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PUTIN AND OBAMA COULD MEET IN ARMENIA
JAMES HAKOBYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/comments/view/29197
15:18 06/03/2013
On March 12 Serzh Sargsyan will visit Moscow where he will meet with
Vladimir Putin. The agenda is rather annoying, and Serzh Sargsyan
will need to do everything he can and even the impossible not to
ratify Russia's imperialistic aspirations veiled with post-soviet
economic integration.
Putin was expected to visit Armenia. Nikolay Rizhkov visiting Armenia
end of last year stated in Gyumri that his impression from the
conversation with Serzh Sargsyan was that Putin would visit Armenia
beginning of 2013.
Putin did not visit Armenia, and the first quarter of 2013 closes
with Sargsyan's visit to Moscow. Putin has not visited Armenia since
his second term. He has not visited Armenia since Serzh Sargsyan's
first term. Recently the Russian president has mentioned different
timings since November 2011 but he has not visited Armenia since 2008.
The first week of September 2012 was a possible time for his visit when
the exercise of CSTO quick reaction forces was planned. The presence
of the Russian president and CSTO informal summit were expected. The
exercise was postponed because NATO secretary general unexpectedly
visited the region, including Armenia.
Most probably, the Russian president is angry about closer relations
between Armenia and the West. Armenia needs these relations. Serzh
Sargsyan may have his personal interests but deepening relations
with the West is in line with the national interests of Armenia in
a long term.
It certainly could not happen in prejudice to the relations between
Armenia and Russia. It must happen at the expense of the nature
of the current relations. In other words, Armenia needs to deepen
these relations with the West not only for the civilization effect
produced by integration with the progressive global pole but also to
change the vertical, pyramidal, autocratic nature of relations with
its strategic partner Russia. The policy of expanding and deepening
relations with the West will eventually make official Moscow change
the current quality and understanding of relations.
Russia changes very slowly but given its weight, as soon as it moves,
it will be impossible to stop its movement.
It is good that Putin is not coming to Armenia. It means something
is changing. Fury and indignation will be replaced by sober and
rational understanding, and Moscow will understand that Armenia is
not its property registered at the Cadastre but a state which has
its own interests.
In that case, Putin's visit could depend on Russia's state and
political interests to discuss important issues with Armenia rather
than be an "inspection". In that case, the Russian president may not
mind meeting with the U.S. president in Yerevan. If he is not too late,
it could be Obama.
JAMES HAKOBYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index.php/eng/0/comments/view/29197
15:18 06/03/2013
On March 12 Serzh Sargsyan will visit Moscow where he will meet with
Vladimir Putin. The agenda is rather annoying, and Serzh Sargsyan
will need to do everything he can and even the impossible not to
ratify Russia's imperialistic aspirations veiled with post-soviet
economic integration.
Putin was expected to visit Armenia. Nikolay Rizhkov visiting Armenia
end of last year stated in Gyumri that his impression from the
conversation with Serzh Sargsyan was that Putin would visit Armenia
beginning of 2013.
Putin did not visit Armenia, and the first quarter of 2013 closes
with Sargsyan's visit to Moscow. Putin has not visited Armenia since
his second term. He has not visited Armenia since Serzh Sargsyan's
first term. Recently the Russian president has mentioned different
timings since November 2011 but he has not visited Armenia since 2008.
The first week of September 2012 was a possible time for his visit when
the exercise of CSTO quick reaction forces was planned. The presence
of the Russian president and CSTO informal summit were expected. The
exercise was postponed because NATO secretary general unexpectedly
visited the region, including Armenia.
Most probably, the Russian president is angry about closer relations
between Armenia and the West. Armenia needs these relations. Serzh
Sargsyan may have his personal interests but deepening relations
with the West is in line with the national interests of Armenia in
a long term.
It certainly could not happen in prejudice to the relations between
Armenia and Russia. It must happen at the expense of the nature
of the current relations. In other words, Armenia needs to deepen
these relations with the West not only for the civilization effect
produced by integration with the progressive global pole but also to
change the vertical, pyramidal, autocratic nature of relations with
its strategic partner Russia. The policy of expanding and deepening
relations with the West will eventually make official Moscow change
the current quality and understanding of relations.
Russia changes very slowly but given its weight, as soon as it moves,
it will be impossible to stop its movement.
It is good that Putin is not coming to Armenia. It means something
is changing. Fury and indignation will be replaced by sober and
rational understanding, and Moscow will understand that Armenia is
not its property registered at the Cadastre but a state which has
its own interests.
In that case, Putin's visit could depend on Russia's state and
political interests to discuss important issues with Armenia rather
than be an "inspection". In that case, the Russian president may not
mind meeting with the U.S. president in Yerevan. If he is not too late,
it could be Obama.