ONCE AGAIN ABOUT SAAKSHVILI’S ARMENIAN AWARDS
Alisa Gevorgyan

"Radiolur"
30.06.2009 17:35

"How could we award a highest state medal to a President whose fate
is unknown, the one who has always come forth with anti-Armenian
policy and has done nothing worth getting the highest state medal of
the Republic of Armenia?" Director of the Western Armenians’ Studies
Center Haykazun Alvrtsyan told a press conference today.

He said that awarding Mikhail Sakkashvili with a medal was a wrong
step in all regards. According to Haykazun Alvrtsyan, the medal was
given to the Georgian President for expectations rather than merits.

It was incorrect but predictable: this is how Haykazun Alvrtsyan
described the criticism of Russian media for the warm reception of
the Georgian President in Armenia.

"The reaction could be expected, taking into consideration the hostile
Russian-Georgian relations. It, however, does not reflect the official
position of Russia," the speaker added.

Haykazun Alvrtsyan considers that irrespective of Russia’s reaction,
the extremely warm reception did not correspond to the real state of
Armenian-Georgian relations.

Georgia does not view Armenia as its strategic partner unlike
Azerbaijan and Turkey. In Georgia’s security doctrine Armenia is
presented as a neighbor country with which Georgia has friendly
relations.

However, Haykazun Alvrtsyan draws attention to the fact that during
the visit to Yerevan Saakashvili spoke about the Armenian-Georgian
strategic partnership. "Taking into consideration its shaky position in
the region and the complex relations with other neighbors, Georgia may
really see a new strategic partner in the face of Armenia," the speaker
assumes, adding that he does not take Sakkashvili’s words seriously.