Arbak Khachatryan about Ukrainian and Armenian developments
“… Unless the politicians of these countries understand that they are the first responsible for the fact that, for example, there are anti-Russian sentiments in Armenia and Ukraine, that there are anti-Caucasus uprisings in Russia, they would not achieve anything. People surrounding today’s political the so-called figures must also be responsible along with them, at least by returning the money stolen from these countries. The leaders of Armenia and Ukraine are well aware that a large part of their nation is in Russia’s territory, are working and living there, that their countries are connected with Russian by strategic ties: gas, energy; Russian military bases are deployed in Armenia, Russian troops were standing at the border to Armenia, and so on. What they were thinking about when they were negotiating on EU Association Agreement for three or four years? The people are not test rabbits, are they? They played a game for four years and changed,” these observations were made by human right defender Arbak Khachatryan still months ago at the Vilnius summit, in the conversation with Aravot (28 November 2013), by proposing to execute the Presidents of Ukraine and Armenia by hanging for their behavior as such. Our interlocutor, of course, was not justify Russia’s policy, whose drastic steps resulted in further hatred. Today, the developments taking place in Ukraine and around it make everything more objective. And, regardless of the method of resolving this problem, it will still require decades for Ukrainians to stop perceiving and treating Russians as enemies. “Did it worth straining relations to such extent because of a scum (meaning Yanukovych, N. G.) and his surrounding?”, such rhetorical question was raised by Arbak Khachatryan, yesterday, in the conversation with us, referring to the Ukrainian events. In the context of proceeding developments, now opinions are also heard about the possible splitting of Ukraine. “After all, they will reach agreement with regard to the status, while all of this substantially reduced Russia’s international rate. Now, people in the U.S. and Europe will be inclined against Russia’s strengthening with fear and hatred, since Russia gained a reputation that whenever it desires something it will get it. In this sense, a tremendous blow is expected to Russia’s economy; there will be restrictions in oil, gas, Russian companies’ bank accounts, and transactions. All of this may slowly lead to weakening of Russia’s president. This is the main risk that is expected to Russia,” said our interlocutor, almost excluding that, however, the Russian troops will execute activities in the territory of Ukraine. The fact that Russia had no alternative and could not defend its people in the Crimea, our interlocutor considers it definite, however, it is against the forms of execution of these steps. “If the Russians first turned to the United Nations and the international community, saying that it will go for the step to defend its people, and demand this right from the UN and the international community, and then go for the step, the situation would have been different. But, Russia did the contrary. This was also a sign of diplomatic defeat. Russia’s such stance will compel the international community to keep Russia economically oppressed so that the latter will never be able to become strong. In fact, even if they have reach agreement, it’s all the same the sanctions will be applied against Russia,” says our interlocutor, referring to the U.S. conduct and practice. Now, Yulia Tymoshenko receiving the status of persecuted was once condemned for the abuse of official position, for achieving inadequate arrangements with Russia. In other words, it is not only Yanukovich who was enjoying the patronage of the Russian elite. And what was Russia’s mistake to Ukraine that turned into such result? In fact, during the past years, Russia had greatly helped Ukraine. A country that greatly helps a state and a nation, at least should be worshiped, but Ukrainians hate RF, and more the amount grows, more the hatred increases. Our interlocutor considers this also a result of wrong work of diplomatic corps. “Russia always selects persons who by their nature are thieves, and empty with a content of head. Representatives of the diplomatic corps, who do not provide true information of the President of the Russian Federation, probably, still have interests. With the resources of Russian gas, and oil, Ukraine was maintaining the state, the economy was strengthening, however, today, everything turned the opposite because of several scum. The same thing in smaller scales is happening in Armenia. Unfortunately, Russia has always been relying on agents since the USSR, and they when giving money, kiss the feet, and then betray the first.” And, in this reality, however, something is unclear why Europe and America are waiting for the situation to blow out, then only using the possibilities of the state start to exercising sanctions against enormous wealth stored up thieves and bandits. Returning to Armenian problems and analyzing ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s speech at March 1 rally, Arbak Khachatryan believes that his statement that Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union is an irreversible move was quite dangerous. “A larger pro-Russian move that Serzh Sargsyan made on September 3 and showed the world that he is completely obeys RF, has never happened in Armenia’s modern history. He did it losing his stance before the U.S., Europe and even Russia. And now, when the first president announces that Armenia is moving towards the Customs Union without Serzh Sargsyan, it’s a pretty dangerous statement. I do not know whether it was done on purpose or not, but observing the sequencing and logic of Ter-Petrosyan’s steps, such statement made just on March 1 rises serious doubts about me.” According to our interlocutor, Ter-Petrosian’s Armenian performance of Georgian scenario will cause a big chaos in Armenia, and it is still a question of what forces will exist in Armenia after Serzh Sargsyan, what forces will be born from outside. But the fact that the backbone of Armenia can eventually be broken, our interlocutor has no doubts. “On the one hand, the Karabakh issue, on the other hand, lack of economic relations, the difficult social situation in the country… God forbid that under the chaos Russia conducts training exercises with its military forces deployed in Gyumri. Imagine what blows may happen addressed to Russia and what will happen in the world. Armenia will become a playing card with broken backbone in the hands of superstates, which will treat with it, as it is convenient. Russia’s such move in this difficult situation and giving this region under the control of international system is a very dangerous game. With smaller scales, trying to do in two months what Ukraine did, and stating that we are moving towards the Customs Union, I suspect that it is not a fair stance. Moreover, to announce it on March 1, when the mission of the day was different,” said our interlocutor, refraining from providing more details on his opinion about the game initiated by Ter-Petrosyan. “Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s speech was really a speech about to be or not to be, becoming an economic Apple of Discord, losing territories, under which there are enormously heavy calculations.” If Ter-Petrosyan considers Gagik Tsarukyan Ivanishvili, our interlocutor believes that Serzh Sargsyan should be considered Saakashvili. Arbak Khachatryan notes that the faces of those who in 2008 were standing beside Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, with whom Ter-Petrosyan wishes to make revolution in Armenia are still fresh in people’s memory. Our interlocutor is at least astonished that, without being in power for decades, Ter-Petrosyan persists pulling the wool over the eyes of Armenia and the society.
Nelly GRIGORYAN,
Nicolay PARATUNIN
