PRO-RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ADVERTISE THE IDEA OF ‘CONFEDERATION UNION’ WITH MOSCOW

Armenpress
Apr 27 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, ARMENPRESS: Leader of an opposition party that never
made a secret of his very close Russian connections, argued today in
favor of furthering Armenia’s ties with Russia, up to foundation of
what he described as ‘a confederation union.”

Aram Karapetian, the leader of Nor Zhamanakner (New Times) party,
called actually for a partial revival of the former Soviet Union
saying the confederation he meant could be built on the basis
of Russia-Belarus union together with Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan,
Kazakhstan and Armenia. Karapetian’s arguments were that Armenia
could not all alone to ensure its national and energy security and
restore communications routes. But he added that no political leader
of Armenia should ever deny the need for maintaining good relations
with the United States.

Karapetian also spoke about the latest efforts to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict saying Washington’s desire to deploy
international peacekeeping troops between Armenian and Azeri troops
was obvious, but he said Russia and Iran are against it. According
to him, Armenia should pursue a neutral foreign policy to avoid a
negative reaction of other countries.