ARMENIA IS THE NEXT
Naira Hayrumyan
Lragir.am
09-11-2007 11:25:20
The Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili blamed Russia for the recent
events in Tbilisi. The Georgian president addressed the Georgian
people on television and said the ministry of home affairs declared
three officers of the Russian embassy persona non grata and demanded
that they leave Georgia.
The Georgian president also stated that the recent developments in
Tbilisi might be related to the activities of the Russian special
services. "Our special services provided information about an
alternative government created in Russia," Saakashvili stated.
This is not the first time when home political events in the
post-soviet countries are viewed in the context of the U.S.-Russia
rivalry. It was the case in Ukraine, the same is happening in
Georgia now.
By the way, a few years ago when the "oranges" came to power in Kiev,
Russia created an anti-orange coalition headed by Victor Yanukovich.
In the parliamentary election that followed the presidential
election Yanukovich became prime minister. Recently, however, a new
parliamentary election was held due to the mess in the country, and
"orange" Julia Timoshenko became prime minister. Perhaps everyone
remembers that literally on the last day of office of Yanukovich
Ukraine repaid its debt to Russia.
Apparently, it was a ransom for Timoshenko as prime minister.
For the time being, the same will not be staged in Georgia. A surge
of protest rose against President Saakashvili whose office ends in a
year, without definite accusations against the government. There is
only one demand – the president must resign. What did Saakashvili do
that did not please the Georgian people, who attempted to introduce
Western lifestyle, fight corruption, attract investments? Certainly
he has faults, but it is not clear where internal preconditions for
mass protests and revolution appeared from in the country where the
term of calm presidency was about to finish.
It is not accidental that Saakashvili accused Russia of
provocation. Moscow continues to resist to "the expansion of
the West toward the post-Soviet space" through internal political
provocations. This policy resembles the game of bad footballers against
a team with a tactics. Bad players cannot score but they also hinder
the other team. Sometimes, this policy may lead to victory.
Russia is conducting a similar policy in Armenia, which is said
by some people to be the next after Georgia. Russia’s support for
Serge Sargsyan in the upcoming presidential election, the anti-NATO
propaganda across the post-Soviet space is evidence that Armenia will
not be let separate from Russia. It is not accidental that the Armenian
president Robert Kocharyan stated in Finland there are new actors but
the efforts to oust Russia from the region do not lead anywhere. It
is like insurance before an experiment because both the president and
the other political actors understand that people will have to choose
between candidates with either a pro-Russian or a pro-West stance.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
