ARMENIA MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN INTERESTS IN RUSSIA AND GEORGIA: KONSTANTIN ZATOULIN

Yerevan, October 17. ArmInfo. Armenia cannot constantly maneuver
maintaining friendly relations with all states. There are situations
when it should choose between the interests in Russia and Georgia,
especially as the interests of Armenia and Russia are incomparable
with those of Armenia and Georgia, said Konstantin Zatoulin, member
of the Russian State Duma, in an interview with ArmInfo.

The parliamentarian is dissatisfied with the passive position of
official Yerevan in the tense Russian-Georgian relations. "Has Armenia
tried to support its strategic partner at least once? Has it made
a single statement to Tbilisi calling on it for restraint? I cannot
remember such statement," he said.

He said that Armenia tries to take into consideration the interests
of Georgia even in the Karabakh problem. "It is quite evident that
the approaches to Karabakh, South Ossetic and Abkhazian conflicts
must be identical. However, Armenia constantly tries to isolate
the Karabakh conflict from the above two conflicts in order not
to infringe the interests of Georgia. However, I think Armenia
should not be guided with the interests of Georgia and must not
isolate the Karabakh conflict from the South Ossetic and Abkhazian
ones. It should protect its own interests, first of all. After all,
I am simply surprised at such a position of Armenia with respect to
Georgia. Has Tbilisi ever taken into account the interests of Armenia
when building its relations with Azerbaijan? Never. While, Armenia
still supports the interests of Georgia. I just cannot understand
this," the parliamentarian says with bewilderment. As regards the
ways of settling the Karabakh conflict, K. Zatoulin thinks they in
Russia are impressed with the last developments in Abkhazia, Ossetia
and Transdniestria. A new approach to the unrecognized states is being
formed. This approach must undoubtedly apply to Karabakh conflict as
well. "Russia and the world must define their impartial position in
the Karabakh issue taking into account the reality.

During the last 15 years new generations of unrecognized states have
originated. In case of further devotion to the term ‘unrecognized
states,’ we can not only torpedo the settlement of conflicts, but also
occur in rather an ambiguous situation when terms not reflecting the
reality are used," he says. At the same time, regarding the Karabakh
conflict, Russia is in rather an uneasy situation when it should
maintain good relations with Azerbaijan, in addition.

"However, I’d repeat that Russia must display a similar approach to
the conflicts in Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Karabakh. It is quite
another case if Armenia does not want to draw parallels between these
conflicts," K. Zatoulin said.