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WHY IS SERZH SARGSYAN WORRIED?
July 15 2014
Is Russia again solving its problems at the expense of Armenian
territories? "I find it a very late, but necessary statement,"
said the NA National Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs
Standing Committee member, Khachatur Kokobelyan, in the conversation
with "Aravot," referring to the President Serzh Sargsyan's recent
statement. Recall, during his visit to Latin America, particularly
in his interview to Argentine ClarÃn newspaper, and then at the
meeting with the Armenian community of Argentina, President Sargsyan,
referring to issue of selling arms to Azerbaijan by Russia, has said,
"It is a very painful matter for us, and our people are very concerned
that our strategic ally is selling weapons to Azerbaijan." Despite
everything, the NA opposition MP welcomes the president's statement.
However, he believes that the president should not only voice this
issue, but also as demanding and representing the Republic of Armenia
in this specific case, is obligated to demand Russian authorities to
promptly cease the process of equipping Azerbaijan and "at least a
proper explanation about how it happens". Khachatur Kokobelyan notes
that all citizens and politicians concerned about the future of Armenia
are already voicing this issue for a year and point out that it is a
violation of the 1997 Armenian-Russian friendship treaty, which the
first President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, called "the agreement
of the century". Pursuant to the third paragraph of the agreement,
the parties are committed to contribute to peacemaking with their
own resources. "It is obvious that equipping Azerbaijan, which is
not even a SCTO member, RF does not contribute to establishment of
peace in the region. In fact, Russia is also one of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs," said our interlocutor, adding that obviously we
are dealing with breaching of interstate important treaty, therefore,
to be contented only with the fact that the president would say, it
is so painful, we have concern that the Russian side sells weapons,
is not enough. Moreover, Khachatur Kokobelyan believes that after the
president's statement, the RA Foreign Ministry at least should have
sent a note to Russia and presented the response to the public. It has
been a long time that Russia equips Azerbaijan, while the official
Yerevan is worried now. To our question of what the time-period is
due to, Khachatur Kokobelyan reminded that the international centers
exercising buy-and-sale control of weapons by the states, namely,
the Swedish Center, recently, has stated that in Europe, at least by
the volume of arms' purchase, Azerbaijan yields only to Great Britain.
Azerbaijan purchases the 80 percent of this munitions and military
equipment from RF. The second place among the countries selling
weapons to Azerbaijan ranks Belarus, which is also one of the
founding members of yet to be established Customs Union and the
EEU. "Russia and Belarus have not and do not take the interests
of Armenia into consideration," says the NA opposition MP, adding
that selling weapons to Azerbaijan, these countries are guided by
exclusively their own economic and political interests. "The anxiety,
which is expressed by RA authorities today, of course, is normal and
not new. But, the anxiety on the borders and generally in the region
has compelled to voice them. In addition, I strongly believe that
Russian and Azerbaijani authorities, today, are leading rather an
active political and economic trade. The vivid proof of it are their
diplomatic and governmental meetings and relations, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Baku and subsequent statements. Also,
today, we witness discussions in the Azerbaijan press, still at the
level of expertise, which voices that if Russia could ensure return
of the three districts, then Azerbaijan will consider the issue of
membership to EEU. In this regard, I think, the RA authorities are in
a panic," said Khachatur Kokobelyan. The leader of NA RPA faction,
Vahram Baghdasaryan, responding to Aravot's observation of whether
the president's statement was a proof that the official Yerevan
does not anymore trust its strategic ally, expressed outrage. "There
is no problem of not trusting or something else. The president has
ratified the fact. It is a very normal statement. Why are you looking
for reading in-between the lines? What is the distrust here? Doesn't
Russia sell weapons to Azerbaijan? It does". To the next observation
that so far the RA government was not displaying any visible signs
of anxiety, moreover, the RA defense minister repeatedly stated that
it is a business that does not harm the Armenian-Russian strategic
partnership, Vahram Baghdasaryan urged upon, "We are not worried, we
just state that there is such a thing." The RPA MP does not condition
President Sargsyan's statement with protraction of signing the EEU
document. "There is no protraction problem. Be patient and you will
witness everything in the near future."
