YEREVAN (ARF Press Service)—A recent decision to lease thousands of acres of land to Iranian sheep and cattle breeders in the Syunik province was questioned and criticized Tuesday by Armenian Revolutionary Federation parliamentary bloc member Aghvan Vartanian.
News of the proposed lease was announced in early January, when Iran officially offered to rent thousands of acres of land in neighboring areas.
“They want to rent pastures and graze their ship and cattle there. Right now things are under discussion,” Samvel Tangian, head of the agriculture department at the provincial administration, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service at the time.
In an announcement to Parliament, Vartanian called into question the feasibility of such a deal, also raising concerns about whether provincial leaders can engage in such deals.
“If this deal goes through what does the government have to gain? Or, will neighboring farmers lose business? What are going to be the political, psychological and environmental ramifications?” asked Vartanian.
He also said that if Armenia had such land to lease to Iran, why doesn’t the government offer subsidies or low-interest loans to Armenian farmers to utilize the land and boost dairy and meat production in the country.
“How can [our] international relations be based on such semi-literate approaches? How does this semi-veiled mode of operation benefitting our nation’s legal and democratic situation?” asked Vartanian.
The Parliament is scheduled to address this issue in its Wednesday session.
SICK AND TIRED OF CORRUPT ARMENIAN GOVERMENT
HOW ABOUT ONCE YOU RENTED YOU OWN IT
this issue is a treason on its highest level; as we know Iran has more agricultural land than Armenia . do not sale , your country .do not lease your country .As I am wrighting this lines about this issue it is realy hard for me to control my anger . MR. SARKISSIAN SIGHNS CAPITULATION TURKISH .ARMENIAN PROTOCOL. NOW AND ONE MORE TIME HEIS SELLIG OR LEASING ARMENIA TO ANOTHER HEIGBHOR. DO ARMENIAN CURRENT LEADERS HAVE ANY ARMENIAN BLOOD IN THEIR VAINS? WHO IS RUNNING OUR BELOVED HOMELAND? AS YOU KNOW GAREGIN NJDEH KEPT SUNIK SAFE FROM TURKISH SOB INVADORS . IS AREMNA FOR SALE BY CORRUPT SOVIET EDUCATED STUPID POLITICIANS . STOP THIS NONSENSE .
With my respect to Iranian businessmen, this deal should not proceed under any circumstances. I was horrified when I first heard about it. I hope I am joined in my opinion by other concerned Armenians worldwide.
I aks the Armenian authorities to study the possibility of setting up a team to have Armenian shepherds to run a similar business in the same area. If funding is needed, we the Armenian diaspora should donate toward that end.
Armenia the most corrupt government.
It seems somebody is going to MAKE BIIIIIG $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
What’s the big deal if the land isn’t being used and if it does not affect local Armenian farmers? The land is going to be rented, not occupied. I’m sure it will be leased at a premium price.
When they lease the land, then they need their own investments, such as schools, Mosques, and shops and housings!! Have you ever thought what will be that location in the next 50 years? Their population will grow 4 times higher than Armenians, officially they can own the land and annex to East Azerbajani “turkic” land!! And who knows what will be next?? Read our sad past Armenian history, how Turks occupied Nakhichevan and Artsakh, when they came from Altai mountains!! They are not Persians but “friendly Turks” under Persian rulers for now!!
I fully agree with most of the comments made by wise Armenians, i think we need these kind of intelligent people to rule the country. most of all i agree with GB’s comment why our government is so naieve, even Iran we think they our good ally for now but who knows what will happen in 50 years.. I was so concerned when i read about this article but waited to see how our Armenian brothers and sisters will react on ths kind of lease. This very gambling game that our government don’t think seriously that our people fought shed their blood to keep the southern part of Armenia, i.e. Sunik, this is very dangerous step, my late father always told us that Winston Churchil thought the outcome up to 50 years time, so why Armenian government are so flexible have no strong will and think far that one day Iran or Iranian Azeebaijan will come forward and annex our most important land and claim that it is theirs. Therefore i ask we all make petition to follow A.R.F. steps and strongly prevent this case be verified, the sooner the better, Thanks everybody & thanks GB for your logical insight.
Is governoer if sunik Armenian? Is he ready to lease his mother or other family members to East Azerbijani ” TURK I AM INSISTING TURK BAKUS’ CUSINES” What is going on with some Armenians when you will wake up and be proud and concernd citizen.
Ցավալի է այս տեսակ տեղեկություններ կարդալ կամ լսել: Կարծես թե խոսքը մի կտոր տնամերձի մասին է, որ դրացիին պիտի տաս մշակելու կամ ինչ որ ձևով օգրագործելու:
This so called Azeri Iranians, which they are every thing but Iranian,opend shops at the center of Yerevan and marry Armenian girls and having babies . Are they goingto serve Armenian Army ?. DON’ T YOU SEETHE DANGER, and now they want to send their sheeps to graze in Armenia. Armenia does not need Azeri shopkeepers and sheepherders.stop azeri invasion to Armenia.
to mr pro armenian corrupt government who went by name jack can you use another name or initial .because we”re two differnt people
ARF is RIGHT!! Those blind folded and corrupted Armenian politicians never learnt anything from our sad past history of Armenia, when Iravan Khanat was part of Persian corrupted Shahs property, where Turkic tribes took over Armenian lands from a weak Iranian “turkic Qajar dynasty”!! ARF should fight hard in Armenian Parliament, and stop this shameful deal with friendly Iran!!
‘The Parliament is scheduled to address this issue in its Wednesday session.’
Such a subject shall never be put on the agenda. To govern a country requires judicious decisions. Scrap this matter from the agenda as a taboo. Big time never dare to ‘lease’ your woman to your neighbor under your watchful eyes. The land is more precious than the woman. Never and a thousand times big NEVER. Zankezour is the road to Nakhichevan, part of the once stronghold covering Artsakh, Zankezour and Nakhichevan under Karekin Njteh ‘the Great’ both as a strategist and politician. He tops Zoravar Antranig by far. Learn your history.
Leasing is not the issue the issue is what will be Armenia’s interest be and how will the armenian central bank benefit from this deal providing no minister or any goverment official has something reserved for theselves
NO CORRUPTION MR PRESIDENT!….KEEP YOUR LONG OVERDUE PROMISS
Any other argument will have 25 thousand excuse local farmer don’t have the appropriate resources goverment financial resources arn’t at their best ttherfore private businessmen should be involved bla bla bla
So I can see some Armenians are waking up. this is a good news. The bad news is for some Armenian corrupt officials . If one of them dares to sign any land deal under any condition , He or She must punished as a traiter to the country and entire armenian nation