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Golos Armenii newspaper, Russia
July 16 2013
Two lines
Relations between Armenian, Georgian presents become "cold"
by Ruben Margaryan
It was interesting to watch the course of the summit of the European
People's Party Eastern Partnership Leaders from the point of few of
specific opposition between Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
It is noteworthy that judging from the video [showing the summit], the
receptive organizers put the two presidents into different corners,
including during the news conference which summed up the results of
the summit.
Let us note that the Armenian and Georgian presidents used to hold
bilateral talks at other similar events, but such talks did not take
place this time.
Saakashvili grows cold towards Armenia
All this is not accidental, of course. It is very likely that the past
warm relations between the two leaders have grown somewhat cold
lately.
The reason is obvious: Saakashvili's conduct in the past, especially
after the victory of the Georgian Dream party of [incumbent Prime
Minister] Bidzina Ivanishvili in the parliamentary election.
After the defeat of his party in the election, Saakashvili made
regular statements, which cannot be described as friendly towards
Armenia. These were both statements against rehabilitation of the
railway going across [Georgia's breakaway] Abkhazia and the amnesty of
Javakheti [Armenian] activist Vahagn Chakhalyan and accusations that
the new Georgian prime minister pursues "pro-Armenian policy".
At the same time, the Georgian president made curtsies to Baku and
Ankara. Such a conduct could not have remained unnoticed and Sargsyan
probably made Saakashvili realize this in Chisinau.
Georgian leader pursues "anti-Russian" policy
However, "substantial" opposition between the two leaders turned out
to be even more interesting from the political point of view.
When making speeches at the summit, Saakashvili resembled a bear, who
speaks only about honey. All of his speeches were openly anti-Russian.
He went on blaming all possible sins on Russia: Interfering into
Georgia's domestic affairs, hindering Georgia's integration into
Europe and slow progress in this process because of the Kremlin, and
finding Russia's fault in the fact that Georgia and the EU will not
sign, but will only initial potential agreements with Georgia, that
is, will announce final coordination of the text of the agreement.
Such tone of Saakashvili's statements is easy to understand. He needs
to repay Western investments, which have reached 1bn dollars on the
part of the USA after the [Georgian-Russian] war in 2008.
Armenian leader backs inclusive policy
The tone and content of speeches of the Armenian leader were
completely different. He spoke about the inadmissibility of dividing
lines and closed borders in the region and the prospect of Yerevan's
signing the potential agreements with the EU in Vilnius in that very
context.
According to Sargsyan, Armenia does not believe that any arrangements
with the EU are or can be against any state or a group of states.
That is, Sargsyan emphasized that Yerevan views agreements with the EU
exclusively in the framework of developing integration processes and
overcoming dividing lines and does not, in any way, intend to make
those arrangements anti-Russian or attribute any other overtones to
them.
In other words, Saakashvili went on to present the line of exclusive
policy, while Sargsyan insisted on inclusive policy.
EU's, Armenia's positions coincide
During his last visit to Yerevan [on 10 July 2013], EU Commissioner
for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule made
statements, which were identical with the position of Sargsyan on many
issues.
Of course, that is a much more constructive position, which may
benefit both the EU and its "eastern partners" and partners of those
partners. This means that stability in the European region will win as
a whole.
As for Saakashvili's policy, it is ceding its positions in the region,
and the incumbent Georgian president will stay in office only for a
few months.
Saakashvili's brave statements that Russia will leave Georgia alone in
a few years, sound funny, although it is Saakashvili, who is more
likely to finally stop bullying everyone with his bellicose
Russophobia, which probably harmed Georgia most of all.
[Translated from Russian]
July 16 2013
Two lines
Relations between Armenian, Georgian presents become "cold"
by Ruben Margaryan
It was interesting to watch the course of the summit of the European
People's Party Eastern Partnership Leaders from the point of few of
specific opposition between Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
It is noteworthy that judging from the video [showing the summit], the
receptive organizers put the two presidents into different corners,
including during the news conference which summed up the results of
the summit.
Let us note that the Armenian and Georgian presidents used to hold
bilateral talks at other similar events, but such talks did not take
place this time.
Saakashvili grows cold towards Armenia
All this is not accidental, of course. It is very likely that the past
warm relations between the two leaders have grown somewhat cold
lately.
The reason is obvious: Saakashvili's conduct in the past, especially
after the victory of the Georgian Dream party of [incumbent Prime
Minister] Bidzina Ivanishvili in the parliamentary election.
After the defeat of his party in the election, Saakashvili made
regular statements, which cannot be described as friendly towards
Armenia. These were both statements against rehabilitation of the
railway going across [Georgia's breakaway] Abkhazia and the amnesty of
Javakheti [Armenian] activist Vahagn Chakhalyan and accusations that
the new Georgian prime minister pursues "pro-Armenian policy".
At the same time, the Georgian president made curtsies to Baku and
Ankara. Such a conduct could not have remained unnoticed and Sargsyan
probably made Saakashvili realize this in Chisinau.
Georgian leader pursues "anti-Russian" policy
However, "substantial" opposition between the two leaders turned out
to be even more interesting from the political point of view.
When making speeches at the summit, Saakashvili resembled a bear, who
speaks only about honey. All of his speeches were openly anti-Russian.
He went on blaming all possible sins on Russia: Interfering into
Georgia's domestic affairs, hindering Georgia's integration into
Europe and slow progress in this process because of the Kremlin, and
finding Russia's fault in the fact that Georgia and the EU will not
sign, but will only initial potential agreements with Georgia, that
is, will announce final coordination of the text of the agreement.
Such tone of Saakashvili's statements is easy to understand. He needs
to repay Western investments, which have reached 1bn dollars on the
part of the USA after the [Georgian-Russian] war in 2008.
Armenian leader backs inclusive policy
The tone and content of speeches of the Armenian leader were
completely different. He spoke about the inadmissibility of dividing
lines and closed borders in the region and the prospect of Yerevan's
signing the potential agreements with the EU in Vilnius in that very
context.
According to Sargsyan, Armenia does not believe that any arrangements
with the EU are or can be against any state or a group of states.
That is, Sargsyan emphasized that Yerevan views agreements with the EU
exclusively in the framework of developing integration processes and
overcoming dividing lines and does not, in any way, intend to make
those arrangements anti-Russian or attribute any other overtones to
them.
In other words, Saakashvili went on to present the line of exclusive
policy, while Sargsyan insisted on inclusive policy.
EU's, Armenia's positions coincide
During his last visit to Yerevan [on 10 July 2013], EU Commissioner
for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule made
statements, which were identical with the position of Sargsyan on many
issues.
Of course, that is a much more constructive position, which may
benefit both the EU and its "eastern partners" and partners of those
partners. This means that stability in the European region will win as
a whole.
As for Saakashvili's policy, it is ceding its positions in the region,
and the incumbent Georgian president will stay in office only for a
few months.
Saakashvili's brave statements that Russia will leave Georgia alone in
a few years, sound funny, although it is Saakashvili, who is more
likely to finally stop bullying everyone with his bellicose
Russophobia, which probably harmed Georgia most of all.
[Translated from Russian]