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FIG LEAF ON ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments26863.html
Published: 15:27:16 - 16/07/2012
The home political situation in Armenia and the lack of a clear
political "orientation" influences first of all the mass media. Many
traditional mass media means, especially the television, as if lost
the orienteer and don't know how to react to the changes of the home
political course of the authorities, perhaps they are just waiting
when Armenia will go back the way they should be.
The Republican party of Armenia headed by Serzh Sargsyan, as we
know, stated about the European orientation of Armenia and is doing
everything to sign the Association agreement by autumn. Parallel to
this, the West takes up means to deblock Armenia and open the railway
at least from Armenia to turkey. Russian, in turn, is trying to keep
Armenia in its zone of influence.
These metamorphoses are almost invisible in the Armenian media.
However, the politicians also prefer not talking about this. Perhaps
the inertia also plays a role in this: for a long time the pro-Russian
position was considered identical to the pro-government. Accusations
and even reproaches against the political moves of Russia were
considered sedition, and the pro-Western position, Americanism or
Europism was considered conspiracy against the authorities, hence
the state.
The vertical of the power was very clear - the local princes,
tycoons, "sponsors" of defined area or spheres, the Republican
government, and, finally, the Kremlin. Now the vertical has been
broken in two places: on the one hand, some oligarchs are no longer
perceived as an authority, and the other is a direct link between the
presidential administration in Yerevan and the Kremlin is no longer
so straightforward.
Many political scientists and mass media really don't know how to
react. They are used to be led by one position: the authorities, the
oligarchs and Moscow in the one side of the barricade and the society,
the "sold" opposition and the West in the other. Now, when everything
is confused, the authorities are not considered purely pro-Russian,
politicians and mass media have to choose between the authorities
and Russia.
The choice for many politicians and mass media is the works punishment
ever because it is connected with risks: if you criticize the
government for pro-Western position or support to Russia, you will
automatically become opposition, if you criticize Russia, you don't
know how it will end. After all, Russia could regain position, and
then you will have to pay for your independent choice.
Russian businessmen of Armenian origin are almost the same situation.
According to Chorrod Inqnishkhahutyun paper, Ara Abrahamyan, Samvel
Karapetyan, Karen Karapetyan and Muradyan brother will soon arrive
in Armenia. They want to find out how they should behave at the
presidential elections. Moreover, they "respond" to the Russian
authorities for their ties in Armenia.
Either Serzh Sargsyan should give them guarantees that the whole
pro-Western policy is just a game, and that he is not going to "betray"
Russia, or "allow" the Russian business go to another candidate,
who will issue pro-Russian positions.
But here, this topic will hardly be discussed publicly, and this
in turn, will lead to the fact that most important issue on the
geopolitical orientation will not become a public discourse. It will
become a regular small issue on orientation of separate politicians
though the change of orientation has always become a milestone in
the history.
From: A. Papazian
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments26863.html
Published: 15:27:16 - 16/07/2012
The home political situation in Armenia and the lack of a clear
political "orientation" influences first of all the mass media. Many
traditional mass media means, especially the television, as if lost
the orienteer and don't know how to react to the changes of the home
political course of the authorities, perhaps they are just waiting
when Armenia will go back the way they should be.
The Republican party of Armenia headed by Serzh Sargsyan, as we
know, stated about the European orientation of Armenia and is doing
everything to sign the Association agreement by autumn. Parallel to
this, the West takes up means to deblock Armenia and open the railway
at least from Armenia to turkey. Russian, in turn, is trying to keep
Armenia in its zone of influence.
These metamorphoses are almost invisible in the Armenian media.
However, the politicians also prefer not talking about this. Perhaps
the inertia also plays a role in this: for a long time the pro-Russian
position was considered identical to the pro-government. Accusations
and even reproaches against the political moves of Russia were
considered sedition, and the pro-Western position, Americanism or
Europism was considered conspiracy against the authorities, hence
the state.
The vertical of the power was very clear - the local princes,
tycoons, "sponsors" of defined area or spheres, the Republican
government, and, finally, the Kremlin. Now the vertical has been
broken in two places: on the one hand, some oligarchs are no longer
perceived as an authority, and the other is a direct link between the
presidential administration in Yerevan and the Kremlin is no longer
so straightforward.
Many political scientists and mass media really don't know how to
react. They are used to be led by one position: the authorities, the
oligarchs and Moscow in the one side of the barricade and the society,
the "sold" opposition and the West in the other. Now, when everything
is confused, the authorities are not considered purely pro-Russian,
politicians and mass media have to choose between the authorities
and Russia.
The choice for many politicians and mass media is the works punishment
ever because it is connected with risks: if you criticize the
government for pro-Western position or support to Russia, you will
automatically become opposition, if you criticize Russia, you don't
know how it will end. After all, Russia could regain position, and
then you will have to pay for your independent choice.
Russian businessmen of Armenian origin are almost the same situation.
According to Chorrod Inqnishkhahutyun paper, Ara Abrahamyan, Samvel
Karapetyan, Karen Karapetyan and Muradyan brother will soon arrive
in Armenia. They want to find out how they should behave at the
presidential elections. Moreover, they "respond" to the Russian
authorities for their ties in Armenia.
Either Serzh Sargsyan should give them guarantees that the whole
pro-Western policy is just a game, and that he is not going to "betray"
Russia, or "allow" the Russian business go to another candidate,
who will issue pro-Russian positions.
But here, this topic will hardly be discussed publicly, and this
in turn, will lead to the fact that most important issue on the
geopolitical orientation will not become a public discourse. It will
become a regular small issue on orientation of separate politicians
though the change of orientation has always become a milestone in
the history.
From: A. Papazian