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ARMENIA JOINING CUSTOMS UNION IS A CHALLENGE - ARTUR SAKUNTS
17:19 04.09.13
Joining the Customs Union is a challenge, an anti-constitutional step
and uncertainty for Armenian citizens, Head of the Helsinki Citizens'
Assembly Vanadzor office Artur Sakunts told Tert.am.
"What does a customs union in an area without any possibility of using
common communication channels mean? A thread running from Armenia to
Georgia, farther to this so-called customs union," Akunts said.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has no right to speak in behalf of
Armenia and, particularly, in behalf of Artur Sakunts, he added.
Sakunts is concerned over Armenia sharing common values with Russia.
"I am much more concerned over the joint statement on the values. We
cannot have common values with Putin-led Russia, where people are
robbed of their property in broad daylight and imprisoned on trumped
up charges, where civil society is under pressure. That is, this is
an authoritarian regime, and what common values can I have with it?"
Sakunts has no doubts that Russian President Vladimir Putin exerted
pressure. However, it is Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan who made
a decision by himself, without considering his team's opinion.
"I expect everything from Putin. He is incapable of using civilized
language given his numerous statements on various topics. I think
the problem is in Serzh Sargsyan. At his meetings with high-ranking
officials of the European Union (EU) in Brussels he states one thing,
but at his meetings in Russia he states different things, for people
not to find themselves in an awkward situation," Sakunts said.
He is sure that the pressure exerted on Armenia has to do with the
tragic events in Yerevan on March 1, 2008. "The March 1 crime was
a state crime. Its remaining unsolved means permanent vulnerability
for both Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan, as well as the people
immediately responsible for that crime. And Russia will always make
use of this factor to exert pressure at private meetings."
As regards Russian pressure on Armenia in the context of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sakunts notes that any attempt to justify
Armenia's joining the Customs Union by 'Nagorno-Karabakh's salvation'
is at least unreasonable behavior.
He warns that of civil society's imminent response. "You should expect
a rather serious reaction."
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/09/04/arthur-sakunc/
From: A. Papazian
17:19 04.09.13
Joining the Customs Union is a challenge, an anti-constitutional step
and uncertainty for Armenian citizens, Head of the Helsinki Citizens'
Assembly Vanadzor office Artur Sakunts told Tert.am.
"What does a customs union in an area without any possibility of using
common communication channels mean? A thread running from Armenia to
Georgia, farther to this so-called customs union," Akunts said.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has no right to speak in behalf of
Armenia and, particularly, in behalf of Artur Sakunts, he added.
Sakunts is concerned over Armenia sharing common values with Russia.
"I am much more concerned over the joint statement on the values. We
cannot have common values with Putin-led Russia, where people are
robbed of their property in broad daylight and imprisoned on trumped
up charges, where civil society is under pressure. That is, this is
an authoritarian regime, and what common values can I have with it?"
Sakunts has no doubts that Russian President Vladimir Putin exerted
pressure. However, it is Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan who made
a decision by himself, without considering his team's opinion.
"I expect everything from Putin. He is incapable of using civilized
language given his numerous statements on various topics. I think
the problem is in Serzh Sargsyan. At his meetings with high-ranking
officials of the European Union (EU) in Brussels he states one thing,
but at his meetings in Russia he states different things, for people
not to find themselves in an awkward situation," Sakunts said.
He is sure that the pressure exerted on Armenia has to do with the
tragic events in Yerevan on March 1, 2008. "The March 1 crime was
a state crime. Its remaining unsolved means permanent vulnerability
for both Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan, as well as the people
immediately responsible for that crime. And Russia will always make
use of this factor to exert pressure at private meetings."
As regards Russian pressure on Armenia in the context of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sakunts notes that any attempt to justify
Armenia's joining the Customs Union by 'Nagorno-Karabakh's salvation'
is at least unreasonable behavior.
He warns that of civil society's imminent response. "You should expect
a rather serious reaction."
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/09/04/arthur-sakunc/
From: A. Papazian