ARMENIA BECOMES THEATER OF RACE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND WEST
KarabakhOpen
06-02-2008 12:58:22
On February 4 the office of the European Commission to Baku was
dedicated.
Benito Ferrero Valdner, EU commissar of foreign affairs and the
European Neighborhood Policy, addressed the ceremony and said the
office is an indicator of their attitude to Azerbaijan. She said the
office will later be transformed into an EU mission.
A similar office is going to be set up in Yerevan. The Eurocrats are
expected to say the same thing about the relation with Armenia and
will say to expect active participation of Yerevan in the European
Neighborhood Policy.
On these days the implementation of the Individual Partnership Plan
with NATO is being discussed in Yerevan which was launched in January
2006. The possibility of adoption of an adapted program in 2008 is
under consideration, in which the envisaged goals of NATO-Armenia
cooperation will be included.
On February 5 the Russian Prime Minister Victor Zubkov arrived
in Yerevan.
The negotiations with the Armenian government focus on economic
cooperation, promotion of trade and economic ties between the two
states and investments.
The Russian-Armenian cooperation over fuel and energy issues are to
be discussed, which remain primary in the economic relations of the
two countries.
Victor Zubkov noted that the Russian companies Gazprom, RAO EES,
Russian Railways, Alrosa, Rusal, Systema, Vimpelcom, VTB Bank are
already effectively working in Armenia. "Russia supplies Armenia’s
entire demand of natural gas, and contracts have been signed until
2009, there are no problems," informs the source of the Armenian
government. According to him, currently the proposal of Armenia on
the construction of an oil refinery together with Russia and Iran
is under consideration. "There are lots of questions, including the
supply of oil," the Russian prime minister said.
He added that currently the issue of connecting the electric grid of
the country to the system of the CIS and Baltic states for a more
effective transmission of electricity. Besides, he said Gazprom is
interested in completing the fifth generating unit of the Thermal
Power Plant of Hrazdan.
He reminded that the other four generating units belong to Russia. As
to cooperation on atomic energy, Russia fulfills its commitment to
supply nuclear fuel for the Armenian Nuclear Plant, the source added.
During Zubkov’s visit to Yerevan bilateral agreements on nuclear
cooperation may be signed, as well as a protocol on changes to the
interstate agreement on free trade signed on October 30, 1992. Besides,
the Russian ministry of information and communication and the Armenian
ministry of transport and communication may sign an agreement on
cooperation in IT, postal communication.
The Armenian newspapers already write that Armenia is becoming
the theater of cooperation between the West and Russia. It became
evident after pro-West Mikhail Sahakashvili was elected president
of Georgia, and in Serbia pro-European Tadich won the presidential
election. "Russia will lose in Armenia as well," forecasts the Armenian
online newspaper Lragir.am.
On February 19 Armenia elects a president. The Russian newspapers
refer to the Armenian Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan as the most
"pro-Russian" candidate. Arthur Baghdasaryan is believed to be the most
"pro-European" candidate, who is the second after Serge Sargsyan by
his popular rating. The European observers are in Armenia, who have
already reported drawbacks in the election campaign, preparing ground
for not recognizing the outcome of the election.