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IMITATION OR THREAT TO RUSSIA?- OPINIONS ON GEORGIAN-TURKISH-AZERBAIJANI TALKS
11:10 * 22.08.14
A closer partnership among Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan is likely to
be directed against Armenia at any moment, a former parliament member
has said, commenting on the three countries' recent ministerial-level
talks in Nakicevan.
"in case the Georgian transport route, which serves to carry goods
to Armenia, is closed, we will find ourselves in quite a difficult
situation," Vardan Khachatryan told Tert.am.
The Georgian, Turkish and Azerbaijani defense ministers met in
Nakicevan on Wednesday to discuss cooperation plans. The agreed
mutually that a deeper partnership among states would be directed
to national security in the defense sector in future. "Against the
backdrop of the existing challenges and the security risks in the
region, we must commit ourselves to a closer cooperation," Georgian
Defense Minister Irakli Alasania told his counterparts.
Khachatryan said he sees that Turkey exercises a strong influence on
Georgia. "A large part of Georgia's economy is under Turkey's control.
>From this point of view, their desire to join NATO with rapid efforts
is linked to the fact that Turkey is going to be their elder brother
in the alliance," he noted.
Khachatryan said he nonetheless hopes that Georgia will take sides
with Armenia, opposing to the existing alliance. "We should not count
on the Georgians as a brother nation; they will act in the interests
of Armenia, as they have done many times before," he added.
Commenting on Russia's position, the former lawmaker said that
he doesn't think the country would derive any benefits in case of
abandoning Armenia. "Should Russia surrender its strategic ally, it
will split up, as the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]
will stop operating then. Nobody will believe it has influence in
the world, whereas the CSTO considers itself a challenger of NATO,"
he added.
Hayk Sanosyan, a former Republican lawmaker from Georgia's Armenian
populated region of Javakhk, said he doesn't think the agreements
reached during the ministerial talks pose any threat at all. "Their
closer relations cannot pose any hazard to us as Georgia is our
friend," he said, noting that the country traditionally maintains
close economic ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
"I think it was Turkey's initiative to hold the meeting in Nakicevan.
And I believe that the proactive step by Turkey was directed against
Russia in an attempt to demonstrate that they hold dominant positions
in the region. It was an imitation, so I don't treat it seriously;
it is not a threat," he said.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/08/22/vkhachatryan-hsanosyan-hchaqryan/
11:10 * 22.08.14
A closer partnership among Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan is likely to
be directed against Armenia at any moment, a former parliament member
has said, commenting on the three countries' recent ministerial-level
talks in Nakicevan.
"in case the Georgian transport route, which serves to carry goods
to Armenia, is closed, we will find ourselves in quite a difficult
situation," Vardan Khachatryan told Tert.am.
The Georgian, Turkish and Azerbaijani defense ministers met in
Nakicevan on Wednesday to discuss cooperation plans. The agreed
mutually that a deeper partnership among states would be directed
to national security in the defense sector in future. "Against the
backdrop of the existing challenges and the security risks in the
region, we must commit ourselves to a closer cooperation," Georgian
Defense Minister Irakli Alasania told his counterparts.
Khachatryan said he sees that Turkey exercises a strong influence on
Georgia. "A large part of Georgia's economy is under Turkey's control.
>From this point of view, their desire to join NATO with rapid efforts
is linked to the fact that Turkey is going to be their elder brother
in the alliance," he noted.
Khachatryan said he nonetheless hopes that Georgia will take sides
with Armenia, opposing to the existing alliance. "We should not count
on the Georgians as a brother nation; they will act in the interests
of Armenia, as they have done many times before," he added.
Commenting on Russia's position, the former lawmaker said that
he doesn't think the country would derive any benefits in case of
abandoning Armenia. "Should Russia surrender its strategic ally, it
will split up, as the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]
will stop operating then. Nobody will believe it has influence in
the world, whereas the CSTO considers itself a challenger of NATO,"
he added.
Hayk Sanosyan, a former Republican lawmaker from Georgia's Armenian
populated region of Javakhk, said he doesn't think the agreements
reached during the ministerial talks pose any threat at all. "Their
closer relations cannot pose any hazard to us as Georgia is our
friend," he said, noting that the country traditionally maintains
close economic ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
"I think it was Turkey's initiative to hold the meeting in Nakicevan.
And I believe that the proactive step by Turkey was directed against
Russia in an attempt to demonstrate that they hold dominant positions
in the region. It was an imitation, so I don't treat it seriously;
it is not a threat," he said.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/08/22/vkhachatryan-hsanosyan-hchaqryan/