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LENGTHY ENDURANCE PARTNERSHIP
Rossiyskaya Gazeta , Russia
Oct 25 2013
by Valeriy Vyzhutovich
The third international At the Foot of Mount Ararat media forum has
been held in Yerevan.
Approximately 40 chief editors and senior journalists from Germany,
France, Spain, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldavia, including
Rossiyskaya Gazeta's political correspondent, took part. The main
topics of the debate, in which Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan was
given the floor, were "Armenia: Partnership for the Future" and "Role
of the News Media in the Modern World". The group of participants in
the forum was received by President Serzh Sargsyan. He conversed with
the guests about Armenia's relations with neighbouring states and its
prospects following membership of the Customs Union and also about
whether it is not losing the respect of the world community owing to
its close cooperation with Iran.
In their dialogues with the journalists the president and premier
particularly underscored Russia's role in the life of Armenia
and expressed hope for the continued consolidation of strategic
partnership.
Why is Armenia so attached to Russia? And is this a long-term
attachment?
Armenia is being kept from a reorientation towards the West by the
allied relations with Russia and geopolitical requirements.
"Where would it go" -this the first thing Russian experts say when
they are asked whether Armenia will turn its back on Russia in
the example of Georgia or Moldavia, say. Truly, the coincidence of
geopolitical interests in a changed world brought Russia and Armenia
to the level of strategic partnership. Armenia in the Transcaucasus
region is the sole country whose relations with Russia leave nothing
to be desired. Moreover, Armenia is the sole country connected to
Russia by relations of a defence alliance. And the sole country which
expresses no desire for the removal of the Russian military bases from
its territory, on the contrary, it is insisting on a reinforcement
of the Russian military force contingent.
What is compelling Armenia today to be a loyal Russian partner needs
no lengthy explanation. It has strained relations with Turkey, which
is unwilling to acknowledge its historical blame for the genocide of
Armenians. It has a chronic conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagornyy
Karabakh. This is why it not only does not object to the Russian
military and border presence but considers it an important factor of
its national security. In turn, Russia also, whose positions in the
Transcaucasus have weakened noticeably, needs a dependable outpost
here. The legal structure of Russo-Armenian relations amounts to more
than 160 documents, including a friendship, cooperation, and mutual
assistance treaty. But for full satisfaction with the partnership
Armenia lacks not new political documents and not additional pieces
of military equipment at Russia's military bases. It lacks more
fundamental economic ties. For example, the trade balance constantly
skews in favour of Russia. Fuel, uncut natural diamonds, products
of aluminium industry, machinery, and equipment are invariably
preponderant in the structure of Russian exports. Armenian exports
also are traditional -foodstuffs and wine and cognac. The number of
enterprises and detached subdivisions with Russian capital in Armenia
is approximately 1,300. Their proportion in the total number of
enterprises with the participation of foreign capital is 27.6 per cent.
Without mutual economic interest, military-technical cooperation
between Russia and Armenia could weaken. If there's no interaction in
business, little will eventuate in the military sphere either. Thus
far it is doing. But it should not be thought that this will go on
forever. Turkey is eager to become a part of Europe, Armenia also.
Sooner or later, their European interests will coincide, and relations
between them will be repaired. It is not inconceivable that Turkey
will set as a condition of normalization the withdrawal of the
Russian troops.
Nor should we consider Armenia an eternal transport dead end and for
this reason exaggerate its dependence on Russian energy resources.
Gazprom spokesmen maintain that Armenia cannot be a transit country.
"Why not? There is the Iranian sector," Armen Darbinyan, principal
of the Russo-Armenian (Slav) State University, says. "In addition, we
will one day secure the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border. With
the help of the United States or Europe. But if we do so without
Russia's participation, this will be for it a serious failure and
will result in a loss of influence in the regiona~@¦. Let's give
thought to genuine integration. It is lacking at this time. There
is not even a distinct ideology of cooperation. We need to forswear
cliches and understand that there is to Russo-Armenian relations in
their present format an alternative."
Such assertions may be disputed. But they have to be heeded. Because
there are things that are obvious. For examplea~@¦. Although Armenia
remains in the sphere of Russian influence, this is not preventing
it cooperating with NATO within the Partnership for Peace programme.
Armenia has thus far been held back from a total reorientation towards
the West -and there undoubtedly is such a desire -by the two centuries
of allied relations with Russia and geopolitical requirements of the
moment. It is only this that is preventing it taking decisive steps
in accommodation of the North Atlantic alliance.
The American presence in Armenia is not yet dominant. But it could
become such unless Russia responds to the new world challenges in a
region of strategic importance to it.
