IN SEARCH OF PROSPERITY: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT PAYS A VISIT TO GEORGIA
by Artem Oparin
WPS Agency
What the Papers Say (Russia)
October 1, 2008 Wednesday
Russia
Armenian President Serge Sargsian bolsters relations with Georgia; The
war in Ossetia has had a severe impact on the Armenian economy. Armenia
has found itself in a complete transport blockade, since it has no
shared border with Russia and no access to the sea; thus, Georgia
could become its one and only transit country.
Georgia may soon acquire a new ally – at least, that was how
the Georgian media interpreted yesterday’s visit to Tbilisi by
EU Commissioner Javier Solana and President Serge Sargsian of
Armenia. Issues related to ensuring stability in the Caucasus were
discussed. But although that was the main issue for Solana, Sargsian
came to Georgia largely because he had no other option.
The war in Ossetia has had a severe impact on the Armenian
economy. Armenia has found itself in a complete transport blockade,
since it has no shared border with Russia and no access to the sea;
thus, Georgia could become its one and only transit country. The most
important cargo from other Russia is delivered to Georgian ports
(Poti and Batumi), then reloaded and taken to Armenia by rail. Not
surprisingly, Yerevan’s reaction to the events in Tskhinvali was
extremely restrained. A statement from the Armenian Foreign Ministry
only expressed concern about the conflict; and Sargsian even had to
take the unprecedented step of attempting to establish contacts with
Turkey, when economic problems pushed historical grievances into
the background.
Alexei Makarkin, deputy general director of the Political Techniques
Center: "Georgia is Armenia’s closest neighbor. That is why Sargsian is
striving to take a realpolitik approach: maneuvering within the current
circumstances and maintaining normal relations with everyone. Although
Armenia is getting investments from Russia, Moscow cannot offer any
alternative options for energy deliveries." According to Makarkin,
Sargsian won’t be making any strong anti-Russian statements – and
consequently, the Russian authorities will pretend not to notice this
visit to Georgia.
All the same, there were some demonstrative moments in the course of
the visit. Firstly, the emphasis on this being a joint visit with
Solana, as an obvious message to the Russian authorities – to the
effect that Armenia didn’t think much of President Dmitri Medvedev’s
statement about Azerbaijan being "Russia’s strategic partner." Equally
revealing was the fact that the Armenian president was in Georgia
on the day that a group of Russian Embassy staff – about 20 people,
headed by Ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko – left Tbilisi.