DOES SERZH SARGSYAN HAVE THE COURAGE TO TELL DIRECTLY TO PUTIN THAT ARMENIAN PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED?
July 12 2014
In his interview to Argentine La Nacion newspaper, referring to
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the President Serzh Sargsyan, on his
official visit to Argentina, has said that the Armenian the people are
very concerned that Armenia's strategic ally, Russia, sells weapons
to Azerbaijan. To the question of Aravot.am whether you can tell that
Serzh Sargsyan rebukes Putin in the 3rd country for selling weapons
to Azerbaijan, the political scientist Yervand Bozoyan responded,
"Given that this concern exists in the society, it was very illogical
that this concern was not presented at the state level. When your
strategic ally sells that much arms and ammunition to your opponent,
and let's recall that according to the agreement, Russia has pledged
to provide Azerbaijan with more than 700 million dollars in arms and
military equipment, and it has another more than 4 billion dollars
agreement to establish a military-industrial complex in Azerbaijan. It
is clear that there was a dead silence by the state instances, and
Serzh Sargsyan could not but respond. He had to respond." To our
question of whether in his opinion, Serzh Sargsyan has the courage
to say directly to Putin about Armenian people's concern, Yervand
Bozoyan replied, "If Serzh Sargsyan honestly considers that he is
correct, he can directly say to Putin. But, since he understands that
his fault is also there, Putin may reverse. He will say, hey, boy,
for 2 years we were telling you to stop humiliating us in front of
the West, you were taking us by the path of humiliation, we were
explaining, but you were not perceiving the situation. Since he
knows that he would get this answer, he will never say it." To the
question of whether this statement may have a negative impact on the
relations between him and Vladimir Putin, Yervand Bozoyan replied,
"If we move on by the logic that Putin may get offended, then there
should be no response at all from Armenia to Russia. Countries build
their relationships not based on the fact that Putin may get offended
or not. And won't Armenians get offended that Putin sells that such
weapon to Azerbaijan? This is not a category to get offended. This
is a category of politics, which shows that Armenia's foreign policy
just does not know what to do when it loses its allies in the West,
it does not also have confidence in its strategic ally."
To our question of whether Putin will respond to Serzh Sargsyan's this
"rebuke" or will ignore, Yervand Bozoyan replied, "Putin is still
surprised why until not there has been no such respond in Armenia's
official position. It is almost like when you have a brother in the
family and a strategic enemy, and the enemy comes and constantly
enters into business with your own brother, you feel that you are
facing danger, but you say nothing to your own brother, your family
member. It would be an abnormality in everyday life, wouldn't it?
Whereas, everyday life and international relations are alike. In this
event, it is illogical that there was no response from Armenia. And
this is in the case when Russia has signed these agreements with
Azerbaijan in 2013, August. Since August until now, almost one
year, there was no response made. And, let's recall the past, when
Azerbaijan was getting only a few secondary class arms and ammunition,
what tough reactions were heard from the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.
But now, not only ordinary tanks but rocket complexes are sold, which
is very dangerous for us. It is basically an offensive weapon, which
is a serious threat to us." To our observation that the Republican
party MPs are always mitigating the issue saying that Russia also
sells weapons to us, so what, Yervand Bozoyan replied, "Russia has
always sold weapons to Azerbaijan; to Armenia - on preferential
conditions, to Azerbaijan - at market prices. But he has never sold
offensive weapons, especially rocket complexes, which is localized
to the peculiarities of our region. Armenia's political elite and the
government should be concerned about this. Serzh Sargsyan's response
is late. The Armenian community should ask, why such a situation has
been created? What is changed that Russia dramatically changed its
relations with Azerbaijan? If I explain this only by the business
interest, it would be just insane. There is a deep suspicion of
Armenia in Russia, for the last 2-3 years, Armenia was leading a
policy that was irritating Moscow. The RA authorities and pro-Western
circles were proud that Armenia is a few steps ahead of Azerbaijan
with regard to the moves to EU Association Agreement. As a result,
Russia obtained non-confidence in Armenia. First of all, it raised
the gas price in secret negotiations, accumulated 300 million debt,
plus, it was getting ready for the 4-billion-dollar contract. All are
guilty, the mass media and the editors, who were praising the process
of signing the EU Association Agreement. Serzh Sargsyan is not the only
one to blame; he will not become a scapegoat. A person like Shavarsh
Kocharyan was saying it a business transaction, trying to oppose Moscow
that if they are doing business, we also have the right to do so. Well,
let them go and assess Shavarsh Kocharyan and the pro-Western circles,
who were leading this line. With their estimates, they cased a great
damage on Armenia. Let them do not behave coward and say that only
Serzh Sargsyan is to blame. As a result, our enemy has strategic
rockets, the equivalent of which, at the moment, we do not have."
