Russia and the Caspian: The New Middle East. Part II in a series

Armenia

Not quite the "good guys" here - the latest presidential election (last spring, in which Kocharian was elected) did not meet OSCE standards. But, the media felt free to report on electoral irregularities.

Nagorno-Karabagh is a major issue for the Armenian people, not just for the leadership in Yerevan (the capital). Other issues include democracy and human rights, which may give reason to hope that at least many Armenians are aspiring to join the First World in cultural and political as well as economic respects.

Armenia itself neither has energy nor lies across any energy route. It doesn't border the Caspian, but its involvement in Nagorno-Karabagh, and hence Azeri affairs, mandates attention. It is under blockade from Azerbaijan and Turkey for its involvement. (Armenia also borders Georgia, and Georgia in turn lies on the Black Sea, but the Black Sea route to the Mediterranean is controlled by Turkey.) There has long been no love lost between Armenia and Turkey. In 1915-1916, and continuing through 1922-1923, the Turks massacred 1.5 million out of 2.5 million Armenians.

In 1992, the US Congress passed legislation banning US aid to Azerbaijan until the blockade is lifted. On the other hand, keep in mind that Turkey is a staunch US ally, and vice versa, especially given recent Turkish military cooperation with Israel, America's closest ally in the Old Middle East.

While the sole Russian military presence in Azerbaijan is a single radar station at Gabela, Russian officials have just recently announced a new deployment of arms to their base in Armenia, including air-defense missile and fighter aircraft. This is regulated by the Russo-Armenian Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, signed in August 1997.

Georgia

Headed by President Edward Shevardnadze, former Georgian Republic KGB chief and then Soviet Foreign Minister. Shevardnadze made headlines when he resigned the latter office in December 1990, warning that the USSR was headed toward dictatorship.

Shevardnadze has suffered many attempts on his life. That's because he has many enemies.

For one thing, he wasn't the first president. Zviad Gamsakhurdia was. Gamsakhurdia was overthrown in the winter of 1991-1992 and fled to Chechnya. He has since died, but his supporters remain. They call themselves Zviadists, and their enemies dead meat.

Or they try, anyway. The upcoming Tuesday is the anniversary of the latest assassination attempt: an attack using grenade launchers on Shevardnadze's Mercedes-Benz.

Shevardnadze and others immediately accused Russia

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