ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
 Friday


Russian analyst: In existing realities, diversified policy for Armenia
is an urgent necessity, not a luxury

Yerevan October 27

Angela Stepanyan. In the existing realities and the main existing set
of conditions, a diversified policy for Armenia is not a luxury, but
an urgent necessity, Russian analyst Sergey Markedonov expressed such
an opinion.

"In the case of Armenia, we are not talking about a value choice, but
a pragmatic search for an optimal line of conduct in difficult
conditions." Involvement in the conflict with Azerbaijan, lack of
diplomatic relations with Turkey, two closed borders and the absence
of common borders with Russia's ally, integration associations with
Armenia's participation - obviously not the best set of conditions,
"the analyst believes. November 24, 2017 at the Brussels summit of the
"Eastern Partnership" Armenia plans to sign a partnership document on
the partnership with the EU, which was initialed on March 21 - the
Agreement on Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership. The relevant
talks were initiated by the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU on
October 12, 2015 in Luxembourg.

In this light, the development of the European vector, according to
Markedonov, is dictated by a number of reasons, for example, the fact
that in the first half of 2017, the EU had more than a third of the
Armenian exports and about half of imports to the EU. As well as
diplomatic reasons - Yerevan seeks not to allow the Karabakh issue to
be monopolized by Baku and Ankara.

Recalling the competing essence of the "Eastern Partnership" for
Russia, Markedonov saw in the text of the Armenia-EU Agreement direct
confirmation, first of all, of the energy sector. In particular, the
presence of "Euroatom" among the signatories of the document on the
part of Brussels, since the text contains very unambiguous
recommendations on closing Metsamor NPP, taking into account the need
to replace it with new capacities.

"Let's assume in theory the possibility of Yerevan's choice in favor
of energy modernization under the auspices of the EU One can no doubt
that Brussels will readily accept such a decision, but this inevitably
leads to the question of the EU's readiness to guarantee the status
quo in Karabakh and to restrain Turkey from Today, Russia is more
active in helping Azerbaijan, which is unlikely to be answered by the
EU today, "Markedonov said.