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MOSCOW DECIDED TO REMIND THE WEST ABOUT WHO THE BOSS IS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Yekaterina Poghosyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
August 3, 2010
Extension of stay of the Russian military base in Armenia may deliver
a serious blow to the international image of Armenia as an independent
state and affect its relations with Iran.
By signing with Yerevan a protocol providing for extension of stay of
the Russian military base in Armenia for another 49 years, Moscow will
finally establish hegemony in the South Caucasus. The disseminated
information on possible amendments to the treaty on Russian military
base, which, according to the protocol, shall exercise the functions
of protecting the interests of Russia and together with the Armenian
armed forces provide security of the country, has generated a lot of
comments about the deepening Armenian-Russian strategic partnership
and the age-old friendship between the peoples.
Of course, one cannot argue that in the view of the Armenian society
Russia, graphically speaking, acts as an ~Selder brother~T, who
is willing to defend the Armenian state in the event of potential
aggression from Azerbaijan or Turkey. But if you study the situation
more deeply and beyond the background ~SArmenian-Russian centuries-old
friendship~T, you will notice that Moscow is trying to kill two birds
with one stone.
The recent report in the Russian press about Russia~Rs intention to
sell two divisions of anti-missile system S-300 PMU-2 Favorit to Baku,
raises doubts among the Armenians about the sincerity of Russia. On
the one hand, Moscow arms Azerbaijan, on the other hand proposes to
extend the stay of her military bases in Armenia in order to prevent
military aggression by Azerbaijan. Russia~Rs double play in the region
is not a novelty. Keeping a certain balance in relations with Armenia
and Azerbaijan has always been one of the main peculiarities of the
regional policy of Moscow.
Regardless of whether the information on a possible contract between
Moscow and Baku with the total amount of $300 million to be signed
during the September visit of President Dmitry Medvedev to Azerbaijan
is reliable or not, the Armenian government and society long ago
ought to have learnt the lesson that ~Sthere are no eternal allies,
but there are eternal interests.~T Unfortunately, under the present
circumstances security guarantees of Russia are irreplaceable for
Armenia. But before signing the document on the presence of Russian
bases in Armenia, the Armenian leadership had better express concern
about her ally~Rs conduct in relation to CSTO and insist on stopping
the arming of Azerbaijan. Besides, we should not forget another
truth: it is just business, nothing personal. The arms trade has
always been the primary means of replenishment of the Russian, and
before it that of the Soviet budget. Let us recall that the USSR sold
weapons to rather doubtful regimes in the Arab world and in Africa.
Many people in Armenia understand that Moscow~Rs desire to reinforce
the military presence in Armenia especially now is not so much
a genuine aspiration to ensure the safety and protection of the
~Sstrategic ally~T, but it is intended to prevent unfavorable to Russia
scenarios that may arise along with the growing tension over Iran.
While Western players are trying to decide how to pass from words to
deeds and strike a blow to Iran, our strategic partner expands her
military presence in the South Caucasus and hastens to remind the
West about who the boss is in the region.
Among other things, extension of stay of the Russian military base
in Armenia may deliver a serious blow to the international image of
Armenia as an independent state and affect its relations with Iran,
which, although remaining silent, may sharply respond to the rapidly
expanding military presence of Moscow. However, it would be useful
to remind that the independence of former Soviet republics of South
Caucasus is a very vague understanding. We can say that Armenia is as
~Sindependent~T from Russia as Georgia is from the West, or Azerbaijan
is from Turkey and oil.
From: A. Papazian
Yekaterina Poghosyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
August 3, 2010
Extension of stay of the Russian military base in Armenia may deliver
a serious blow to the international image of Armenia as an independent
state and affect its relations with Iran.
By signing with Yerevan a protocol providing for extension of stay of
the Russian military base in Armenia for another 49 years, Moscow will
finally establish hegemony in the South Caucasus. The disseminated
information on possible amendments to the treaty on Russian military
base, which, according to the protocol, shall exercise the functions
of protecting the interests of Russia and together with the Armenian
armed forces provide security of the country, has generated a lot of
comments about the deepening Armenian-Russian strategic partnership
and the age-old friendship between the peoples.
Of course, one cannot argue that in the view of the Armenian society
Russia, graphically speaking, acts as an ~Selder brother~T, who
is willing to defend the Armenian state in the event of potential
aggression from Azerbaijan or Turkey. But if you study the situation
more deeply and beyond the background ~SArmenian-Russian centuries-old
friendship~T, you will notice that Moscow is trying to kill two birds
with one stone.
The recent report in the Russian press about Russia~Rs intention to
sell two divisions of anti-missile system S-300 PMU-2 Favorit to Baku,
raises doubts among the Armenians about the sincerity of Russia. On
the one hand, Moscow arms Azerbaijan, on the other hand proposes to
extend the stay of her military bases in Armenia in order to prevent
military aggression by Azerbaijan. Russia~Rs double play in the region
is not a novelty. Keeping a certain balance in relations with Armenia
and Azerbaijan has always been one of the main peculiarities of the
regional policy of Moscow.
Regardless of whether the information on a possible contract between
Moscow and Baku with the total amount of $300 million to be signed
during the September visit of President Dmitry Medvedev to Azerbaijan
is reliable or not, the Armenian government and society long ago
ought to have learnt the lesson that ~Sthere are no eternal allies,
but there are eternal interests.~T Unfortunately, under the present
circumstances security guarantees of Russia are irreplaceable for
Armenia. But before signing the document on the presence of Russian
bases in Armenia, the Armenian leadership had better express concern
about her ally~Rs conduct in relation to CSTO and insist on stopping
the arming of Azerbaijan. Besides, we should not forget another
truth: it is just business, nothing personal. The arms trade has
always been the primary means of replenishment of the Russian, and
before it that of the Soviet budget. Let us recall that the USSR sold
weapons to rather doubtful regimes in the Arab world and in Africa.
Many people in Armenia understand that Moscow~Rs desire to reinforce
the military presence in Armenia especially now is not so much
a genuine aspiration to ensure the safety and protection of the
~Sstrategic ally~T, but it is intended to prevent unfavorable to Russia
scenarios that may arise along with the growing tension over Iran.
While Western players are trying to decide how to pass from words to
deeds and strike a blow to Iran, our strategic partner expands her
military presence in the South Caucasus and hastens to remind the
West about who the boss is in the region.
Among other things, extension of stay of the Russian military base
in Armenia may deliver a serious blow to the international image of
Armenia as an independent state and affect its relations with Iran,
which, although remaining silent, may sharply respond to the rapidly
expanding military presence of Moscow. However, it would be useful
to remind that the independence of former Soviet republics of South
Caucasus is a very vague understanding. We can say that Armenia is as
~Sindependent~T from Russia as Georgia is from the West, or Azerbaijan
is from Turkey and oil.
From: A. Papazian