168 Zham , Armenia
Feb 15 2013
Russia meddles in Armenia's affairs promoting Eurasian Union
[Translated from Armenian]
An unprecedented thing has happened in the Russian Federation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has tasked the Federal Security
Service [FSB] (present-day KGB) to protect Eurasian integration and
cooperate with the FSB's counterparts from other countries for the
sake of this cause.
By saying other countries, Putin meant the countries included in the
framework of the Eurasian integration. Naturally, the word is about
Armenia as well, although only Belarus and Kazakhstan were mentioned
as such.
In essence, this is an unprecedented and sensational phenomenon,
according to which Russia categorises all those who ideologically
oppose the Eurasian integration as threats to national or state
security.
Meanwhile the striking thing in this issue is that Putin does not
confine things to Russia's territory and Russian nationals.
He orders the FSB-KGB to carry out actions on the territory of those
post-Soviet republics, which Russia considers to be subjects, or more
correctly, objects of integration, but which have people or public
strata, which oppose integration, because they see a threat to their
national or state security in it.
In other words, Putin tasks his KGB in public to interfere in domestic
affairs of those countries, and to impose certain attitudes on them.
This is almost equal to an instruction or order for an armed
operation. This means that from now on, Russia becomes engaged in
forceful integration.
Putin even spoke about force, saying that application of "small-scale
force" is possible against obstacles to the integration.
Many people would imagine what is meant under the assignment of the
protection of some issue to the KGB. Many people have heard about
methods and approaches of that entity.
Therefore, if Armenia is included in the boundaries of Putin's defence
positions, one may expect really unpredictable developments in our
country.
This means that irrespective of opinions on the Eurasian integration
which may exist in specific circles in Armenia, Putin's speech
obviously contains elements of claims of the yet non- established
Eurasian Union on Armenia's sovereignty.
Although Armenia was not mentioned, it is obvious that Armenia could
be on the list of countries specified by Putin and thus, Armenia
should react to what happened at all levels - official, political,
public - for preventive reasons.
Armenia should decide only independently what is beneficial for it and
what opinion or idea to protect, in what way and from whom?
Decisions on these issues are within the legal power of solely Armenia
and its citizens and this must be declared in a clear, concrete, and
decent manner.
It is the affair of the Russian authorities to protect anything in
Russia - in the sense of form and content of protection, and Armenia
does not have the right to interfere in those affairs and does not
need to do so.
Feb 15 2013
Russia meddles in Armenia's affairs promoting Eurasian Union
[Translated from Armenian]
An unprecedented thing has happened in the Russian Federation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has tasked the Federal Security
Service [FSB] (present-day KGB) to protect Eurasian integration and
cooperate with the FSB's counterparts from other countries for the
sake of this cause.
By saying other countries, Putin meant the countries included in the
framework of the Eurasian integration. Naturally, the word is about
Armenia as well, although only Belarus and Kazakhstan were mentioned
as such.
In essence, this is an unprecedented and sensational phenomenon,
according to which Russia categorises all those who ideologically
oppose the Eurasian integration as threats to national or state
security.
Meanwhile the striking thing in this issue is that Putin does not
confine things to Russia's territory and Russian nationals.
He orders the FSB-KGB to carry out actions on the territory of those
post-Soviet republics, which Russia considers to be subjects, or more
correctly, objects of integration, but which have people or public
strata, which oppose integration, because they see a threat to their
national or state security in it.
In other words, Putin tasks his KGB in public to interfere in domestic
affairs of those countries, and to impose certain attitudes on them.
This is almost equal to an instruction or order for an armed
operation. This means that from now on, Russia becomes engaged in
forceful integration.
Putin even spoke about force, saying that application of "small-scale
force" is possible against obstacles to the integration.
Many people would imagine what is meant under the assignment of the
protection of some issue to the KGB. Many people have heard about
methods and approaches of that entity.
Therefore, if Armenia is included in the boundaries of Putin's defence
positions, one may expect really unpredictable developments in our
country.
This means that irrespective of opinions on the Eurasian integration
which may exist in specific circles in Armenia, Putin's speech
obviously contains elements of claims of the yet non- established
Eurasian Union on Armenia's sovereignty.
Although Armenia was not mentioned, it is obvious that Armenia could
be on the list of countries specified by Putin and thus, Armenia
should react to what happened at all levels - official, political,
public - for preventive reasons.
Armenia should decide only independently what is beneficial for it and
what opinion or idea to protect, in what way and from whom?
Decisions on these issues are within the legal power of solely Armenia
and its citizens and this must be declared in a clear, concrete, and
decent manner.
It is the affair of the Russian authorities to protect anything in
Russia - in the sense of form and content of protection, and Armenia
does not have the right to interfere in those affairs and does not
need to do so.