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THIS IS NOT THE VICTORY, BUT THE BANKRUPTCY OF ARMENIA
September 11 2013
According to the expert of international studies Armen Kharazyan, the
thesis about the Russian pressures is deniable that Armenia allegedly
could not resist without endangering the country. - On September 3,
as a result of Sargsyan-Putin negotiations in Moscow it became clear
that Armenia is going to join the Customs Union. In your opinion, what
was the result driven by RA authorities to make this decision? What
inner political, regional processes could affect the decision-making
process? And the next, as a result of this decision, do you feel
rearrangements in the inner political system of Armenia possible? -
The answer to the first question is the failure of the statehood
culture in Armenia. The apologists of the Customs Union justify that
we solve not the issue of the statehood but the survival, to which the
independence may subordinate. They recall the last 700 years, saying
that it is possible to develop in stateless or quasi-state conditions,
and in the geopolitical position, like ours, being protectorate is more
preferable than the sovereign, because it is just physically safe,
while the independence is a heavy, over and above the shoulders of
Armenians. Today, this concern, unfortunately, is dominant not only in
the government of Armenia, but also in circles close to the government,
the opposition and the society, at large. It has acquired a systemic
quality, leading to over-dependence on Russia. This is evident in all
areas, military, economic, political, humanitarian, and household. The
phenomenon is a legacy of the Soviet and even earlier period. During
the independence, it was to be overcome. Unfortunately, with the
exception of the early 90s, Armenia not only did nothing to throw
off this legacy, but gradually restored and renovated it. Today,
almost all levers of influence on Armenia's life belong to Russia,
and the pathological conviction of being dependent from external
leadership, inadequacy and own meanness is clearly displayed in
the public psychology. There is not other society in the world that
has been so indifferent and will-less towards its independence and
sovereignty as it is Armenia, today. Sargsyan's decision on joining
the Customs Union is a logical refuge of this process. It did not
ripen in one day, but it is the result of more than a half a decade
of state-public crisis and the bankruptcy of values. The problems
absolutely are not in internal, external, or regional challenges, but
the lack of our will and ability to respond to them. Unfortunately,
this mission failed with regard to both directions. The second part
of the question whether inner political rearrangements are possible,
I think it does not matter. If Armenia should come out of this abyss,
we need new forces and new ideas, and not restoration of the old ones.
The old ones have already told their word, and the result of it is
this. Whether there will be a new force, whether a new goal will be
formulated, whether people will support it, the change will take place,
if not, the third Republic of Armenia can be considered exhausted. -
The members of Armenia's ruling party say that the most of Europeans
approached Armenia's decision with understanding because "it is first
of all conditioned by the issues of security, and this is more than
understandable in political circles." Is the independence of Armenia,
sovereignty and security provided by joining the Customs Union, and
through Moscow? How do you generally feel about recent attempts of
justifying similar formulations regarding the RA "security" with this
decision? - Customs Union is a trade-economic integration mechanism,
which is to restore control of Russia over the former Soviet states
and to suspend the integration of these states to Europe. I am not
aware of a serious study on the economic impact of the membership,
and its comparative analysis with the EU perspective, and I'm not
sure that the leadership of Armenia has similar document at hand. The
problem was presented to the RA leadership, and was perceived as a
political, and a political decision was made.
Meanwhile, just in the sense of political, this Customs Union
is not supporting, but preventing the development of Armenia,
not strengthening, but disorganizing the country's sovereignty,
accordingly, the arguments about security are absurd. Security and
independence are issues of different plane. The security is the
component of independence. In joining the Customs Union, Armenia
further deepens its dependence on Russia. How can it contribute to our
security? Maybe the RA leaders have the illusion that Russia will take
on greater responsibility for the security of Armenia. But don't we
already have CSTO, Russian military base in Gyumri, and the Russian
troops guarding the border of Armenia. What does this Customs Union
add to the security of Armenia, which was not provided by the existing
military-political cooperation? The sober answer is obvious: nothing.
