Russia's illegal annexation
of Crimea a few months ago, the panel unanimously agreed that the crises is
going to escalate further. If the US does not take necessary steps, then
the crisis is sure to worsen.
"The US has no foreign policy in the region," said William Courtney, former
US Ambassador to Georgia and Kazakhstan.
The first panel concluded that despite the difficulties of enacting
sanctions on Russia, the West should be ready to further deepen these
sanctions if Russia continues with its aggressive behavior.
A second panel of speakers discussed the `South Caucasus Perspectives on
the Russia-Ukraine Conflict.' Of particular focus was the settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh dispute. In this context, it was remarkable to hear Mr.
Natig Bakhishov, the Political Officer from the Embassy of Azerbaijan,
claim that Azerbaijan is committed to "solve" the conflict by "peaceful
means." A few minutes into his statement he threatened the use of military
force. "Military action is valid if negotiations fail" Bakhishov said,
contradicting himself in the process.
When asked that "you mentioned earlier that Azerbaijan is committed to the
peaceful settlement of the NK conflict, yet your government continues to
threaten the use of force against NKR,' Bakhishov declined to comment but
continued to provide his government's position that "Azerbaijan is
still committed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict.'
One of the speakers on the panel expressed concern over Azerbaijan's
massive military build up and the arms race it has produced with
neighboring Armenia. "We are aware of the purchase of $4 billion worth of
military arms by Azerbaijan,' Stephen Blank, Senior Fellow at the American
Foreign Policy Council said, calling it `a measure to destabilize the
region." According to Blank, "The US needs to cherish OSCE [Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe] negotiations," citing limited US
influence in the region. Despite this handicap, Blank said that the US
needs to help countries in the region overcome domestic opposition and help
Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova move closer to the European Union (EU) by
signing Association Agreements (AA) on June 27th, 2014.
While the panel included `The Georgian Perspective' and =80=9CThe Azerbaijani
Perspective,' it clearly lacked an Armenian perspective. However,
representatives of the Armenian Assembly of America, the Embassy of
Armenia, and the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) were present
and addressed the various inaccuracies and sometimes outright
falsifications presented.
Andranik Hovhannisyan, Deputy Chief of Mission from the Armenian Embassy,
asked the panel why the Embassy of Armenia was not invited to participate,
alluding to what seemed to be the Jamestown Foundation's intention to
exclude the Armenian perspective. Margarita Assenova, Director of Programs
at the Jamestown Foundation, responded, saying at first that they had sent
a letter of invitation. When Mr. Hovhannisyan informed her that, as the
person who receives such correspondence, he had in fact not received an
invitation, Assenova then stated that the conference was quickly assembled
in only three days. However, the first public notice of the conference was
issued on June 11, five days prior to the conference. It was disrespectful
for Ms. Assenova to blatantly misrepresent to Mr. Hovhannisyan and the
audience the panels intended structure.
Aram Avetisyan, Counselor from the NKR office asked the Azeri embassy
representative, "Mr. Bakhishov, are you going to celebrate Safarov's
anniversary?" a reference to Ramil Safarov, the Azerbaijani soldier who
brutally killed Gurgen Margarian, an Armenian officer, with an axe while he
was sleeping, in Hungary during a NATO training course in 2004. It is
important to note that Avetisyan was interrupted numerous times by the
moderator, as was Hovhannisyan and the author.
Without proper oversight from the international community, particularly the
US and EU, Azerbajan's hostile and provocative behavior will continue to be
directed against Armenians everywhere. Therefore, it is clear that, given
Mr. Bakhishov's statements, Azerbaijan will not stop threatening Armenia
with military invasion until a settlement favorable to Baku can be reached.
Today, Georgia and Azerbaijan, with the support of the US and EU, are
trying to bypass Russian energy supply lines and create a new Southern
Corridor pipeline straight into Europe. Lessening the dependency of Eastern
Europe and the Caucasus on Russian oil and gas loosens Moscow's grip in the
process. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, on the other hand, has clearly
impacted the South Caucasus. It shows that Russia has many cards to play in
the region and it will not hesitate to do so, especially if countries in
the region signal their intention to lean toward the West.
The statement by Ambassador Courtney that "The US has no foreign policy in
the region" is very troubling because it is clear that countries in the
region are under Russian pressure. The US is not only in need of a new
policy in the region, but a vision for the future of its people; one that
helps the countries help themselves to flourish again, develop and grow as
democratic societies. It is also important for policy makers to understand
that it is crucial that Armenian Americans have a role in formulating such
a vision and articulating it through a policy that respects human rights
and the rule of law, and opens economies of the region to the rest of the
world.
Available online at: http://bit.ly/1jBunnB
Editor's Note: Photographs attached for print at publishers discretion.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress