RICHARD KIRAKOSSIAN: MAJOR OBSTACLE IN ARMENIA’S EURO-INTEGRATION IS EXCESSIVE DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIA
Regnum, Russia
Nov 18 2006
If the elections in Armenia are not conducted in correspondence with
international standards, it will be a reason to strengthen EU relations
with Georgia and Azerbaijan, leaving Armenia behind, US political
analyst Richard Kirakossian said at a news conference on November 18.
As a REGNUM correspondent quotes the analyst as saying, election fraud
can result in breaking the Millennium Challenge program and general
disappointment in Armenia. Such approach, according to Kirakossian,
is stipulated by stricter requirements presented by the international
community to Armenia than to other developing countries. In this
connection, they are more intolerable to fraud in Armenia than in
other countries. If the elections do not meet international norms,
it will be another opportunity lost for the country.
Answering a question whether Armenia, under condition it of further
democratization, can count for entering the EU independently from its
neighboring countries in the region, Kirakossian noted that in this
issue the major obstacle is excessive Armenia’s dependence on Russia.
"I do not insist that Armenia should turn towards the EU by 100%. But
Armenia should become all-sufficient instead of imitating Russia or
EU," the American analyst concludes.