WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 5, 2008 Friday

IF

by Igor Glanin

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA EVADED AN EXPRESSION OF CLEAR AND FIRM SUPPORT OF
MOSCOW’S ACTIONS IN THE CAUCASUS; Russia is seeking support for its
actions in the Caucasus from the military-political alliance of CIS
countries.

The Russian authorities continue diplomatic efforts to secure support
of their actions in the Caucasus and the recognition of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia as sovereign states. The efforts these days are focused
on the military-political CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization,
a structure that has never given any reason to question its loyalty to
Russia so far.

Dmitry Medvedev received President of Armenia, Serj Sargsjan. Armenia
is about to become CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization
chair-in-office, and Russia intends to put support of its recent
actions in the Caucasus on the agenda of the next summit. Russian
diplomatic and military circles even allowed for the membership for
Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the CIS Collective Security Treaty
Organization at one point, but this development requires their
recognition by all members first.

The Russian president pointed out that this was his first meeting with
the president of Armenia after the Georgian aggression against South
Ossetia. Medvedev said he wanted pressing matters of international
magnitude and situation in the Caucasus discussed and asked for
Sargsjan’s opinion on the matter.

The visitor said he had already discussed the matter with Medvedev
over the phone. Sargsjan offered condolences in connection with the
deaths of Russian nationals and peacekeepers and wished Medvedev rapid
dealing with the humanitarian catastrophe in South Ossetia and its
consequences.

Sargsjan barely acknowledged the matter of Armenian-Russian economic
cooperation and concentrated instead on the forthcoming summit of the
CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization in Moscow. The visitor
suggested "advancement" of the Armenian-Russian relations by all means
possible including within the framework of the CIS Collective Security
Treaty Organization but never said anything that could be interpreted
as support of Russia in the matter of Georgia.

Medvedev could only say that countries of the CIS Collective Security
Treaty Organization would "formulate their positions" during the
summit in Moscow.

Source: Vremya Novostei, September 3, 2008, p. 2