Zaman Online, Turkey
March 26 2005
Putin: Let’s Protect CIS
By Mirza Cetinkaya
Published: Saturday 26, 2005
zaman.com
Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that the incidents that
occurred following the revolution in Kyrgyzstan, one of the former
Soviet Republics, did not surprise him.
During his meeting with Robert Kocharyan, the Armenian President who
appears on the “Velvet Revolution” list, the Russian president, Putin
highlighted that the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) must be
protected. Linking the developments in Kyrgyzstan to the poor
administration and socio-economic problems, the Russian Leader said
that “This was not surprising for us,” Putin urged the new Kyrgyz
administration to be careful to avoid any humanitarian disasters and
revealed that if the former president Askar Akayev wishes, he can
come to Russia.
Putin pointed out that the Russian administration wishes to develop
good relations with the new (Kyrgyz) administration and said, “It is
sad to see that a problem in a former Soviet Union country has been
overcome by illegal human rights violations and collective
protestations. We hope the opposition leaders have the situation
under control and can soon improve it.” The “soft” revolutions, which
occurred in the former Soviet Republics following, it is said were
indirectly caused by Moscow’s shortcomings. Also it was said that the
military operation named Rubej 2005, planned to for March 29 by the
CIS Common Security Agreement countries is likely to be postponed.
Putin and his partner in the Southern Caucasus Kocharyan are
discussing an expansion of military technical cooperation, energy
projects, and the improvement of commercial relations. Russia’s
102-numbered military base is in Armenia, one of the poorest
countries in the Caucasus region, to which Russia energy resources.
It is rumored that soldiers and equipment from two Russian military
bases, in neighboring Georgia, in which an evacuation is on the
agenda, will partly be brought to Armenia.