NELLY GRIGORYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/07/15/166037/
July 15 2014
Is Russia again solving its problems at the expense of Armenian
territories? "I find it a very late, but necessary statement,"
said the NA National Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs
Standing Committee member, Khachatur Kokobelyan, in the conversation
with "Aravot," referring to the President Serzh Sargsyan's recent
statement. Recall, during his visit to Latin America, particularly
in his interview to Argentine ClarÃn newspaper, and then at the
meeting with the Armenian community of Argentina, President Sargsyan,
referring to issue of selling arms to Azerbaijan by Russia, has said,
"It is a very painful matter for us, and our people are very concerned
that our strategic ally is selling weapons to Azerbaijan." Despite
everything, the NA opposition MP welcomes the president's statement.
However, he believes that the president should not only voice this
issue, but also as demanding and representing the Republic of Armenia
in this specific case, is obligated to demand Russian authorities to
promptly cease the process of equipping Azerbaijan and "at least a
proper explanation about how it happens". Khachatur Kokobelyan notes
that all citizens and politicians concerned about the future of Armenia
are already voicing this issue for a year and point out that it is a
violation of the 1997 Armenian-Russian friendship treaty, which the
first President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, called "the agreement
of the century". Pursuant to the third paragraph of the agreement,
the parties are committed to contribute to peacemaking with their
own resources. "It is obvious that equipping Azerbaijan, which is
not even a SCTO member, RF does not contribute to establishment of
peace in the region. In fact, Russia is also one of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs," said our interlocutor, adding that obviously we
are dealing with breaching of interstate important treaty, therefore,
to be contented only with the fact that the president would say, it
is so painful, we have concern that the Russian side sells weapons,
is not enough. Moreover, Khachatur Kokobelyan believes that after the
president's statement, the RA Foreign Ministry at least should have
sent a note to Russia and presented the response to the public. It has
been a long time that Russia equips Azerbaijan, while the official
Yerevan is worried now. To our question of what the time-period is
due to, Khachatur Kokobelyan reminded that the international centers
exercising buy-and-sale control of weapons by the states, namely,
the Swedish Center, recently, has stated that in Europe, at least by
the volume of arms' purchase, Azerbaijan yields only to Great Britain.
Azerbaijan purchases the 80 percent of this munitions and military
equipment from RF. The second place among the countries selling
weapons to Azerbaijan ranks Belarus, which is also one of the
founding members of yet to be established Customs Union and the
EEU. "Russia and Belarus have not and do not take the interests
of Armenia into consideration," says the NA opposition MP, adding
that selling weapons to Azerbaijan, these countries are guided by
exclusively their own economic and political interests. "The anxiety,
which is expressed by RA authorities today, of course, is normal and
not new. But, the anxiety on the borders and generally in the region
has compelled to voice them. In addition, I strongly believe that
Russian and Azerbaijani authorities, today, are leading rather an
active political and economic trade. The vivid proof of it are their
diplomatic and governmental meetings and relations, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Baku and subsequent statements. Also,
today, we witness discussions in the Azerbaijan press, still at the
level of expertise, which voices that if Russia could ensure return
of the three districts, then Azerbaijan will consider the issue of
membership to EEU. In this regard, I think, the RA authorities are in
a panic," said Khachatur Kokobelyan. The leader of NA RPA faction,
Vahram Baghdasaryan, responding to Aravot's observation of whether
the president's statement was a proof that the official Yerevan
does not anymore trust its strategic ally, expressed outrage. "There
is no problem of not trusting or something else. The president has
ratified the fact. It is a very normal statement. Why are you looking
for reading in-between the lines? What is the distrust here? Doesn't
Russia sell weapons to Azerbaijan? It does". To the next observation
that so far the RA government was not displaying any visible signs
of anxiety, moreover, the RA defense minister repeatedly stated that
it is a business that does not harm the Armenian-Russian strategic
partnership, Vahram Baghdasaryan urged upon, "We are not worried, we
just state that there is such a thing." The RPA MP does not condition
President Sargsyan's statement with protraction of signing the EEU
document. "There is no protraction problem. Be patient and you will
witness everything in the near future."
NELLY GRIGORYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/07/15/166037/