Moscow “solved” the issue of Armenia, it will also “solve” the problem of Karabakh
The extensive letter of the writer-publicist Zori Balayan addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin fairly inflamed passions. He recalled that according to the Treaty of Gulistan, Karabakh was a part of the Russian empire, and has emphasized that the Treaty was signed for everlasting. “Indeed, there is no Karabakh problem, there is the problem of Russia.”
It has been a few days since some political, public figures have expressed their consent to Zori Balayan’s “initiative”, few of them have voiced sharp criticism to that letter by qualifying it as an expression of a regular bootlicking to the Russian tsar, and assess as a step directed to humiliation of the Karabakh independence process.
Let’s agree that it is difficult not to agree with voiced criticism. Moreover, such words are sounded by the intellectual, who should have valued the Armenian side for the price for the victory in compelled war, and the aspiration of Karabakh people on the way to using the right to self-determination.
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But, the problem here is not the personality of Zori Balayan, especially when in the case of his personality, according to many people, everything is predictable, his position is unlikely to be changed in the last 20 years. Many ordinary citizens like Zori Balayan, think that the salvation of Armenia and Karabakh is in Russia.
But, if not Zori Balayan, the letter would be written by another intellectual. Therefore, the problem is quite in a different place.
Everybody realize that the letter did not just appear in our reality. It is not even essential whether Putin will answer that letter, or not. The moment chosen is important.
On September 3, Serge Sargsyan’s statement in Moscow that Armenia intends to join the Customs Union, in reality, is the beginning of a new, in-depth process. As it is apparent, Russian authorities have a lot to do in Armenia, or better to say, throughout Armenia. The Kremlin projects may be long-term: serious procedures from geopolitical perspectives related to our region, up to shorter-term projects.
Judging from the activities of the official Moscow over other countries of the former Soviet Union, it can be concluded that the Russian authorities, as they say, have commenced the work “in full speed”. And Armenia to this respect as an implementer is the most convenient and willing.
In other words, Putin “solved” the issue of Armenia through the Customs, now it passes to the “solution” of Karabakh issue.
By saying Karabakh conflict “solution”, we do not mean intensification of the rounds of negotiation with the presence of the other two co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group under the auspices of Putin, like for example, it was during the years of the former President Medvedev’s ruling.
The problem is that more leverages are necessary for current Russian authorities, Putin, to demonstrate the role of RF and its impact. One of the problems in the South Caucasus is the issue of Karabakh, which recently appeared in a serious deadlock.
And, thus, the entreaty and supplications to “surrender” Karabakh to Russia by the hands of the Armenian intellectuals through a letter-actions, have a very specific propagandistic importance and perhaps not only propagandistic. It means that thereby Putin may tell the countries interested in Karabakh conflict, and both Azerbaijan and Turkey at the right moment: “You know, the “bargaining” on Karabakh issue only with me”…
So, Serzh Sargsyan’s statement in Moscow on September 3 regarding Armenia’s joining the Customs Union is just the beginning, September 3 was still ‘flowers’…
Everything is still to come: the Russian roulette will spin for a long time, and the letters to the Russian emperor, surely, will still be followed by more profound processes.
Emma GABRIELYAN
