Armenia would be in a state of war should Georgia's plan not fail in 2008August 7, 2009 - 17:28 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Last year's August events in Georgia showed the true position of interested parties, politologist Sergey Shakaryants told a news conference in Yerevan. According to him, Georgian-Russian conflict played a crucial role for Armenia. "I thought that NKR conflict settlement will serve a sa precedent to other unacknowledged states of Transcaucasia, but the opposite happened," Armenian politologist said, stressing that even unacknowledged states like Abkhazia and South Ossetia were acknowledged, still, NKR was not. According to Sergey Shakaryants, Azerbaijan was preparing a war against Armenia along with Georgia, yet Russia's actions frustrated it plans. "Armenia would be in a state of war should Georgia's plan not fail in 2008," he said, adding that last year Azerbaijan thrice attempted attacks on NKR, yet the attempts were frustrated thanks to NKR forces. On August 8, during the night and early morning, Georgia launched a military offensive to surround and capture the capital of separatist Republic of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali thus breaking the terms of the 1992 ceasefire and crossing into the security zone established therein. The heavy shelling, which included Georgian rockets being fired into South Ossetia left parts of the capital city in ruins, causing a humanitarian crisis. Russia sent troops across the Georgian border, into South Ossetia. In five days of fighting, the Russian forces captured the regional capital Tskhinvali, pushed back Georgian troops, and largely destroyed Georgia's military infrastructure using airstrikes deep inside the smaller country's territory. On August 12, Russian President Medvedev said that he had ordered an end to military operations in Georgia. Later on the same day, Russian president Medvedev approved a six-point peace plan brokered by President-in-Office of the European Union, Nicolas Sarkozy, in Moscow; both sides were to sign it by the 17th. On August 27, President Medvedev of the Russian Federation signed two Presidential decrees recognizing the Republic of Abkhazia and the Republic of South Ossetia as sovereign independent states to authorize the drafting of treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the new states. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia warns Armenia against “falling into West’s trap” Zakharova maintained, however, that anything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed. CSTO: Armenia has not participated in secretariat’s work recently Recently Armenia has not participated in the work of the secretariat of the CSTO, Imangali Tasmagambetov said. Meeting with U.S., EU not against third parties, says Armenia The meeting scheduled for April 5 is dedicated to strengthening of the Armenia-EU-US cooperation, Yerevan added. Ucom launches network modernization efforts in few regions of Armenia In particular, on March 28, the legacy Mobile Switching Subsystem will be replaced with a new one. |