Armenpress
ARMENIAN POLITICIANS REVIEW RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA
YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: Hovhannes
Hovhanessian, the leader of pro-western Liberal
Progressive party, said Armenia should move away from
its strategic partner Russia and exercise more efforts
for rapprochement with Europe.
Speaking at a gathering that was convened to look
into the prospects for Russian-Armenian ties in
future, Hovhanessian cited a string of Russia’s
Putin’s actions to argue that he was striving to
restore what once was called the Russian empire. But
Aram Karapetian, the leader of pro-Russian Nor
Zhamanakner (New Times) party fought back by saying
Armenia should further increase its ties with Russia,
because “Russia has been and will be the most reliable
partner of Armenia.”
Shavarsh Kocharian from the opposition Ardarutyun
(Justice) alliance said Armenia’s sole path is
democracy and European integration. He said Armenia
should reevaluate the situation in Russia and shift to
pragmatic policy. Kiro Manoyan from the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) argued that Armenia
should boost its ties with its strategic partner
concurrently with consolidating its own security.