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PRAISE AND CRITICISM FROM SOUTH CAUCASUS LEADERS: ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN PRESIDENTS DELIVER THEIR MESSAGES TO RUSSIA
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow
27.01.11
Armenian (right) and Georgian presidents made completely opposite
statements about Russia.
After their warm meeting in Armenia last week (when President Serzh
Sargsyan even told his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili that
Armenia tries to borrow many things from Georgia), this week the two
South Caucasus leaders made two extremely controversial statements
directed at Russia and its president.
On January 25, during a live TV program President of Georgia Mikheil
Saakashvili repeatedly criticized "the occupation of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia" by Russia. He compared Russia with 'a crocodile' which
is ready to 'swallow his country' (Georgia). According to Saakashvili,
Russia is becoming weak gradually.
Speaking about Russian-Georgian relations, Saakashvili called Russia
"an occupier and enemy" country, which has not finished the war yet.
Meanwhile, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, in an interview
with Russian "Ekho Moskvi" radio station on Wednesday, expressed
a viewpoint that Russia may establish peace and prosperity in the
region. The president of Armenia stressed that Russia is the biggest
player in the South Caucasus.
"I must thank the president of Russia for his continual efforts for a
peaceful settlement. Russia is fully capable of restraining the arms
race in the region and preventing the resumption of hostilities. It is
not accidental that Russia has been involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh
negotiations process since the very beginning. The first agreement
on ceasing hostilities was signed with Russia's mediation. And two
years after that again with the active participation of Russia,
an agreement on strengthening confidence-building measures was
signed. Taking into consideration the fact that Russia has such
an authority and opportunities in our [South Caucasus] region, we
[Armenians] have big expectations from it," Sargsyan said.
Analysts believe this controversy of opinions about Russia is quite
natural, because Saakashvili wants to routinely show that Georgia
is independent from Russia, and Sargsyan once again sent a sign of
'loyalty' to the Russian authorities.
From: A. Papazian
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow
27.01.11
Armenian (right) and Georgian presidents made completely opposite
statements about Russia.
After their warm meeting in Armenia last week (when President Serzh
Sargsyan even told his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili that
Armenia tries to borrow many things from Georgia), this week the two
South Caucasus leaders made two extremely controversial statements
directed at Russia and its president.
On January 25, during a live TV program President of Georgia Mikheil
Saakashvili repeatedly criticized "the occupation of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia" by Russia. He compared Russia with 'a crocodile' which
is ready to 'swallow his country' (Georgia). According to Saakashvili,
Russia is becoming weak gradually.
Speaking about Russian-Georgian relations, Saakashvili called Russia
"an occupier and enemy" country, which has not finished the war yet.
Meanwhile, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, in an interview
with Russian "Ekho Moskvi" radio station on Wednesday, expressed
a viewpoint that Russia may establish peace and prosperity in the
region. The president of Armenia stressed that Russia is the biggest
player in the South Caucasus.
"I must thank the president of Russia for his continual efforts for a
peaceful settlement. Russia is fully capable of restraining the arms
race in the region and preventing the resumption of hostilities. It is
not accidental that Russia has been involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh
negotiations process since the very beginning. The first agreement
on ceasing hostilities was signed with Russia's mediation. And two
years after that again with the active participation of Russia,
an agreement on strengthening confidence-building measures was
signed. Taking into consideration the fact that Russia has such
an authority and opportunities in our [South Caucasus] region, we
[Armenians] have big expectations from it," Sargsyan said.
Analysts believe this controversy of opinions about Russia is quite
natural, because Saakashvili wants to routinely show that Georgia
is independent from Russia, and Sargsyan once again sent a sign of
'loyalty' to the Russian authorities.
From: A. Papazian