Prime News Agency, Georgia
March 23 2006
Outlooks For Armenian-Russian Relations
Tbilisi. March 23 (Prime-News) – Present Russian-Armenian relations
were the subject of discussion at the meeting of the Armenian
politicians in the National Media Press Club in Yerevan, Noyan Tapan
says.
The key differences in the Armenian-Russian relations were crave of
Armenia for democracy and intention of the government of Russia to
maintain authoritarian rules in the post soviet countries, Shavarsh
Kocharian, Chairman of the National Democratic Party of Armenia said.
According to him, the Russian party is dissatisfied with the decision
of Armenia to be affiliated to the European Union and is looking for
the controllable puppet regime, similar to one in Byelorussia.
Shavarsh Kocharian says that emotions prevail in majority of social,
as well as political issues in the Armenian-Russian relations.
For example, by 1993, during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Russia
sent Azerbaijan 2 more tanks, 2,5 more armored vehicles, 1,5 more
100-plus gauge artillery, 2 more assault helicopters than usual and
53 jet fighters, while Armenia was sent nothing.
Besides, there were no Russian servicemen fighting on the Armenian
side during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while the Russian troops
were taking part in the Azerbaijani military operations, Shavarsh
Kocharian claimed.
According to him, suggestion that Armenia was the key military
partner for Russia in the region was a fraud; the radio substation in
Gabalin (Azerbaijan) was several ten times important than the Russian
military bases deployed in Armenia or Georgia.
However, Arman Manukian, member of the managerial group of the
all-national movement of Armenia stressed positive contribution of
the Russian party in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
He spoke about that time political and diplomatic support by Russia
and present lack in the conflict resolution.
`Our strategic partners or member-states of the international
organizations that were doing nothing or were supporting us during
the hostilities, now accuse us of aggression and occupational war.
But it is all because of the present government of Armenia’, Arman
Manukian said.
Moreover, he assured that there were no future prospects for better
relation with Russia.
According to him, growing Russian influence on all branches in
Armenia was a result of `inefficiency and loyalty’ of the Armenian
government.
`Age-old armament it to be transferred from Georgia to Armenia, and
the latter is not even asked its opinion’, Arman Manukian said.
On the other hand Ovanes Ovsanian, Chairman of the Liberal
Progressive party said that the Armenian-Russian relations have not
been developing normally for quite a long time.
`It is evident that the strong Armenian-Russian strategic partnership
was a formality and Russia gloriously continues traditions of the
USSR’, he said.
In particular he expressed his anxiety about the fact that Russian
possesses 80% of energy units in Armenia that surprises even the
Russian politicians; `no country may give up its sovereignty’, they
say.
Arman Karapetian, Chairman of the New Party claimed that the next
government of Armenia will be more close to Russia with regard to
energy, transit routes via Georgia and inflow of the Russian
investments.
Kiro Manoian, Chairman of the Political Committee said that there
were certain positive changes in the Russian-Armenian relations with
regard to defense and energy, however `Russia reminds of old style of
relations and it is unacceptable’.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress