502) BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE TRIANGLE OF THE USA-ARMENIA-IRAN

Armenia has initiated the construction of a new nuclear power plant. The USA is the greatest supporter of the power plant that will cost about 600-800 million dollar. Concerning the construction of the power plant, Armenia has had a series of talks with the US Department of Energy. The US Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman who made a statement on the subject during Armenia’s Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan reiterated that “they are ready for cooperation on the construction of the new unit of the nuclear power plant”. . . .

The rapprochement between Armenia-the USA is not limited to this. Next year Armenia will receive a financial aid worth 75 million dollar from the US budget. The aid program was approved in the US Senate in September 2005. It draws attention that the US will provide 4,5 million dollar more to Armenia than it will to Georgia and 33 million dollar more to Armenia than it will to Azerbaijan. Various interpretations are made as to why Washington prefers Yerevan but not Tbilisi and Baku. Some diplomatic sources link this to the fact that there are no US military bases in Armenian territories at the moment. Iit is stressed that pursuing its interest in Caucasus, the US is trying to control Iran over Armenia. Also, attention is drawn to the general elections and the Presidential elections to be held in Armenia soon.

The USA has allocated 6 million dollars to Armenia for the parliamentary elections to be held in 2007 and the Presidential elections to be held in 2008. It is predicted that these funds are aimed at providing support to pro-American forces that oppose the President Robert Kocaryan. For, the trade volume between the two countries has reached 250 million dollars in the past year that was also within the President Robert Kocaryan’s term of office who is known for the close relations that he has established with Iran. The pundits draw attention to the fact that the USA intends to encircle Iran by approaching Armenia, to control the north of the Near East and after a while to attack Iran by establishing military bases.

Tehran Administration that signed a “mutual nonaggression” agreement with Baku is trying to take precautions against these threats of the USA that has settled completely to the south of the Persian Gulf by drawing Armenia to its side. Meanwhile, the efforts of the USA that has deployed its units in Uzbekistan in the year 2001 to settle in Azerbaijan to the north of Iran are also notable. Tehran is striving to become indispensable as the transportation corridor between the Indian Ocean and the former Soviet Union area on the one hand and making initiatives to make Armenia dependent on itself on the other hand. Therefore, it will grant an aid of 550 thousand dollar to Armenia pursuant to a decision it took in August 2005. Also, while the talks on the “nuclear power plant” are ongoing between the USA and Armenia, Iran made an assault declaring that it will allocate 150 million dollar for the construction of 5th bloc of Razdan Thermal Energy Power Plant. Armenia is aware of the fact that it needs to improve its relations with Iran from every aspect due to its current problems with Turkey and Azerbaijan. For it is a landlocked country. It is surrounded by its neighbors Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran.

For a few years economic, political, military and cultural agreements have been signed between Armenia and Iran. Particularly, Iran-Armenia natural gas pipeline the construction of which was initiated a short while ago is of great importance to Armenia. Armenia will solve its energy problem that it is suffering today through the natural gas shipment that will come from Iran. The pipeline is 150 km.in length, 40 km. of which lies in the Armenian territories. It is stated that the pipes on the Armenian side are produced in Iran.

Islamic Republic of Iran that is claimed to be presenting support to radical Islamist organizations within the framework of its policy of exporting Islamic revolution providing means to Armenia that is Christian is received with reactions. Armenia believes that it protects the rights of Armenian diaspora within the Iranian borders through its current policy. Meanwhile, it is a fact that the USA makes use of the bilateral relations at the expense of controlling Iran. The political observers draw attention to the fact that the USA considering the nuclear activities of Iran as a pretext provides support to a nuclear power plant that is planned to be established in Armenia and the effect this situation will produce in the European Union that is persistent on the closure of the power station “Metsamor” that is operating in Armenia.

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