“Our authorities are like ants, they see the little obstacles but not the big ones.”
Aram Sargsyan claims that the arguments presented by the authorities to join the Customs Union are false and false. The authorities are bringing 2 main arguments to justify the decision to enter into the Customs Union. The first argument is that it does not obstacle in signing the Association Agreement with the EU, and according to the second argument, there is the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, and we have the problem of security. In this respect, in the interview with the “Republican” party leader Aram Sargsyan, “Aravot” was interested in how these arguments are sound for you. Aram Sargsyan replied,- “Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is the symbol of our victories. The state would do correct to take its campaign in this direction. What does it mean there is an issue of Karabakh, and did not they think about it when Russia was selling weapons to Azerbaijan? What problem of Karabakh do they solve therewith? Isn’t it obvious that Russia is constantly keeping the Karabakh problem to increase its influence in the region? This is an obvious fact. And then, today’s war cannot be a predecessor. Remember what types of weapons Azerbaijan has and what Armenia has. We can get to Baku, they – up to Yerevan. But the accumulation of arms is not a guarantee to declare a war and win in the war. If Azerbaijan was sure of its victory, it will start a war, but no one can give this guarantee to Baku. A new war is not profitable to anyone. First of all, it is not profitable to the West that has its economic interests in the region, it should defend the safety of its investments. I would like to mention only the British Petroleum. Obviously, it can not be a local war in the region in this case, too many interests are mixed together. If you know who will start the war, you don’t know who will end it. Our authorities are like ants, they see the little obstacles but not the big ones. In this case, we will simply compare the previous defeat with the next defeat, what losses we had. The only way to take the country from this situation is the road to the EU, initialing the Association Agreement with the EU.” To our question, whether the Association Agreement provides security guarantees, Aram Sargsyan answered,- “Every nation ensures its security guarantees. In 1988-89, Russia was with Azerbaijani troops, remember Sumgait, Baku massacre. And then “Koltso” operation. Was there a security guarantee? We acquired the security guarantee by ourselves with our collectiveness. Those who think that their country’s security guarantee should be given by Russia or any other country, are doomed to failure, they do not see anything beyond their nose like the ants that do not see all around.” Aram Sargsyan admits that a large part of our people today finds that Armenia can not survive without Russia. “Do you know why? I do not know of a family whose member or a relative does not work in the RF and then send the money from there. They think that if their relationship deteriorates, their bread-winners will be forced to return empty-handed. And who is to blame that half of the people find job outdoors? In other words, we are apt to nothing, we can not ensure our security, we can not develop our economy. It is very beneficial for the acting power that its citizens leave for outdoor job, both the complaints become less and the transfers become more. The series of political discussions that we have started with the political parties, social organizations, individual people, pursue mainly one goal, we need to explain to the public that, dear people, if Armenia joins the Customs Union, your children will keep going, because in that case there cannot be legally created jobs in Armenia without the permission of the Kremlin. They will go and stay out. If it satisfies you, then the right choice is to go to Russia, to the Customs Union. And if we want to be an independent country, to solve the issues regarding ourselves and our children at our home, to develop our economy and to have a job in our country, we need to liberalize our economy, put an end to monopolies, make systemic changes, and consequently, our way is to Europe, to the Association Agreement, to signing the Free, Deep and Comprehensive Trade Agreement, without which signing of the Association Agreement will give us nothing.
Signing agreements in Vilnius, we do not become a member of the European Union not today, nor tomorrow, we still have a long way, but we need that way and not the Europe. Today, Armenia either is reaffirming its choice of being an independent state, or recovers the subordination to Moscow, this time, under the signboard of the Customs Union, later also the Eurasian Union. This is the issue that concerns each and all of us at the same time.”
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HRIPSIME JEBEJYAN
“Aravot” daily
