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RAFFI THWARTED PROSPECT OF NON-ANTI-RUSSIAN AGENDA
On April 9, Raffi Hovannisian announced about his imminent visit to
Moscow to bring the victory of the Armenian people back from Putin.
This statement, like many others, was perceived as a pathetic phrase.
Hence, the visit itself was unexpected. Hovannisian didn't explain the
purpose of his visit to Moscow. His team members are not aware of the
protocol and the meetings he is going to have. Hence we can only guess.
Heritage representative Styopa Safaryan stated that Armenia's
independence should be returned from those places, which tried to
recognize the seized freedom. Such a statement by an oppositional
force which pretends to become power is nothing but refusal of its
political responsibility. Naturally, the Russian influence on Armenian
politics has always been significant but when the oppositional force
which received half a million votes makes such a statement, it just
shows infantilism towards its resources. However, leaving alone the
infantilism of this approach, again issues occur even in the context
of Raffi Hovannisian's statement to bring back the victory of the
Armenian people. Raffi would hardly have enough power to be able to
bring something back from Moscow, moreover victory. It is possible
to receive something but never to demand.
Of course, with opposition moods on the square, against the
background of growing anti-Russian moods in Armenia, it is very
nice and fashionable to make such a statement. From another aspect,
anti-Russianness is what the Armenian political field lacks and in
this sense Raffi has a big chance if he uses his Western style. Raffi
Hovannisian knows that he cannot put forth such a claim to Vladimir
Putin. Not because Putin is powerful and inspires fear but because
such statements are not political. But if a meeting to discuss the
aforementioned issue is anyway held then it is necessary to say that
once again the opposition, having much resource, is trying to shift
the responsibility. We have already witnessed one incorrect episode
with the West when Raffi Hovannisian accused the European People's
Party and received a tough response.
Ultimatums inside the country are expected but it is dangerous to
speak the language of ultimatums at the international level. It is
incorrect to state that someone has seized Armenia's independence and
it is necessary to go and take it back in case you say to be elected,
and pretend to an electorate of half a million people. Instead, one
could search for and understand why great powers and not only Russia
prefer friendly relations with the authorities.
The opinion that the world needs a weak Armenia is wrong. Armenia is
still a stable partner in the region with predictable developments. It
would be right to speak a comprehensible language for all in terms
of foreign political issues. I mean Raffi Hovannisian's foreign
political statements before and after elections. Raffi's approaches
to the Karabakh issue, the genocide, relations with the neighbors
were margins of global processes. This is the reason why the outside
world didn't understand Raffi Hovannisian the idealist.
Russia has a rich experience of work with the Armenian authorities.
Pressure on the government was different in different situations.
Often pressure was made by way of indirect cooperation with the
opposition. Moscow has been the best place for the opposition
leaders in the recent years. But these figures had no pretensions
or possibilities to introduce a new political culture. In general,
besides small episodes, the Armenian political field has never deviated
from the non anti-Russian course.
Raffi's campaign was said to be Western culture. He may have
used some instruments but generally he thwarted the prospect of a
non-anti-Russian agenda. The same was needed by the authorities which
are under Moscow's direct pressure. The same is needed by Armenia
to have a diverse political field. What the authorities couldn't do,
Raffi could because he is the first "non-anti-Russian" oppositional
leader with a significant electorate. The fact is that Raffi, having
failed in Yerevan, didn't leave for Brussels or Washington.
Levon Margaryan 11:13 12/04/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/comments/view/29601
On April 9, Raffi Hovannisian announced about his imminent visit to
Moscow to bring the victory of the Armenian people back from Putin.
This statement, like many others, was perceived as a pathetic phrase.
Hence, the visit itself was unexpected. Hovannisian didn't explain the
purpose of his visit to Moscow. His team members are not aware of the
protocol and the meetings he is going to have. Hence we can only guess.
Heritage representative Styopa Safaryan stated that Armenia's
independence should be returned from those places, which tried to
recognize the seized freedom. Such a statement by an oppositional
force which pretends to become power is nothing but refusal of its
political responsibility. Naturally, the Russian influence on Armenian
politics has always been significant but when the oppositional force
which received half a million votes makes such a statement, it just
shows infantilism towards its resources. However, leaving alone the
infantilism of this approach, again issues occur even in the context
of Raffi Hovannisian's statement to bring back the victory of the
Armenian people. Raffi would hardly have enough power to be able to
bring something back from Moscow, moreover victory. It is possible
to receive something but never to demand.
Of course, with opposition moods on the square, against the
background of growing anti-Russian moods in Armenia, it is very
nice and fashionable to make such a statement. From another aspect,
anti-Russianness is what the Armenian political field lacks and in
this sense Raffi has a big chance if he uses his Western style. Raffi
Hovannisian knows that he cannot put forth such a claim to Vladimir
Putin. Not because Putin is powerful and inspires fear but because
such statements are not political. But if a meeting to discuss the
aforementioned issue is anyway held then it is necessary to say that
once again the opposition, having much resource, is trying to shift
the responsibility. We have already witnessed one incorrect episode
with the West when Raffi Hovannisian accused the European People's
Party and received a tough response.
Ultimatums inside the country are expected but it is dangerous to
speak the language of ultimatums at the international level. It is
incorrect to state that someone has seized Armenia's independence and
it is necessary to go and take it back in case you say to be elected,
and pretend to an electorate of half a million people. Instead, one
could search for and understand why great powers and not only Russia
prefer friendly relations with the authorities.
The opinion that the world needs a weak Armenia is wrong. Armenia is
still a stable partner in the region with predictable developments. It
would be right to speak a comprehensible language for all in terms
of foreign political issues. I mean Raffi Hovannisian's foreign
political statements before and after elections. Raffi's approaches
to the Karabakh issue, the genocide, relations with the neighbors
were margins of global processes. This is the reason why the outside
world didn't understand Raffi Hovannisian the idealist.
Russia has a rich experience of work with the Armenian authorities.
Pressure on the government was different in different situations.
Often pressure was made by way of indirect cooperation with the
opposition. Moscow has been the best place for the opposition
leaders in the recent years. But these figures had no pretensions
or possibilities to introduce a new political culture. In general,
besides small episodes, the Armenian political field has never deviated
from the non anti-Russian course.
Raffi's campaign was said to be Western culture. He may have
used some instruments but generally he thwarted the prospect of a
non-anti-Russian agenda. The same was needed by the authorities which
are under Moscow's direct pressure. The same is needed by Armenia
to have a diverse political field. What the authorities couldn't do,
Raffi could because he is the first "non-anti-Russian" oppositional
leader with a significant electorate. The fact is that Raffi, having
failed in Yerevan, didn't leave for Brussels or Washington.
Levon Margaryan 11:13 12/04/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/comments/view/29601