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DISCUSSIONS OF PRESSURE OF MOSCOW ON YEREVAN
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 11 2013
11 September 2013 - 3:41pm
By Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Armenia continues discussions about the choice between the Customs
Union (CU) and EU association agreements within the Eastern Partnership
program. A sudden reaction within political and expert communities was
provoked by a recent speech of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, first President
of Armenia, leader of the Armenian National Congress (UNC), at the
party's conference. Political consultant Arman Gevorkyan has commented
on the approaches of the first president to foreign policy.
- Levon Ter-Petrosyan urged his supporters to avoid anti-Russian
outcries due to the developments after the decision of Yerevan to
join the Customs Union. He expressed concerns that state propaganda
may put a label of Russophobia on the ANC the way some tried to make
it look as an enemy of the West. Was it the only reason Ter-Petrosyan
made the speech on September 8?
- No, because he was obviously speaking as the head of the party. It
was a message to his supporters to show moderation. A political line
will be developed at the ANC depending on the impact of his speech.
But his speech carries a message addressed to foreign players as well.
In particular, when he said that the party should realize that "the
ANC was not a marginal, irresponsible element, but instead was a
strong institutional political alternative to the government, capable
of realizing state responsibility, acting as though it had power."
First of all, the ANC leader was demonstrating seriousness of the
party's policy as a power capable of keeping a balanced line between
foreign players, a power that does not dash from one extremity to
another. Secondly, incumbent authorities of Armenia are not a reliable
partner due to their eclectic foreign policy.
- What is your evaluation of Ter-Petrosyan's approaches to foreign
policy?
- He reasons from the fact that there is a complex of agreements
between Armenia and Russia that Armenia must fulfill. Ter-Petrosyan
who signed the Armenian-Russian Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and
Mutual Aid in 1997 and the agreement on the status of the Russian
military base in Armenia has chosen Russia as a strategic partner
and the Armenian society approved the choice. Moreover, during
the parliamentary votes for the agreement on the base, it was the
Republican Party of Armenia, which was part of the ruling coalition in
1998, that voted against it. The complementary policy was founded by
the first president. Complimentarianism presupposes that, if Armenia
has a chief partner, it should consider movements towards the West or,
let us say, towards China, with the chief partner.
What happened in terms of the CU? Serzh Sargsyan started the process
with the EU without consulting the main political partner. Russia
was initially ignored by Armenia. Although the so-called "westerners"
are crying out that Russia pressurized Armenia in its choice between
the EU and the CU. Yet, they forget about the mistakes made by the
official Yerevan.
- How fair are the results of social polls about joining the CU
carried out in Armenia?
- For over 10 years, all social polls done in Armenia were incorrect.
Why? Because the organizers paid for the polls and bought the results.
But the Armenian public is not informed about the processes. The public
neither knows what the CU is, nor what is the association agreement
of the EU or the free trade zone agreement. Many Armenian citizens
look upon these issues from a mundane angle, as an opportunity to
visit both Russia and Europe freely. Besides, the expert and the
political communities are not informed: not one of the documents has
been published in Armenia. Ukraine, for instance, has published all
the documents and everyone had a chance to read them.
Due to unawareness, the Armenian public cannot give an answer to the
choice between the CU and European integration. That it why all these
social polls are incorrect, not to mention the zero level of trust
to organizations that organize them.
- What effect will Ter-Petrosyan's speech make?
- There has already been a negative reaction to mass media, experts
and political analysts related to the government. The wise part of
the public, having analyzed arguments of the ANC leader, will think
about state propaganda that will criticize Russia and, first of all,
the Kremlin for pressing on the Armenian government to persuade it
to join the CU. It is done to hide own political flaws. In a similar
manner, the European political group chose the same line, accusing
Russia of pressure on its neighbours. Thus, Europeans do not want to
recognize own mistakes the same way.
- At a recent meeting with Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian confirmed readiness of Armenia to develop
close cooperation with the EU as actively as possible and will not
oppose membership of Armenia in the CU...
- The government of Armenia has not fulfilled its promises to
Europeans and searches for compromises now. In reality, no one has
ever interfered in political and economic reforms of Armenia. But
foreign players prefer to keep Armenia in the hands of weak and corrupt
authorities. The problem of fighting corruption and organizing real,
not declarative, reforms is a matter of Armenian authorities and it
does not depend on the attitude or words of Brussels, Moscow or the
IMF. If the authorities find political will for the reform, it will
realize it without anyone's directions. As an example, I can remind
about the reform for land privatization in 1991, organized without
Moscow, Brussels, WB or IMF. But it is a different story when the
land privatization initiative was followed by a deep agrarian reform
that has never been realized yet.