In fact, the only serious concern regarding the security is that, if
Armenia did not agree to go to the Customs Union, then Russia would
have exerted leverages to indicate that the security of Armenia is
in danger. This is quite possible. But isn't this the most evident
evidence of the reality that in the Armenian-Russian relations Armenia
has passed all possible margins, and each such concession does not
threaten the security of Armenia, but its statehood in general. -
Recently, during the EPP Political Assembly, a resolution was adopted,
in which the pressure exerted by the RF against Armenia was condemned.
Mr. Kharazyan, can we say that Moscow with recent actions in
Armenia-Russian, Russian-Azerbaijani relations (to some extent
also with messages around Russian-Georgian relations) succeeded
in strengthening its position in the region, which, in fact, the
Europeans record it clearly indicating about the pressure. - Again,
this is not the victory of Russia, but the bankruptcy of Armenia. The
thesis about the Russian pressures is deniable that Armenia allegedly
could not resist without endangering the country, thus it obeyed them.
This is the theory that if you please the peron facing you and fulfill
its any demand, then it will get enough and will not present a new
demand. This is a delusion, the demands will not only stop, but they
will grow and become tougher, resulting in eventually deficiency of own
resources and weak-willed. This is the most serious challenges facing
Armenia today, and joining the Customs Union does not restrain, but,
unfortunately, accelerates its oncoming. The President of Armenia
stated in Moscow that he has made a decision to join the Customs
Union taking both the international community and his own society by
surprise. I think that the Armenian society has a right to request to
reveal the grounds of such decision, whether necessary constitutional,
legal and procedural requirements were maintained when making such
strategic decisions: researches, public and inter-agency discussions,
motions, opinions, parliamentary hearings. If not, then it is necessary
to examine the constitutionality of the decision, and also whether
the President has not exceeded his official powers by declaring a
decision, in which he has autocratic right to it. This is, I think,
one of the main ways, with which the Armenian community can pursue
at least partially neutralizing the effects of what happened, both
up to Vilnius and beyond, forcing that the discussion of the issue
is not considered closed, but transferred to the Parliament and the
Constitutional court. The problem so far is reversible, and, I hope
that Armenia has not yet said its last word here. Emma GABRIELYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/09/11/161562/
From: Baghdasarian
September 11 2013
According to the expert of international studies Armen Kharazyan, the
thesis about the Russian pressures is deniable that Armenia allegedly
could not resist without endangering the country. - On September 3,
as a result of Sargsyan-Putin negotiations in Moscow it became clear
that Armenia is going to join the Customs Union. In your opinion, what
was the result driven by RA authorities to make this decision? What
inner political, regional processes could affect the decision-making
process? And the next, as a result of this decision, do you feel
rearrangements in the inner political system of Armenia possible? -
The answer to the first question is the failure of the statehood
culture in Armenia. The apologists of the Customs Union justify that
we solve not the issue of the statehood but the survival, to which the
independence may subordinate. They recall the last 700 years, saying
that it is possible to develop in stateless or quasi-state conditions,
and in the geopolitical position, like ours, being protectorate is more
preferable than the sovereign, because it is just physically safe,
while the independence is a heavy, over and above the shoulders of
Armenians. Today, this concern, unfortunately, is dominant not only in
the government of Armenia, but also in circles close to the government,
the opposition and the society, at large. It has acquired a systemic
quality, leading to over-dependence on Russia. This is evident in all
areas, military, economic, political, humanitarian, and household. The
phenomenon is a legacy of the Soviet and even earlier period. During
the independence, it was to be overcome. Unfortunately, with the
exception of the early 90s, Armenia not only did nothing to throw
off this legacy, but gradually restored and renovated it. Today,
almost all levers of influence on Armenia's life belong to Russia,
and the pathological conviction of being dependent from external
leadership, inadequacy and own meanness is clearly displayed in
the public psychology. There is not other society in the world that
has been so indifferent and will-less towards its independence and
sovereignty as it is Armenia, today. Sargsyan's decision on joining
the Customs Union is a logical refuge of this process. It did not
ripen in one day, but it is the result of more than a half a decade
of state-public crisis and the bankruptcy of values. The problems
absolutely are not in internal, external, or regional challenges, but
the lack of our will and ability to respond to them. Unfortunately,
this mission failed with regard to both directions. The second part
of the question whether inner political rearrangements are possible,
I think it does not matter. If Armenia should come out of this abyss,
we need new forces and new ideas, and not restoration of the old ones.
