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PUTIN'S DANGEROUS VISIT TO ARMENIA
Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 19 March 2015, 14:59
During the time when the Russian president Vladimir Putin was
underground his only communication with the outer world was his
telephone conversation with Serzh Sargsyan during which Putin actually
threatened Armenia. Provided his 2 December 2013 visit to Armenia,
his announcement to visit Armenia on April 24 is but a threat.
The official press release on the telephone talk stated that Putin and
Sargsyan talked about their joint participation in the celebrations
of the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide and the celebration of the
70th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War and agreed
on the schedule. And Putin's press secretary Peskov announced that
Putin had told Serzh Sargsyan about visiting Armenia on April 24.
Let's hope that Sargsyan talked to the answering machine, not Putin.
April 24 and the centenary of the Armenian Genocide have created a
unique international climate. Erdogan's decision to celebrate the
anniversary of the battle in Gallipoli on the same day in Ankara has
added an intrigue to this climate, particularly in regard to Russia.
Many wondered where Putin praising the Russian-Turkish relations
since Ataturk would go, Yerevan or Ankara.
The fact that Putin will come to Yerevan on April 24 does not rule
out a trip to Ankara. Putin could leave Yerevan for Ankara or first
go to Ankara, then Yerevan. He has promised to visit Yerevan, while
his trip to Ankara remains open, at least so far.
And the question became important not only in the context that Russia
still remains Armenia's strategic partner and friend, but also in
the context of Moscow's efforts for closer strategic relations with
Turkey, the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem and has a real alliance and
agenda with these countries.
In this context, Putin's visit to Yerevan could be and most probably
will be part of that agenda. In other words, the Russian president
will not only prefer Armenia to Turkey and will visit Yerevan but
his visit will be just another step for the regional and geopolitical
interests of Russia, to assert who rules in the territory.
Last time, after a long pause Putin arrived in Armenia on 2 December
2013, and the first place he visited was not an institution symbolizing
the Armenian state but the 102nd military base located in Gyumri. Putin
announced that Russia will never leave this place, thereby establishing
that Armenia is not a partner or ally to Russia but a territory where
Russian weapons are located.
The following actions of Russia asserted Putin's position and
approach, encouraging, for example, Azerbaijan's military provocations
against Armenia and defined the price for preventing them - de jure
establishment of the Russian presence at the eastern border of Armenia
and Artsakh.
In this context, most probably, Armenia will pay a high price for
Putin's visit to Yerevan on April 24. Perhaps, it would be better if
Putin did not arrive in Yerevan at all. Lavrov of Armenian origin
could come, for example. Or let nobody come at all. It will not be
perceived as betrayal of an ally or friend, abandoning of an ally.
In this regard, Armenia has rid of illusions thanks to Russia's policy,
and nobody will notice the absence of Putin in Armenia on April 24
or will notice with evident thankfulness.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/33794#sthash.nPjRAbkX.dpuf
Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 19 March 2015, 14:59
During the time when the Russian president Vladimir Putin was
underground his only communication with the outer world was his
telephone conversation with Serzh Sargsyan during which Putin actually
threatened Armenia. Provided his 2 December 2013 visit to Armenia,
his announcement to visit Armenia on April 24 is but a threat.
The official press release on the telephone talk stated that Putin and
Sargsyan talked about their joint participation in the celebrations
of the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide and the celebration of the
70th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War and agreed
on the schedule. And Putin's press secretary Peskov announced that
Putin had told Serzh Sargsyan about visiting Armenia on April 24.
Let's hope that Sargsyan talked to the answering machine, not Putin.
April 24 and the centenary of the Armenian Genocide have created a
unique international climate. Erdogan's decision to celebrate the
anniversary of the battle in Gallipoli on the same day in Ankara has
added an intrigue to this climate, particularly in regard to Russia.
Many wondered where Putin praising the Russian-Turkish relations
since Ataturk would go, Yerevan or Ankara.
The fact that Putin will come to Yerevan on April 24 does not rule
out a trip to Ankara. Putin could leave Yerevan for Ankara or first
go to Ankara, then Yerevan. He has promised to visit Yerevan, while
his trip to Ankara remains open, at least so far.
And the question became important not only in the context that Russia
still remains Armenia's strategic partner and friend, but also in
the context of Moscow's efforts for closer strategic relations with
Turkey, the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem and has a real alliance and
agenda with these countries.
In this context, Putin's visit to Yerevan could be and most probably
will be part of that agenda. In other words, the Russian president
will not only prefer Armenia to Turkey and will visit Yerevan but
his visit will be just another step for the regional and geopolitical
interests of Russia, to assert who rules in the territory.
Last time, after a long pause Putin arrived in Armenia on 2 December
2013, and the first place he visited was not an institution symbolizing
the Armenian state but the 102nd military base located in Gyumri. Putin
announced that Russia will never leave this place, thereby establishing
that Armenia is not a partner or ally to Russia but a territory where
Russian weapons are located.
The following actions of Russia asserted Putin's position and
approach, encouraging, for example, Azerbaijan's military provocations
against Armenia and defined the price for preventing them - de jure
establishment of the Russian presence at the eastern border of Armenia
and Artsakh.
In this context, most probably, Armenia will pay a high price for
Putin's visit to Yerevan on April 24. Perhaps, it would be better if
Putin did not arrive in Yerevan at all. Lavrov of Armenian origin
could come, for example. Or let nobody come at all. It will not be
perceived as betrayal of an ally or friend, abandoning of an ally.
In this regard, Armenia has rid of illusions thanks to Russia's policy,
and nobody will notice the absence of Putin in Armenia on April 24
or will notice with evident thankfulness.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/33794#sthash.nPjRAbkX.dpuf