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UKRAINE UNREST TO BE GOOD LESSON TO ARMENIA - OPINION
11:13 ~U 27.01.14
In an interview with Tert.am, Chairman of the Helsinki Citizens'
Assembly's Vanadzor Office Artur Sakunts drew comparisons between
the Ukrainian unrest and the situation in Armenia, noting that the
popular movement in the country is an absolutely different process
which must serve as a good lesson for the Armenian civil society and
political forces.
Mr Sakunts, [former Minister of National Security] Davit Shahnazaryan
said in one of his interviews that the continuing campaign in
Ukraine's Maidan is the struggle of all of us, adding that it will
find a reflection in Yerevan. Do you agree to that opinion, and to
what extent do you think it is possible?
What has been going on in Ukraine for around two months is a struggle
against Yanukovich's decision. When Yanukovich announced that Ukraine
is acceding to the [Russian-led] Customs Union, the Ukrainian citizens
considered the decision an encroachment upon their dignity, choice
and future.
The method which [Russian President Vladimir] Putin employed to
persuade or force Yanukovich to give up the idea of signing an
association agreement and join the Custom Union caused an upsurge of
protesting moods in the Ukrainian society. It came to be perceived
as an encroachment against Ukraine's sovereignty, which is also a
sensitive issue. The Ukrainians are sure Putin has an intention to
re-establish Russia's influence on the post-Soviet area. And that's
how Putin thinks.
And the Ukrainian society developed a very acute perception of this.
Obviously, there are bearers of different influences in the Ukrainian
society; in particular, I put the emphasis on the business circles
[whose influence] could have helped prevent such crowded or
long-lasting protests if they accepted Yanukovich's decision.
That is to say, Yanukovich made the political decision about joining
the Customs Union on behalf of himself. And he receives support only
from members of his own party. Having a greater influence on Ukraine's
economy and not agreeing to Yanukovich's decision, the business
representatives in Ukraine seem to be neutral at first sight; but as
a matter of fact, they support the civic rebellion and disobedience.
Oligarchs and tycoons in Ukraine are not in favor of the Customs
Union. This is the real difference between Armenia and Ukraine.
The second essential difference is that there are political forces
in Rada which are against the Customs Union membership. Hence both
business organizations and political forces support the civil society.
The civic campaign in Ukraine is also definitely our campaign against
the Putin regime's expansionist policies known as the Customs Union.
Ukraine's civic campaign against Yanukovich's single-handed decision
is also my campaign against a similar decision by [President]
Serzh Sargsyan.
Our parliament too, has political forces which are against the Customs
Union ...
In our parliament, the [ruling] Republican Party expresses its silent
consent to Serzh Sargsyan's decision. The Prosperous Armenia party has
not absolutely addressed the decision; neither have the [opposition]
Armenian National Congress and the [Armenian Revolutionary Federation-]
Dashnaksutyun. The only parliamentary force which has expressed its
stance on the Customs Union is Heritage; and also the representative
of the Free Democrats party, which has only one mandate.
But it isn't that the parliamentary forces have not been against Serzh
Sargsyan's decision on joining the Customs Union. In their interviews,
the opposition political forces represented in the National Assembly
have repeatedly expressed objections to the Customs Union.
What I mean is the political forces' official stance. See how
[political forces] in Ukraine have clearly expressed their position.
We haven't seen that in Armenia. The non-ruling forces in the National
Assembly have not organized any public event against Serzh Sargsyan's
decision since September 3.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/01/27/saqunts/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
11:13 ~U 27.01.14
In an interview with Tert.am, Chairman of the Helsinki Citizens'
Assembly's Vanadzor Office Artur Sakunts drew comparisons between
the Ukrainian unrest and the situation in Armenia, noting that the
popular movement in the country is an absolutely different process
which must serve as a good lesson for the Armenian civil society and
political forces.
Mr Sakunts, [former Minister of National Security] Davit Shahnazaryan
said in one of his interviews that the continuing campaign in
Ukraine's Maidan is the struggle of all of us, adding that it will
find a reflection in Yerevan. Do you agree to that opinion, and to
what extent do you think it is possible?
What has been going on in Ukraine for around two months is a struggle
against Yanukovich's decision. When Yanukovich announced that Ukraine
is acceding to the [Russian-led] Customs Union, the Ukrainian citizens
considered the decision an encroachment upon their dignity, choice
and future.
The method which [Russian President Vladimir] Putin employed to
persuade or force Yanukovich to give up the idea of signing an
association agreement and join the Custom Union caused an upsurge of
protesting moods in the Ukrainian society. It came to be perceived
as an encroachment against Ukraine's sovereignty, which is also a
sensitive issue. The Ukrainians are sure Putin has an intention to
re-establish Russia's influence on the post-Soviet area. And that's
how Putin thinks.
And the Ukrainian society developed a very acute perception of this.
Obviously, there are bearers of different influences in the Ukrainian
society; in particular, I put the emphasis on the business circles
[whose influence] could have helped prevent such crowded or
long-lasting protests if they accepted Yanukovich's decision.
That is to say, Yanukovich made the political decision about joining
the Customs Union on behalf of himself. And he receives support only
from members of his own party. Having a greater influence on Ukraine's
economy and not agreeing to Yanukovich's decision, the business
representatives in Ukraine seem to be neutral at first sight; but as
a matter of fact, they support the civic rebellion and disobedience.
Oligarchs and tycoons in Ukraine are not in favor of the Customs
Union. This is the real difference between Armenia and Ukraine.
The second essential difference is that there are political forces
in Rada which are against the Customs Union membership. Hence both
business organizations and political forces support the civil society.
The civic campaign in Ukraine is also definitely our campaign against
the Putin regime's expansionist policies known as the Customs Union.
Ukraine's civic campaign against Yanukovich's single-handed decision
is also my campaign against a similar decision by [President]
Serzh Sargsyan.
Our parliament too, has political forces which are against the Customs
Union ...
In our parliament, the [ruling] Republican Party expresses its silent
consent to Serzh Sargsyan's decision. The Prosperous Armenia party has
not absolutely addressed the decision; neither have the [opposition]
Armenian National Congress and the [Armenian Revolutionary Federation-]
Dashnaksutyun. The only parliamentary force which has expressed its
stance on the Customs Union is Heritage; and also the representative
of the Free Democrats party, which has only one mandate.
But it isn't that the parliamentary forces have not been against Serzh
Sargsyan's decision on joining the Customs Union. In their interviews,
the opposition political forces represented in the National Assembly
have repeatedly expressed objections to the Customs Union.
What I mean is the political forces' official stance. See how
[political forces] in Ukraine have clearly expressed their position.
We haven't seen that in Armenia. The non-ruling forces in the National
Assembly have not organized any public event against Serzh Sargsyan's
decision since September 3.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/01/27/saqunts/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress