Tweet
"ACCESSION TO THE EURASIAN UNION IS MORE PROFITABLE THAN EUROPEAN INTEGRATION"
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
May 3 2013
3 May 2013 - 4:33pm
Author: Interview by David Stepanyan, Yerevan, exclusively to VK
Board member of the Social-Democratic Party "Hnchakyan", former Deputy
Prime Minister of Armenia Vahan Shirkhanyan told VK about the
prospects for the foreign policy of Armenia, the Yerevan mayoral
elections and the political situation.
- Is the People's Movement "Revolution of Greetings", in your opinion,
based on internal dissent with the socio-economic situation, or it is
another "color" project from abroad?
- The leader of the "Heritage" party Raffi Hovhannisyan somehow has to
make a compromise with the authorities. All his latest moves are
inefficient and can only lead to the destabilization of the situation,
which will have a negative impact on the people. Politics is a market
in which there is always a bargain. If this or that figure has
political views that he is going to realize, he will have to
compromise. Because of some features of the geopolitical situation of
Armenia, many centers of power are pursuing their own interests. In
this light, we cannot rule out a direct connection between the latest
internal processes in Armenia and these power centers. However, the
presence in Armenia of a large mass of people who are dissatisfied
with their social position is also more than obvious. These two
factors may well be the catalyst and foundation for a destabilization
of the internal political situation.
- Can the results of the election of the mayor of Yerevan scheduled
for May 5 play the role of a catalyst, especially against the
background of serious discontent in society with the outcome of the
presidential elections in February?
- Of course there will be troubles; however, they are unlikely to go
beyond previous scenarios. A worsening situation in a post-election
period is a common phenomenon inherent not only to Armenia. But the
new excitement in our society is in any case undesirable, since they
bring much more harm to the society itself, the people, than, in fact,
to the authorities. As a result of any internal unrest the country's
image deteriorates in the international arena, which primarily affects
the economy and the people. I do not think that the elections to the
Council of Elders will be any different from all the previous
elections, even by the fact that one of the pro-government forces will
win. Not only incumbent Mayor Taron Margaryan heading the list of the
Republican Party, but also Armen Yeritsyan heading the list of "Rule
of Law", whom I consider to be a highly-respected and influential
politician, has a chance of winning.
Meanwhile, in my opinion, Armenia should abandon the liberal economic
system in favor of the development of social democracy. Armenia, going
against all the current trends and challenges, stubbornly follows the
path of further liberalization of the economy, which cannot lead our
weakened economy to positive results. But in the case of a transition
to a social-democratic system the regulatory role of the state in
various fields will increase, which in the case of Armenia is a
necessity.
- What are, in your opinion, the external priorities?
- As a result of the implementation of complementary foreign policy
our country has gone through quite a difficult time. As a result of
complementarity Armenia has undertaken a lot of obligations to the
polar centers of power. Abandoning these commitments and choosing a
new path in foreign policy in a single day is impossible. However, the
establishment of the Customs Union and the prospects for the emergence
of the Eurasian Union, of course, have opened up new possibilities for
Armenia in foreign policy. Everything is simple. Armenia's interests
can be most clearly reflected in these two structures. Membership of
the Customs Union promises specific economic challenges will be
addressed, while association with Europe and the EU as a whole are
still in the very distant future. Membership of the Customs Union will
give us a boundless market, where Armenian goods will feel a lot more
comfortable than in the European market. Above all, membership of the
Customs Union will open up new possibilities for integration,
including with neighboring countries, especially Iran. Joining the
Customs and later the Eurasian Union is more profitable than European
integration, because the benefits of the first two projects are
realistic and achievable.
The military-political and strategic relations with Russia have no
alternatives. Since 1990, history has repeatedly shown it. An alliance
with Russia is the only guarantee of security for Armenia, and this
relationship will develop at least during the next decade. No other
structure, primarily NATO, will give us such guarantees, even if
Armenia becomes a member of this organization.
The absence of a common border with the countries of the Eurasian
Union is estimated to be as an obstacle in the way of Armenia's
accession to the Customs Union. But there are no boundaries with
European countries, either.
- What about Georgia, through which transit to Armenia is carried out?
- As for Georgia, being a man who was born there, I am upset to see
how a geopolitical reality that will soon deprive Georgia of a future
is being formed. The implementation of such a scenario would be
possible and would take place not even because Tbilisi has quarrelled
with Moscow. This will happen as a result of an improperly-constructed
domestic policy, which has resulted in the fact that today Georgian
land, which is of the most impassable value, is already being sold to
Indians and South African Boers. Georgia's problem is not the
unwillingness to take part in integration projects initiated by Russia
in the former Soviet Union. We all understand the importance of
Georgia for Armenia, given that this country is the only transit area
for our country. Therefore, Yerevan is extremely interested in the
fact that Georgia comes out of that state of collapse.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/39939.html
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
May 3 2013
3 May 2013 - 4:33pm
Author: Interview by David Stepanyan, Yerevan, exclusively to VK
Board member of the Social-Democratic Party "Hnchakyan", former Deputy
Prime Minister of Armenia Vahan Shirkhanyan told VK about the
prospects for the foreign policy of Armenia, the Yerevan mayoral
elections and the political situation.