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 11 2013
11 September 2013 - 3:41pm
By Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Armenia continues discussions about the choice between the Customs
Union (CU) and EU association agreements within the Eastern Partnership
program. A sudden reaction within political and expert communities was
provoked by a recent speech of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, first President
of Armenia, leader of the Armenian National Congress (UNC), at the
party's conference. Political consultant Arman Gevorkyan has commented
on the approaches of the first president to foreign policy.
- Levon Ter-Petrosyan urged his supporters to avoid anti-Russian
outcries due to the developments after the decision of Yerevan to
join the Customs Union. He expressed concerns that state propaganda
may put a label of Russophobia on the ANC the way some tried to make
it look as an enemy of the West. Was it the only reason Ter-Petrosyan
made the speech on September 8?
- No, because he was obviously speaking as the head of the party. It
was a message to his supporters to show moderation. A political line
will be developed at the ANC depending on the impact of his speech.
But his speech carries a message addressed to foreign players as well.
In particular, when he said that the party should realize that "the
ANC was not a marginal, irresponsible element, but instead was a
strong institutional political alternative to the government, capable
of realizing state responsibility, acting as though it had power."
First of all, the ANC leader was demonstrating seriousness of the
party's policy as a power capable of keeping a balanced line between
foreign players, a power that does not dash from one extremity to
another. Secondly, incumbent authorities of Armenia are not a reliable
partner due to their eclectic foreign policy.
- What is your evaluation of Ter-Petrosyan's approaches to foreign
policy?
- He reasons from the fact that there is a complex of agreements
between Armenia and Russia that Armenia must fulfill. Ter-Petrosyan
who signed the Armenian-Russian Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and
Mutual Aid in 1997 and the agreement on the status of the Russian
military base in Armenia has chosen Russia as a strategic partner
and the Armenian society approved the choice. Moreover, during
the parliamentary votes for the agreement on the base, it was the
Republican Party of Armenia, which was part of the ruling coalition in
1998, that voted against it. The complementary policy was founded by
the first president. Complimentarianism presupposes that, if Armenia
has a chief partner, it should consider movements towards the West or,
let us say, towards China, with the chief partner.
What happened in terms of the CU? Serzh Sargsyan started the process
with the EU without consulting the main political partner. Russia
was initially ignored by Armenia. Although the so-called "westerners"
are crying out that Russia pressurized Armenia in its choice between
the EU and the CU. Yet, they forget about the mistakes made by the
official Yerevan.
- How fair are the results of social polls about joining the CU
carried out in Armenia?
- For over 10 years, all social polls done in Armenia were incorrect.
Why? Because the organizers paid for the polls and bought the results.
But the Armenian public is not informed about the processes. The public
neither knows what the CU is, nor what is the association agreement
of the EU or the free trade zone agreement. Many Armenian citizens
look upon these issues from a mundane angle, as an opportunity to
visit both Russia and Europe freely. Besides, the expert and the
political communities are not informed: not one of the documents has
been published in Armenia. Ukraine, for instance, has published all
the documents and everyone had a chance to read them.
Due to unawareness, the Armenian public cannot give an answer to the
choice between the CU and European integration. That it why all these
social polls are incorrect, not to mention the zero level of trust
to organizations that organize them.
- What effect will Ter-Petrosyan's speech make?
- There has already been a negative reaction to mass media, experts
and political analysts related to the government. The wise part of
the public, having analyzed arguments of the ANC leader, will think
about state propaganda that will criticize Russia and, first of all,
the Kremlin for pressing on the Armenian government to persuade it
to join the CU. It is done to hide own political flaws. In a similar
manner, the European political group chose the same line, accusing
Russia of pressure on its neighbours. Thus, Europeans do not want to
recognize own mistakes the same way.
- At a recent meeting with Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian confirmed readiness of Armenia to develop
close cooperation with the EU as actively as possible and will not
oppose membership of Armenia in the CU...
- The government of Armenia has not fulfilled its promises to
Europeans and searches for compromises now. In reality, no one has
ever interfered in political and economic reforms of Armenia. But
foreign players prefer to keep Armenia in the hands of weak and corrupt
authorities. The problem of fighting corruption and organizing real,
not declarative, reforms is a matter of Armenian authorities and it
does not depend on the attitude or words of Brussels, Moscow or the
IMF. If the authorities find political will for the reform, it will
realize it without anyone's directions. As an example, I can remind
about the reform for land privatization in 1991, organized without
Moscow, Brussels, WB or IMF. But it is a different story when the
land privatization initiative was followed by a deep agrarian reform
that has never been realized yet.