Over the ceiling with arms
Maintaining security in the South Caucasus has become an issue of main concern.
"Azerbaijan has already hit over the ceiling with its contract on general arms in Europe and this is a serious threat to the fragile security in the region," RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan declared during the two-day international conference entitled "Re-evaluation of Security in the South Caucasus".
Among participants were representatives of international organizations and foreign embassies in Armenia. Mr. Ohanyan remarked that as all countries, Armenia too faces military dangers.
"Among the dangers are the destabilization of the security in the South Caucasus due to Armenia's neighboring countries, the provocation of new conflicts, global terrorism, illegal circulation of weapons of mass destruction, drugs and narcotics and human trafficking."
Expert Richard Kirakosian, who was present during the discussion, told "A1+" that he didn't agree with the views of RA Defense Minister. According to Kirakosian, the number one issue threatening Armenia today is not foreign, but domestic and said that Armenia must do a lot to handle corruption, the oligarchic system in the country and the economic situation.
"There is a lot to do in terms of corruption, the oligarchic system in the country and the economic situation."
As for conflicts in the region, primarily the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and the recent statements by U.S. co-chair Matthew Bryza, Mr. Kirakosian said: "Bryza's statements mean that the Turks are trying to show that there is small progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and that that may supposedly have an impact on Turkish-Armenian relations."
The Georgian representatives present during today's conference blamed Russia for infringing upon Georgia's territorial integrity, destabilizing the country and impeding democratization in Georgia in terms of destabilization in the South Caucasus. In response to the Georgians, Director of the Moscow-based Center for Political and Military Analyses Sergey Markedonov announced:
"Georgia is incapable of electing a legitimate president to this day. When Georgia and Azerbaijan talk about their territorial integrity, they are striving towards the Soviet Union."
Markedonov laughed at the Georgian representatives' claims of democracy and free speech and said: "Sahakashvili is as democratic as Putin."
