SERGEY MARKEDONOV: RUSSIA SHOULD HAVE DIVERSIFIED POLICY TOWARDS THE COUNTRIES OF THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

ArmRadio.am
25.05.2007 16:33

Russia must lead diversified policy towards the three countries of
the South Caucasus. It must demonstrate more realism in its policy,
"because it is impossible to have the same relations with all three
countries," head of the department of international relations at the
Institute of Political and Military Studies Sergey Markedonov said
at the "Caucasus 2006" international scientific forum.

He said "Russia cannot have the same success in Georgia it has in
Armenia, but it cannot refuse from any relations, either.

The Russian expert is confident that Russia must use different means
to normalize its relations with these countries, "but not the means
of the Soviet past."

As for the Armenian-Russian relations, these considerably worsened
last year. Among the reasons of freezing the relations, the expert
stresses the rise of gas prices, which was even labeled "treachery"
in the Armenian press.

"Moreover, I was noted on the level of politicians that Russia
has put Armenia on the same rank with Azerbaijan and Georgia," he
said. Markedonov associates another reason of freezing the relations
with the increase of xenophobia.

"There is an asymmetric perception of this issue: if the murder of
every Armenian becomes a common issue in Armenia, then Russia views
it as a trifle occasion," he noted.

Nevertheless, according to Sergey Markedonov, the Armenian-Russian
relations have not changed on the official level. "Russian politicians
consider that the victory of the Republican Party, Prospering Armenia
and Dashnaktsutyan is one of the greatest successes of 2007."