Politology

S. Zurabiani

Cold war does not leave the papers of Russian and American press

(Four newspapers –two positions)

In modern world, it is difficult to image the Caucasus without ethno-conflicts for nowadays. Mainly, in the center of attention for International press Caucasus becomes for its frozen ethno-conflicts. World's dependence on this phenomenon is formed exactly by the mass media. Because of it, it is especially interesting to analyze of articles written about this subject in Russian and American press. From review of these four newspapers ("Izvestia", "Nezavisimaia gazeta", "Washington Post", "New York Times") treated by us, is clearly seen the dependence of American and Russian press's representatives towards the ethno-conflicts, developed in Caucasus. It is not difficult to make a conclusion about the same fact, about which the American and Russian press makes various focuses. We must recognize that our neighbor Russia cannot see the correct facts in Caucasus, then America, which is situated beyond the Ocean. It is clear, that America and Russia have their own interests in Caucasus, but mass media should not be a "lawyer" of their interests. Its commission is to spread the objective information. Where the truth? Somebody, who does not know the problem, can ask this question, if he (she) will compare with information, spreading by the Russian and American press. Cold War does not leave the mass media papers. Of these two countries (in this case, speaking about "Cold War" we imply the informational politics) we can certify it with one example: in March, on 2002, United States of America abolished the sanctions of transferring the armament to Azerbaijan and Armenia. Let's see what are writing in these four newspapers about that:

"Nezavisimaia Gazeta": "The Prognoses of deepening the America and Russia confrontation in South Caucasus became truth. One argument of this screen became the last decision of State department of America, which American armament may become the last reason of Armenian-Azerbaijan confrontation in Nagorno-Karabakh."

"New York Times": "A notice published in the Federal Register said, ''This action is being taken in the interests of foreign policy and national security.'' In announcing the initial waiver, the White House said it was needed for the American-led war on terrorism and would not hamper efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have been battling over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is formally part of Azerbaijan."

"Izvestia": American State Department spread the information about raise the Embargo, which was established in 1993 for the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh, beside it, after raising the Embargo, America will control all order for the armament from Armenia or Azerbaijan …To abolish this sanction, was supposed just in December. When Congress stopped the amendments activity of freedom's act 907, which forbade the military helping to Baku, before it would not stop the blockade of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh."

"Washington Post": "Congress enacted sanctions against Azerbaijan prohibiting military relations between the two countries in 1992, under intense lobbying by Armenian Americans angry about Azerbaijan's embargo against neighboring Armenia. At the time the two countries were engaged in a fierce conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave populated by ethnic Armenians, who are Christians, but located in Azerbaijan, which is predominantly Muslim. Successive U.S. administrations have imposed sanctions on Armenia, as well. The waiver would authorize the president to lift the sanctions if he can certify to Congress that military cooperation with Azerbaijan is needed to fight the war on terrorism and secure borders in the region. The waiver could not continue if U.S. military assistance was used to upset the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process or to attack Armenia."

"Nezavisimaia gazeta": "Washington makes everything very carefully and diplomatically, because Yerevan will refuse about the strategically partnership of Moscow. To pass Armenia in American armament is one of the most interesting possibilities to relax the Russian influence in Caucasus and to banish it from the region. But of course, it is not excluded, that Yerevan will not stop traditional relation to the Moscow, Russian armament was transferred to "Friends" in a good condition"

We think, that it is redundant, to bring other examples, or such distinction in spreading information is identity towards any fact acting in Caucasus. Four newspapers are spreading two-difference information. : American press says that to abolish the sanctions was needed for the American-led war on terrorism and it would not hamper efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, when Russian press argues, that American armament may become the last reason of Armenian-Azerbaijan confrontation in Nagorno-Karabakh. Cold war does not leave the papers of American and Russian press, after the destroying the Soviet Union. Fortunately, it has changed its form and during the broadcasting of ethno-conflicts all newspaper tries to show the various positions, tries to be an independent, representative of democratic press. But the reader clearly sees the position of Journalists or staff towards this subject among the raw of articles. Russian and American truth about Caucasus ethno-conflicts is against to each other and often excluded themselves. But it is about 15 years, Caucasus ethno- conflicts still has epithet "frozen" on the pages of international press.

 

Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
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