Tweet
SAAKASHVILI'S UN SPEECH WAS POLITICAL MISTAKE - OPINIONS
21:16 26.09.13
The Georgian president's remarks on the Armenian-Azerbaijani tension
over Nagorno-Karabakh are not his first attempt to interfere in the
domestic affairs of Armenia, a political analyst has said, commenting
on Mikheil Saakahvili's recent speech at the UN General Assembly.
"That's, first of all, none of his business. Besides, there have never
been normal comments by Saakashvili. He has the right to deliver a
speech, but he is supposed to address the problems in Georgia instead
of bringing examples from other countries. I consider this a political
and human mistake," Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told Tert.am.
The expert said the Armenian Foreign Ministry has to give a mild
rebuke to Saakashvili, who has several times before tried to resolve
the problems in his country by citing Armenia as an example.
"Deprived of power at home, he tries to create a worldwide image of
a geopolitical figure or at least - a Transcaucasian leader," he said.
In his speech at the General Assembly's 68th ssession, Saakashvili
slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin's Eurasian Union plan,
considering it an attempt 'to reclaim bygone borders'.
"Armenia has been cornered, and forced to sign on to the Customs
Union which is not in this nation's interest or in the interest of our
region, Moldova is being blockaded, Ukraine is under attack, Azerbaijan
faces extraordinary pressure, and Georgia is occupied...Why? Because
an old Empire is trying to reclaim its bygone borders. And 'borders'
is actually not the right word, since this Empire - be it the Russian
Empire, the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation, or the Eurasian
Union - never had borders. It only had margins. I came today to speak
in the name of these margined," said the Georgian leader.
The Armenian expert disagreed to Saakashvili's remark that Russia has
cornered Armenia. According to him, the real situation demonstrates
the contrary process.
"In the process launched since September 3 [when President Serzh
Sargsyan made the landmark statement about the Customs Union
membership], Armenia is in the role of an equal partner, if not the
dictating side. But it is possible to agree, to a certain extent,
to the opinion that Russia will not let Armenia celebrate a decisive
victory over Azerbaijan, or vice versa," Melik-Shahnazaryan noted.
"Our tense relations with Azerbaijan are somewhat convenient to third
states because without peace in the region, different geopolitical
forces are given the chance of getting involved in the ongoing
political processes."
The political analyst Manvel Sargsyan also agreed to the remark.
"Conflicts aim to create levers of influence," he told our
correspondent.
As for Saakashvili's speech, he said it wasn't absolutely surprising
given that a number of countries seek very often to attribute the
problems in and around Europe to Russia.
"This is a concept which is quite widespread. What we see in Russia
is the opposite concept: they link all their grieves and concerns to
Europe and the West. This concept is pursued by different countriies.
The situation around the world is much more complicated, as a matter
of fact as there are bigger problems which are never discussed."
Sargsyan said it is very primitive to agree to Saakashvili's remark
that "an old Empire is trying to reclaim its bygone borders". As for
Armenia, he said the country has to have concepts of its own not to be
"driven to a corner".
"If it does not have a definite position and tries to gain advantages
from different international hustles and bustles, it will be driven
to one corner today and another tomorrow. Have the problems facing
the country ever been raised in Armenia to make a decision-making
possible? There is absolutely nothing of the kind; this is why they
all the time look here and there, making the decision that matches
the authorities' interests at the given moment," said the expert.
Armenian News - Tert.am
21:16 26.09.13
The Georgian president's remarks on the Armenian-Azerbaijani tension
over Nagorno-Karabakh are not his first attempt to interfere in the
domestic affairs of Armenia, a political analyst has said, commenting
on Mikheil Saakahvili's recent speech at the UN General Assembly.
"That's, first of all, none of his business. Besides, there have never
been normal comments by Saakashvili. He has the right to deliver a
speech, but he is supposed to address the problems in Georgia instead
of bringing examples from other countries. I consider this a political
and human mistake," Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told Tert.am.
The expert said the Armenian Foreign Ministry has to give a mild
rebuke to Saakashvili, who has several times before tried to resolve
the problems in his country by citing Armenia as an example.
"Deprived of power at home, he tries to create a worldwide image of
a geopolitical figure or at least - a Transcaucasian leader," he said.
In his speech at the General Assembly's 68th ssession, Saakashvili
slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin's Eurasian Union plan,
considering it an attempt 'to reclaim bygone borders'.
"Armenia has been cornered, and forced to sign on to the Customs
Union which is not in this nation's interest or in the interest of our
region, Moldova is being blockaded, Ukraine is under attack, Azerbaijan
faces extraordinary pressure, and Georgia is occupied...Why? Because
an old Empire is trying to reclaim its bygone borders. And 'borders'
is actually not the right word, since this Empire - be it the Russian
Empire, the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation, or the Eurasian
Union - never had borders. It only had margins. I came today to speak
in the name of these margined," said the Georgian leader.
The Armenian expert disagreed to Saakashvili's remark that Russia has
cornered Armenia. According to him, the real situation demonstrates
the contrary process.
"In the process launched since September 3 [when President Serzh
Sargsyan made the landmark statement about the Customs Union
membership], Armenia is in the role of an equal partner, if not the
dictating side. But it is possible to agree, to a certain extent,
to the opinion that Russia will not let Armenia celebrate a decisive
victory over Azerbaijan, or vice versa," Melik-Shahnazaryan noted.
"Our tense relations with Azerbaijan are somewhat convenient to third
states because without peace in the region, different geopolitical
forces are given the chance of getting involved in the ongoing
political processes."
The political analyst Manvel Sargsyan also agreed to the remark.
"Conflicts aim to create levers of influence," he told our
correspondent.
As for Saakashvili's speech, he said it wasn't absolutely surprising
given that a number of countries seek very often to attribute the
problems in and around Europe to Russia.
"This is a concept which is quite widespread. What we see in Russia
is the opposite concept: they link all their grieves and concerns to
Europe and the West. This concept is pursued by different countriies.
The situation around the world is much more complicated, as a matter
of fact as there are bigger problems which are never discussed."
Sargsyan said it is very primitive to agree to Saakashvili's remark
that "an old Empire is trying to reclaim its bygone borders". As for
Armenia, he said the country has to have concepts of its own not to be
"driven to a corner".
"If it does not have a definite position and tries to gain advantages
from different international hustles and bustles, it will be driven
to one corner today and another tomorrow. Have the problems facing
the country ever been raised in Armenia to make a decision-making
possible? There is absolutely nothing of the kind; this is why they
all the time look here and there, making the decision that matches
the authorities' interests at the given moment," said the expert.
Armenian News - Tert.am