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We Are Smarter Than Ninety Years Ago
Interview with Gaidz Minassian, expert of French Center for Strategic Studies
Gaidz, the EU-Armenia Association Agreement is expected to be
pre-signed in autumn but there is an issue with membership to the
Customs Union combined with pressure by Russia. It is impossible to
choose both.
There is no need to worry because history has helped us get used to
making such decisions, we have such experience. But the key question
is what we want. The issue is put as follows: if security is
important, we must face Russia because Europe as an entity does not
look like a secure direction. We saw that Europe did not do anything
for Georgia during the Russian-Georgian war. Now people are facing a
choice between security and development. The minister of defense Davit
Tonoyan has stated that it is necessary to review the national
security doctrine since Europe is going to have more influence on the
region, including Armenia.
>From this point of view, the government of Armenia must ask Russia and
Europe straightly to what extent we will lose our independence by
joining the Customs Union, whether Karabakh will enter into it as
well, who will ensure the security of the Armenian people in case they
attack Artsakh. They must ask Europe whether they will ensure our
independence if danger arises, after we sign the Association
Agreement. Currently there is lack of dialogue with both Europe and
Russia. No serious steps should be expected from Armenia except the
both option unless the Europeans and Russians provide more
explanation. There must be more focus on danger.
What effect will the foreign affairs have on domestic affairs?
In the 21st century, the era of globalization, there are no external
and internal issues, there are issues. What is happening in internal
life will have its effect on the international arena, and vice versa.
It must be clear to all the states, societies are more vibrant and
want to take part in decision making. Societies react more intensively
all over the world, the United States, France, Germany, Egypt etc.
Will the government become more accountable, will Serzh Sargsyan
display will to implement change?
For two years Serzh Sargsyan has repeated the phrase `believe to
change, change to believe'. Now he is under pressure. People want to
believe him but he must prove by action. He must attend seriously to
the recent offshore scandal and the Control Chamber report.
Is it possible that the government wants to set up an opposition inside itself?
Armenia does not have an opposition, and the opposition is to blame,
not the government. The PAP and the RPA have an internal game but the
other opposition forces in Armenia are unfortunately past. Besides,
the opposition forces do not have any levers to affect internal
affairs.
The new opposition is on the agenda. What will happen in the upcoming years?
We have just finished with elections and it is too early to consider
the next elections. However, with further democratization so many
questions will occur inside the institutions that both the government
and opposition will encounter problems. However, it does not mean that
Armenia is in danger, it means that by becoming a democratic state
Armenia will face more and more new questions, such as those of the
offshore and the Control Chamber report.
Today we are at a point of transition from feudalism to democracy and
this movement is a development crisis, not defeat or disease. We must
watch farther and ask questions to Russia, Europe and the United
States. We are smarter than ninety years ago when the West referred to
the Treaty of Sevres, and Moscow said the Bolshevists would build
peace for us. At that time we did not treat the issue seriously, we
were at war, we did not ask questions about our security. But today we
are smart, we will not repeat the past mistakes. We are stronger
today.
Siranuysh Papyan
15:00 06/07/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/interview/view/30387
Interview with Gaidz Minassian, expert of French Center for Strategic Studies
Gaidz, the EU-Armenia Association Agreement is expected to be
pre-signed in autumn but there is an issue with membership to the
Customs Union combined with pressure by Russia. It is impossible to
choose both.
There is no need to worry because history has helped us get used to
making such decisions, we have such experience. But the key question
is what we want. The issue is put as follows: if security is
important, we must face Russia because Europe as an entity does not
look like a secure direction. We saw that Europe did not do anything
for Georgia during the Russian-Georgian war. Now people are facing a
choice between security and development. The minister of defense Davit
Tonoyan has stated that it is necessary to review the national
security doctrine since Europe is going to have more influence on the
region, including Armenia.
>From this point of view, the government of Armenia must ask Russia and
Europe straightly to what extent we will lose our independence by
joining the Customs Union, whether Karabakh will enter into it as
well, who will ensure the security of the Armenian people in case they
attack Artsakh. They must ask Europe whether they will ensure our
independence if danger arises, after we sign the Association
Agreement. Currently there is lack of dialogue with both Europe and
Russia. No serious steps should be expected from Armenia except the
both option unless the Europeans and Russians provide more
explanation. There must be more focus on danger.
What effect will the foreign affairs have on domestic affairs?
In the 21st century, the era of globalization, there are no external
and internal issues, there are issues. What is happening in internal
life will have its effect on the international arena, and vice versa.
It must be clear to all the states, societies are more vibrant and
want to take part in decision making. Societies react more intensively
all over the world, the United States, France, Germany, Egypt etc.
Will the government become more accountable, will Serzh Sargsyan
display will to implement change?
For two years Serzh Sargsyan has repeated the phrase `believe to
change, change to believe'. Now he is under pressure. People want to
believe him but he must prove by action. He must attend seriously to
the recent offshore scandal and the Control Chamber report.
Is it possible that the government wants to set up an opposition inside itself?
Armenia does not have an opposition, and the opposition is to blame,
not the government. The PAP and the RPA have an internal game but the
other opposition forces in Armenia are unfortunately past. Besides,
the opposition forces do not have any levers to affect internal
affairs.
The new opposition is on the agenda. What will happen in the upcoming years?
We have just finished with elections and it is too early to consider
the next elections. However, with further democratization so many
questions will occur inside the institutions that both the government
and opposition will encounter problems. However, it does not mean that
Armenia is in danger, it means that by becoming a democratic state
Armenia will face more and more new questions, such as those of the
offshore and the Control Chamber report.
Today we are at a point of transition from feudalism to democracy and
this movement is a development crisis, not defeat or disease. We must
watch farther and ask questions to Russia, Europe and the United
States. We are smarter than ninety years ago when the West referred to
the Treaty of Sevres, and Moscow said the Bolshevists would build
peace for us. At that time we did not treat the issue seriously, we
were at war, we did not ask questions about our security. But today we
are smart, we will not repeat the past mistakes. We are stronger
today.
Siranuysh Papyan
15:00 06/07/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/interview/view/30387