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WPS Agency, Russia
September 6, 2013 Friday
PUBLIC PROTESTS IN YEREVAN AGAINST ARMENIA JOINING THE CUSTOMS UNION
by Tigran Oganesyan, Yerevan
Source: Izvestia (Moscow), N166, 06.09.2013, p. 7
[Translated from Russian]
The demonstration held in front of the residence of the head of state
in Yerevan united hundreds of people who were dissatisfied with the
statement of President Serzh Sargsyan's accession to the Customs Union
(CU). Participants chanted, "No return to the USSR!", "Russians, go
away!", "Putinka!", "Natasha!" and held banners saying: "We do not
want back to the Soviet Union"; "We are no vassals of Russia".
The authorities even had to use force. The police pulled the most
active protesters of the crowd, pushed them into a car and took away.
According to eyewitnesses, about 11 people were arrested.
One of the organizers of the rally, chairman of the "Asbarez" Gyumri
Journalists Club Levon Barsegyan explained: "The essence of the
protest is not joining the CU, but the fact that President Sargsyan
spoke on behalf of Armenia without having that right, because he did
not know the view of the people. Even if there were any studies, he
first had to submit them to the public, and only then share that data
with the leader of the Russian state".
At the same time, according to the organizers, the picket cannot be
considered entirely anti-Russian, but sooner anti-presidential. It was
only after the brutal dispersal of the protesters people started
calling the police, "Natasha" (so they call the easily available women
in Turkey and the Caucasus).
Barsegyan regrets: "For the past four years the entire state machine
has been working on an agreement on associated membership in the EU,
and in one day it all went down the drain. After all, if the country
becomes a CU member, it will be unable to keep its sovereignty, and
negotiations with the EU on a free trade zone will be impossible".
The "Heritage" and "Free Democrats" opposition parties also made a
condemning statement. The document reads that "after joining the CU,
Armenia would lose such important attributes of independence as the
implementation of an independent foreign policy and an independent
financial and economic activity".
A statement by President Sargsyan on Armenia's accession to the CU he
made in Moscow on September 3 after his meeting with Vladimir Putin
appeared the cause of unrest. For many people it was a surprise.
Indeed, over the last year, Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan has
repeatedly stated that joining the CU was geographically impossible,
since there is no common border between Armenia and the CU member
countries.
However, according to political analysts, the lack of common borders
is no problem.
Chairman of the Association of Political Scientists of Armenia Amayak
Ovannisyan believes: "The issue can be solved if the rail link with
Russia is provided via Abkhazia. Moreover, Georgia has repeatedly
stated that it is ready to resume the work of the Abkhazian section of
the railway".
According to the political analyst, after joining the CU Armenia will
be able to revive its chemical industry with the Russian assistance,
and to resume supplying products to the Russian Federation. For
example, the Russian direct investment will help restart the "Nairit"
plant for the production of rubber.
Joining the CU would also be beneficial to the economy of the
unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which will be able to take
full advantage of direct access to the Russian market, and get major
investment.
Member of the Commission on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly
of Armenia Vagram Bagdasaryan says: "The decision to join the Customs
Union is a result of the policy pursued by the country in recent
years. We have always had close economic ties with Russia, and such a
decision should not be a surprise".
According to him, after Armenia joins the CU, the Armenian businessmen
will have no problems with the customs, documentation on the export
and import of goods, or any other bureaucratic obstacles to trade with
Russia at all.
Actually, Yerevan still cherishes a hope that it will be able to
combine the membership in the CU and the associated membership in the
EU. The European Commission's official website issued a statement that
the Republic's involvement in a free trade zone with the European
Union, and economic cooperation within the CIS are compatible.
However, the Commission still does not understand how Yerevan will do
it, and is "looking forward to the solution of the Armenian side,
after which it will be possible to draw conclusions about a further
development course".
From: Baghdasarian
September 6, 2013 Friday
PUBLIC PROTESTS IN YEREVAN AGAINST ARMENIA JOINING THE CUSTOMS UNION
by Tigran Oganesyan, Yerevan
Source: Izvestia (Moscow), N166, 06.09.2013, p. 7
[Translated from Russian]
The demonstration held in front of the residence of the head of state
in Yerevan united hundreds of people who were dissatisfied with the
statement of President Serzh Sargsyan's accession to the Customs Union
(CU). Participants chanted, "No return to the USSR!", "Russians, go
away!", "Putinka!", "Natasha!" and held banners saying: "We do not
want back to the Soviet Union"; "We are no vassals of Russia".
The authorities even had to use force. The police pulled the most
active protesters of the crowd, pushed them into a car and took away.
According to eyewitnesses, about 11 people were arrested.
One of the organizers of the rally, chairman of the "Asbarez" Gyumri
Journalists Club Levon Barsegyan explained: "The essence of the
protest is not joining the CU, but the fact that President Sargsyan
spoke on behalf of Armenia without having that right, because he did
not know the view of the people. Even if there were any studies, he
first had to submit them to the public, and only then share that data
with the leader of the Russian state".
At the same time, according to the organizers, the picket cannot be
considered entirely anti-Russian, but sooner anti-presidential. It was
only after the brutal dispersal of the protesters people started
calling the police, "Natasha" (so they call the easily available women
in Turkey and the Caucasus).
Barsegyan regrets: "For the past four years the entire state machine
has been working on an agreement on associated membership in the EU,
and in one day it all went down the drain. After all, if the country
becomes a CU member, it will be unable to keep its sovereignty, and
negotiations with the EU on a free trade zone will be impossible".
The "Heritage" and "Free Democrats" opposition parties also made a
condemning statement. The document reads that "after joining the CU,
Armenia would lose such important attributes of independence as the
implementation of an independent foreign policy and an independent
financial and economic activity".
A statement by President Sargsyan on Armenia's accession to the CU he
made in Moscow on September 3 after his meeting with Vladimir Putin
appeared the cause of unrest. For many people it was a surprise.
Indeed, over the last year, Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan has
repeatedly stated that joining the CU was geographically impossible,
since there is no common border between Armenia and the CU member
countries.
However, according to political analysts, the lack of common borders
is no problem.
Chairman of the Association of Political Scientists of Armenia Amayak
Ovannisyan believes: "The issue can be solved if the rail link with
Russia is provided via Abkhazia. Moreover, Georgia has repeatedly
stated that it is ready to resume the work of the Abkhazian section of
the railway".
According to the political analyst, after joining the CU Armenia will
be able to revive its chemical industry with the Russian assistance,
and to resume supplying products to the Russian Federation. For
example, the Russian direct investment will help restart the "Nairit"
plant for the production of rubber.
Joining the CU would also be beneficial to the economy of the
unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which will be able to take
full advantage of direct access to the Russian market, and get major
investment.
Member of the Commission on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly
of Armenia Vagram Bagdasaryan says: "The decision to join the Customs
Union is a result of the policy pursued by the country in recent
years. We have always had close economic ties with Russia, and such a
decision should not be a surprise".
According to him, after Armenia joins the CU, the Armenian businessmen
will have no problems with the customs, documentation on the export
and import of goods, or any other bureaucratic obstacles to trade with
Russia at all.
Actually, Yerevan still cherishes a hope that it will be able to
combine the membership in the CU and the associated membership in the
EU. The European Commission's official website issued a statement that
the Republic's involvement in a free trade zone with the European
Union, and economic cooperation within the CIS are compatible.
However, the Commission still does not understand how Yerevan will do
it, and is "looking forward to the solution of the Armenian side,
after which it will be possible to draw conclusions about a further
development course".
From: Baghdasarian