[Translated from Russian]
Rossiyskaya Gazeta , Russia
Oct 25 2013
by Valeriy Vyzhutovich
The third international At the Foot of Mount Ararat media forum has
been held in Yerevan.
Approximately 40 chief editors and senior journalists from Germany,
France, Spain, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldavia, including
Rossiyskaya Gazeta's political correspondent, took part. The main
topics of the debate, in which Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan was
given the floor, were "Armenia: Partnership for the Future" and "Role
of the News Media in the Modern World". The group of participants in
the forum was received by President Serzh Sargsyan. He conversed with
the guests about Armenia's relations with neighbouring states and its
prospects following membership of the Customs Union and also about
whether it is not losing the respect of the world community owing to
its close cooperation with Iran.
In their dialogues with the journalists the president and premier
particularly underscored Russia's role in the life of Armenia
and expressed hope for the continued consolidation of strategic
partnership.
Why is Armenia so attached to Russia? And is this a long-term
attachment?
Armenia is being kept from a reorientation towards the West by the
allied relations with Russia and geopolitical requirements.
"Where would it go" -this the first thing Russian experts say when
they are asked whether Armenia will turn its back on Russia in
the example of Georgia or Moldavia, say. Truly, the coincidence of
geopolitical interests in a changed world brought Russia and Armenia
to the level of strategic partnership. Armenia in the Transcaucasus
region is the sole country whose relations with Russia leave nothing
to be desired. Moreover, Armenia is the sole country connected to
Russia by relations of a defence alliance. And the sole country which
expresses no desire for the removal of the Russian military bases from
its territory, on the contrary, it is insisting on a reinforcement
of the Russian military force contingent.
What is compelling Armenia today to be a loyal Russian partner needs
no lengthy explanation. It has strained relations with Turkey, which
is unwilling to acknowledge its historical blame for the genocide of
Armenians. It has a chronic conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagornyy
Karabakh. This is why it not only does not object to the Russian
military and border presence but considers it an important factor of
its national security. In turn, Russia also, whose positions in the
Transcaucasus have weakened noticeably, needs a dependable outpost
here. The legal structure of Russo-Armenian relations amounts to more
than 160 documents, including a friendship, cooperation, and mutual
assistance treaty. But for full satisfaction with the partnership
Armenia lacks not new political documents and not additional pieces
of military equipment at Russia's military bases. It lacks more
fundamental economic ties. For example, the trade balance constantly
skews in favour of Russia. Fuel, uncut natural diamonds, products
of aluminium industry, machinery, and equipment are invariably
preponderant in the structure of Russian exports. Armenian exports
also are traditional -foodstuffs and wine and cognac. The number of
enterprises and detached subdivisions with Russian capital in Armenia
is approximately 1,300. Their proportion in the total number of
enterprises with the participation of foreign capital is 27.6 per cent.
Without mutual economic interest, military-technical cooperation
between Russia and Armenia could weaken. If there's no interaction in
business, little will eventuate in the military sphere either. Thus
far it is doing. But it should not be thought that this will go on
forever. Turkey is eager to become a part of Europe, Armenia also.
Sooner or later, their European interests will coincide, and relations
between them will be repaired. It is not inconceivable that Turkey
will set as a condition of normalization the withdrawal of the
Russian troops.
Nor should we consider Armenia an eternal transport dead end and for
this reason exaggerate its dependence on Russian energy resources.
Gazprom spokesmen maintain that Armenia cannot be a transit country.
"Why not? There is the Iranian sector," Armen Darbinyan, principal
of the Russo-Armenian (Slav) State University, says. "In addition, we
will one day secure the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border. With
the help of the United States or Europe. But if we do so without
Russia's participation, this will be for it a serious failure and
will result in a loss of influence in the regiona~@¦. Let's give
thought to genuine integration. It is lacking at this time. There
is not even a distinct ideology of cooperation. We need to forswear
cliches and understand that there is to Russo-Armenian relations in
their present format an alternative."
Such assertions may be disputed. But they have to be heeded. Because
there are things that are obvious. For examplea~@¦. Although Armenia
remains in the sphere of Russian influence, this is not preventing
it cooperating with NATO within the Partnership for Peace programme.
Armenia has thus far been held back from a total reorientation towards
the West -and there undoubtedly is such a desire -by the two centuries
of allied relations with Russia and geopolitical requirements of the
moment. It is only this that is preventing it taking decisive steps
in accommodation of the North Atlantic alliance.
The American presence in Armenia is not yet dominant. But it could
become such unless Russia responds to the new world challenges in a
region of strategic importance to it.
[Translated from Russian]