The old ones have already told their word, and the result of it is
this. Whether there will be a new force, whether a new goal will be
formulated, whether people will support it, the change will take place,
if not, the third Republic of Armenia can be considered exhausted. -
The members of Armenia's ruling party say that the most of Europeans
approached Armenia's decision with understanding because "it is first
of all conditioned by the issues of security, and this is more than
understandable in political circles." Is the independence of Armenia,
sovereignty and security provided by joining the Customs Union, and
through Moscow? How do you generally feel about recent attempts of
justifying similar formulations regarding the RA "security" with this
decision? - Customs Union is a trade-economic integration mechanism,
which is to restore control of Russia over the former Soviet states
and to suspend the integration of these states to Europe. I am not
aware of a serious study on the economic impact of the membership,
and its comparative analysis with the EU perspective, and I'm not
sure that the leadership of Armenia has similar document at hand. The
problem was presented to the RA leadership, and was perceived as a
political, and a political decision was made.
Meanwhile, just in the sense of political, this Customs Union
is not supporting, but preventing the development of Armenia,
not strengthening, but disorganizing the country's sovereignty,
accordingly, the arguments about security are absurd. Security and
independence are issues of different plane. The security is the
component of independence. In joining the Customs Union, Armenia
further deepens its dependence on Russia. How can it contribute to our
security? Maybe the RA leaders have the illusion that Russia will take
on greater responsibility for the security of Armenia. But don't we
already have CSTO, Russian military base in Gyumri, and the Russian
troops guarding the border of Armenia. What does this Customs Union
add to the security of Armenia, which was not provided by the existing
military-political cooperation? The sober answer is obvious: nothing.
In fact, the only serious concern regarding the security is that, if
Armenia did not agree to go to the Customs Union, then Russia would
have exerted leverages to indicate that the security of Armenia is
in danger. This is quite possible. But isn't this the most evident
evidence of the reality that in the Armenian-Russian relations Armenia
has passed all possible margins, and each such concession does not
threaten the security of Armenia, but its statehood in general. -
Recently, during the EPP Political Assembly, a resolution was adopted,
in which the pressure exerted by the RF against Armenia was condemned.
Mr. Kharazyan, can we say that Moscow with recent actions in
Armenia-Russian, Russian-Azerbaijani relations (to some extent
also with messages around Russian-Georgian relations) succeeded
in strengthening its position in the region, which, in fact, the
Europeans record it clearly indicating about the pressure. - Again,
this is not the victory of Russia, but the bankruptcy of Armenia. The
thesis about the Russian pressures is deniable that Armenia allegedly
could not resist without endangering the country, thus it obeyed them.
This is the theory that if you please the peron facing you and fulfill
its any demand, then it will get enough and will not present a new
demand. This is a delusion, the demands will not only stop, but they
will grow and become tougher, resulting in eventually deficiency of own
resources and weak-willed. This is the most serious challenges facing
Armenia today, and joining the Customs Union does not restrain, but,
unfortunately, accelerates its oncoming. The President of Armenia
stated in Moscow that he has made a decision to join the Customs
Union taking both the international community and his own society by
surprise. I think that the Armenian society has a right to request to
reveal the grounds of such decision, whether necessary constitutional,
legal and procedural requirements were maintained when making such
strategic decisions: researches, public and inter-agency discussions,
motions, opinions, parliamentary hearings. If not, then it is necessary
to examine the constitutionality of the decision, and also whether
the President has not exceeded his official powers by declaring a
decision, in which he has autocratic right to it. This is, I think,
one of the main ways, with which the Armenian community can pursue
at least partially neutralizing the effects of what happened, both
up to Vilnius and beyond, forcing that the discussion of the issue
is not considered closed, but transferred to the Parliament and the
Constitutional court. The problem so far is reversible, and, I hope
that Armenia has not yet said its last word here. Emma GABRIELYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2013/09/11/161562/
From: Baghdasarian