- Is the People's Movement "Revolution of Greetings", in your opinion,
based on internal dissent with the socio-economic situation, or it is
another "color" project from abroad?
- The leader of the "Heritage" party Raffi Hovhannisyan somehow has to
make a compromise with the authorities. All his latest moves are
inefficient and can only lead to the destabilization of the situation,
which will have a negative impact on the people. Politics is a market
in which there is always a bargain. If this or that figure has
political views that he is going to realize, he will have to
compromise. Because of some features of the geopolitical situation of
Armenia, many centers of power are pursuing their own interests. In
this light, we cannot rule out a direct connection between the latest
internal processes in Armenia and these power centers. However, the
presence in Armenia of a large mass of people who are dissatisfied
with their social position is also more than obvious. These two
factors may well be the catalyst and foundation for a destabilization
of the internal political situation.
- Can the results of the election of the mayor of Yerevan scheduled
for May 5 play the role of a catalyst, especially against the
background of serious discontent in society with the outcome of the
presidential elections in February?
- Of course there will be troubles; however, they are unlikely to go
beyond previous scenarios. A worsening situation in a post-election
period is a common phenomenon inherent not only to Armenia. But the
new excitement in our society is in any case undesirable, since they
bring much more harm to the society itself, the people, than, in fact,
to the authorities. As a result of any internal unrest the country's
image deteriorates in the international arena, which primarily affects
the economy and the people. I do not think that the elections to the
Council of Elders will be any different from all the previous
elections, even by the fact that one of the pro-government forces will
win. Not only incumbent Mayor Taron Margaryan heading the list of the
Republican Party, but also Armen Yeritsyan heading the list of "Rule
of Law", whom I consider to be a highly-respected and influential
politician, has a chance of winning.
Meanwhile, in my opinion, Armenia should abandon the liberal economic
system in favor of the development of social democracy. Armenia, going
against all the current trends and challenges, stubbornly follows the
path of further liberalization of the economy, which cannot lead our
weakened economy to positive results. But in the case of a transition
to a social-democratic system the regulatory role of the state in
various fields will increase, which in the case of Armenia is a
necessity.
- What are, in your opinion, the external priorities?
- As a result of the implementation of complementary foreign policy
our country has gone through quite a difficult time. As a result of
complementarity Armenia has undertaken a lot of obligations to the
polar centers of power. Abandoning these commitments and choosing a
new path in foreign policy in a single day is impossible. However, the
establishment of the Customs Union and the prospects for the emergence
of the Eurasian Union, of course, have opened up new possibilities for
Armenia in foreign policy. Everything is simple. Armenia's interests
can be most clearly reflected in these two structures. Membership of
the Customs Union promises specific economic challenges will be
addressed, while association with Europe and the EU as a whole are
still in the very distant future. Membership of the Customs Union will
give us a boundless market, where Armenian goods will feel a lot more
comfortable than in the European market. Above all, membership of the
Customs Union will open up new possibilities for integration,
including with neighboring countries, especially Iran. Joining the
Customs and later the Eurasian Union is more profitable than European
integration, because the benefits of the first two projects are
realistic and achievable.
The military-political and strategic relations with Russia have no
alternatives. Since 1990, history has repeatedly shown it. An alliance
with Russia is the only guarantee of security for Armenia, and this
relationship will develop at least during the next decade. No other
structure, primarily NATO, will give us such guarantees, even if
Armenia becomes a member of this organization.
The absence of a common border with the countries of the Eurasian
Union is estimated to be as an obstacle in the way of Armenia's
accession to the Customs Union. But there are no boundaries with
European countries, either.
- What about Georgia, through which transit to Armenia is carried out?
- As for Georgia, being a man who was born there, I am upset to see
how a geopolitical reality that will soon deprive Georgia of a future
is being formed. The implementation of such a scenario would be
possible and would take place not even because Tbilisi has quarrelled
with Moscow. This will happen as a result of an improperly-constructed
domestic policy, which has resulted in the fact that today Georgian
land, which is of the most impassable value, is already being sold to
Indians and South African Boers. Georgia's problem is not the
unwillingness to take part in integration projects initiated by Russia
in the former Soviet Union. We all understand the importance of
Georgia for Armenia, given that this country is the only transit area
for our country. Therefore, Yerevan is extremely interested in the
fact that Georgia comes out of that state of collapse.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/39939.html