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WPS Agency, Russia
December 30, 2013 Monday
RUSSIA IN THE CAUCASUS
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, No 285, December 30, 2013, p. 6
PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN VISITED ARMENIA IN EARLY DECEMBER;
Russia means to strengthen its positions in the Caucasus.
Vladimir Putin visited Armenia earlier this month and made a policy
statement there. Putin said that Russia was determined to strengthen
its positions in the Caucasus. It was emphasized as well that Armenia
meant to join the Customs Union. Yerevan's previous hesitation and
plans to sign an agreement of association with the EU had been chalked
off to its economic difficulties.
Expecting a lot from Russia in terms of economic assistance, Yerevan
was understandably frustrated by Moscow's refusal to deliver. So
frustrated in fact that it even began toying with the idea of an
agreement of association with the European Union. This agreement
lacked the military component. Its political component came down to
Armenia's commitment to initiate domestic reforms in return for an
easier visa regime and access to European markets.
President of Armenia Serj Sargsjan visited Putin in Moscow in
September. The announcement that Armenia would join the Customs Union
was made right after the negotiations. What Russia had promised
Armenia in return for the Customs Union membership became known during
Putin's visit to Yerevan.
Russia's ally, Armenia will be entitled to gas and weapons at domestic
Russian prices. Russia will go out of its way to ease Armenia's
membership in the Customs Union, carry out some economic projects in
Armenia, help it with atomic industry, transport sphere, etc.
In a word, Russia hopes to enlist Yerevan's services in its own plans
to strengthen positions in the southern part of the Caucasus. It is
hardly surprising, of course. Azerbaijan is called a friendly state
but Russia never managed to get a permission from it to go on using
the Gabala radar. As for Georgia, the relations with it are no longer
actually hostile but neither they are friendly as yet.
Partially recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Russia's other
allies in this part of the region. As a guarantor of their safety and
regional security in general, Russia is entitled to sizeable military
presence in these self-proclaimed republics. Same thing could be true
of Nagorno-Karabakh... but Russia values its relations with Azerbaijan
too much for that.
It is also necessary to bear in mind the fact that Russia is
intensifying contacts with Tehran. Now that Hassan Rouhani replaced
radical Mahmud Ahmadinejad, doing that is going to be easier. The
geopolitical North-South axis put together by Russia might assume the
following shape - Russia/Armenia/Iran and perhaps even Syria.
[Translated from Russian]
December 30, 2013 Monday
RUSSIA IN THE CAUCASUS
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, No 285, December 30, 2013, p. 6
PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN VISITED ARMENIA IN EARLY DECEMBER;
Russia means to strengthen its positions in the Caucasus.
Vladimir Putin visited Armenia earlier this month and made a policy
statement there. Putin said that Russia was determined to strengthen
its positions in the Caucasus. It was emphasized as well that Armenia
meant to join the Customs Union. Yerevan's previous hesitation and
plans to sign an agreement of association with the EU had been chalked
off to its economic difficulties.
Expecting a lot from Russia in terms of economic assistance, Yerevan
was understandably frustrated by Moscow's refusal to deliver. So
frustrated in fact that it even began toying with the idea of an
agreement of association with the European Union. This agreement
lacked the military component. Its political component came down to
Armenia's commitment to initiate domestic reforms in return for an
easier visa regime and access to European markets.
President of Armenia Serj Sargsjan visited Putin in Moscow in
September. The announcement that Armenia would join the Customs Union
was made right after the negotiations. What Russia had promised
Armenia in return for the Customs Union membership became known during
Putin's visit to Yerevan.
Russia's ally, Armenia will be entitled to gas and weapons at domestic
Russian prices. Russia will go out of its way to ease Armenia's
membership in the Customs Union, carry out some economic projects in
Armenia, help it with atomic industry, transport sphere, etc.
In a word, Russia hopes to enlist Yerevan's services in its own plans
to strengthen positions in the southern part of the Caucasus. It is
hardly surprising, of course. Azerbaijan is called a friendly state
but Russia never managed to get a permission from it to go on using
the Gabala radar. As for Georgia, the relations with it are no longer
actually hostile but neither they are friendly as yet.
Partially recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Russia's other
allies in this part of the region. As a guarantor of their safety and
regional security in general, Russia is entitled to sizeable military
presence in these self-proclaimed republics. Same thing could be true
of Nagorno-Karabakh... but Russia values its relations with Azerbaijan
too much for that.
It is also necessary to bear in mind the fact that Russia is
intensifying contacts with Tehran. Now that Hassan Rouhani replaced
radical Mahmud Ahmadinejad, doing that is going to be easier. The
geopolitical North-South axis put together by Russia might assume the
following shape - Russia/Armenia/Iran and perhaps even Syria.
[Translated from Russian]