Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt stated that Armenia cannot be viewed in a row with Ukraine, and, therefore, the political component of the EU Association Agreement would hardly be signed with our country. “Armenia is from a different league. The Association Agreement is a type of political commonality that exists in various sectors. Now, for example, we see Armenians who come and defend Russia’s policy against Ukraine. So, I do not think that they are no longer willing to be in the same league with us” (according to azatutyun.am).
Since Sweden is the core “engine” of the “Eastern neighborhood”, therefore, this may be considered the EU official opinion. The diplomat sees Armenians who “defend Russia’s policy against Ukraine”. The wording is not clear. Where has Mr. Bildt seen such Armenians? In the streets of Yerevan? There are different opinions voiced here. In the streets of Stockholm and Brussels? I suppose that Armenians there do not even know about what’s going on in Ukraine.
It’s another matter that under the phrase of “Russia’s policy against Ukraine” the Swedish foreign minister understands Crimea’s accession to Russia, but under the Armenians that “he had seen” he understands the authorities of Armenia and some political parties, which believe that the Crimean referendum “was a form of expressing people’s will.” Here, yes, there is a problem. The allegation about “expression of will”, in my opinion, does not absolutely comply with the reality.
However, the formula of “who is not with us, is against us” is slightly similar to this approach. Is any “league” determined only by the fact of who has given the kind of score to this-or-that event of the world? If, let’s say, Azerbaijan openly condemns Russia’s actions in Ukraine, will this country appear in the “high league”?
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Perhaps, my words may sound a little naive, anyway, I am sure that in addition to “orientation”, there should be other standards, too. For me, such a standard is the political regime, which with its “Europeanism” does not yield the Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, and advantageously differs from Azerbaijan and Belarus. Of course, I am confident that our people and the state deserve, and can be in much higher leagues.
In short, for the “league”, it is important not only the fact of what the president has said, moreover, the fact that I have the opportunity to publicly disagreeing with him.
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
