DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
Monday
IT IS INAPT FOR PASHINYAN THAT PUTIN HAS NO TIME TO MEET HIM
Russia expects convincing evidence of loyalty from Armenia, Yerevan expects reciprocity from Moscow
Yuri Simonyan
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, N15, January 25, 2019, p. 5
Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged not to look for the pitfalls: "As far as I know, no talks are planned, Friday is a busy day for the president … I don't know if there will be any changes, but so far no contacts have been agreed upon," – he said, noting that Putin and Pashinyan "quite often communicate by telephone and very often meet."
Nevertheless, there are certain reasons to believe that relations between Moscow and Yerevan are not completely cloudless. The Russian side, according to an informed NG source, still does not sufficiently trust the new authorities in Armenia. Some statements, in particular, about attempts to establish military-trade relations with China or Sweden, of course, did not go unnoticed in Moscow. Inspections in economic entities belonging to the Russian Federation could not increase the degree of trust, either, not to mention the criminal cases against former officials, to this or that degree connected with Russian political or business circles. The most important of them is the second president, Robert Kocharyan, who remains in custody, who is rumored to be a personal friend of Putin.
Yerevan has counterclaims to the strategic partner, the main and most offensive one is the continued supply of arms to Azerbaijan.
The present working visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Moscow was the fourth one after the "velvet revolution" and the first one when the Armenian leader arrived in an absolutely legitimate status, without the prefix "acting" or in the informal position of the "new Armenian leader." The visit is dedicated to the beginning chairmanship of Armenia in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), and Pashinyan is expected to give a speech at the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). The current visit of Pashinyan to Moscow may be the first one when he is not to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
[Translated from Russian]