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/07/12/166007/
From: Baghdasarian
July 12 2014
In his interview to Argentine La Nacion newspaper, referring to
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the President Serzh Sargsyan, on his
official visit to Argentina, has said that the Armenian the people are
very concerned that Armenia's strategic ally, Russia, sells weapons
to Azerbaijan. To the question of Aravot.am whether you can tell that
Serzh Sargsyan rebukes Putin in the 3rd country for selling weapons
to Azerbaijan, the political scientist Yervand Bozoyan responded,
"Given that this concern exists in the society, it was very illogical
that this concern was not presented at the state level. When your
strategic ally sells that much arms and ammunition to your opponent,
and let's recall that according to the agreement, Russia has pledged
to provide Azerbaijan with more than 700 million dollars in arms and
military equipment, and it has another more than 4 billion dollars
agreement to establish a military-industrial complex in Azerbaijan. It
is clear that there was a dead silence by the state instances, and
Serzh Sargsyan could not but respond. He had to respond." To our
question of whether in his opinion, Serzh Sargsyan has the courage
to say directly to Putin about Armenian people's concern, Yervand
Bozoyan replied, "If Serzh Sargsyan honestly considers that he is
correct, he can directly say to Putin. But, since he understands that
his fault is also there, Putin may reverse. He will say, hey, boy,
for 2 years we were telling you to stop humiliating us in front of
the West, you were taking us by the path of humiliation, we were
explaining, but you were not perceiving the situation. Since he
knows that he would get this answer, he will never say it." To the
question of whether this statement may have a negative impact on the
relations between him and Vladimir Putin, Yervand Bozoyan replied,
"If we move on by the logic that Putin may get offended, then there
should be no response at all from Armenia to Russia. Countries build
their relationships not based on the fact that Putin may get offended
or not. And won't Armenians get offended that Putin sells that such
weapon to Azerbaijan? This is not a category to get offended. This
is a category of politics, which shows that Armenia's foreign policy
just does not know what to do when it loses its allies in the West,
it does not also have confidence in its strategic ally."
To our question of whether Putin will respond to Serzh Sargsyan's this
"rebuke" or will ignore, Yervand Bozoyan replied, "Putin is still
surprised why until not there has been no such respond in Armenia's
official position. It is almost like when you have a brother in the
family and a strategic enemy, and the enemy comes and constantly
enters into business with your own brother, you feel that you are
facing danger, but you say nothing to your own brother, your family
member. It would be an abnormality in everyday life, wouldn't it?
Whereas, everyday life and international relations are alike. In this
event, it is illogical that there was no response from Armenia. And
this is in the case when Russia has signed these agreements with
Azerbaijan in 2013, August. Since August until now, almost one
year, there was no response made. And, let's recall the past, when
Azerbaijan was getting only a few secondary class arms and ammunition,
what tough reactions were heard from the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.
But now, not only ordinary tanks but rocket complexes are sold, which
is very dangerous for us. It is basically an offensive weapon, which
is a serious threat to us." To our observation that the Republican
party MPs are always mitigating the issue saying that Russia also
sells weapons to us, so what, Yervand Bozoyan replied, "Russia has
always sold weapons to Azerbaijan; to Armenia - on preferential
conditions, to Azerbaijan - at market prices. But he has never sold
offensive weapons, especially rocket complexes, which is localized
to the peculiarities of our region. Armenia's political elite and the
government should be concerned about this. Serzh Sargsyan's response
is late. The Armenian community should ask, why such a situation has
been created? What is changed that Russia dramatically changed its
relations with Azerbaijan? If I explain this only by the business
interest, it would be just insane. There is a deep suspicion of
Armenia in Russia, for the last 2-3 years, Armenia was leading a
policy that was irritating Moscow. The RA authorities and pro-Western
circles were proud that Armenia is a few steps ahead of Azerbaijan
with regard to the moves to EU Association Agreement. As a result,
Russia obtained non-confidence in Armenia. First of all, it raised
the gas price in secret negotiations, accumulated 300 million debt,
plus, it was getting ready for the 4-billion-dollar contract. All are
guilty, the mass media and the editors, who were praising the process
of signing the EU Association Agreement. Serzh Sargsyan is not the only
one to blame; he will not become a scapegoat. A person like Shavarsh
Kocharyan was saying it a business transaction, trying to oppose Moscow
that if they are doing business, we also have the right to do so. Well,
let them go and assess Shavarsh Kocharyan and the pro-Western circles,
who were leading this line. With their estimates, they cased a great
damage on Armenia. Let them do not behave coward and say that only
Serzh Sargsyan is to blame. As a result, our enemy has strategic
rockets, the equivalent of which, at the moment, we do not have."
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/07/12/166007/
From: Baghdasarian