The topic of “Face to Face” series of talk show of Aravot online is discussed between the Deputy of the National Assembly, a member of the RPA faction, Levon Martirosyan, and the expert for the Regional Research Center, Program Manager, Haykak Arshamyan.
Aram Abrahamyan – What was the cause of such great attention to the visit of Russian journalist?
Levon Martirosyan – I think that the problem is not with the Russian journalist, but truly with us. I am confident that none of our journalists would enjoy so much attention in Russia, although our journalists do not yield to Kiselyov and other foreign journalists. Here, it is the combination of different problems, I would say, starting from the concern in some issues related to the Armenian-Russian relations and ending with elementary provincialism, in other words, someone from a great country, the elder brother, has came and said something, made us indignant, and we show our importance. I think what it sounded by Kiselyov is a subject for discussion, and this was repeatedly voiced not only by Kiselyov, but also our Russian friends and relatives, with an understanding of the problem related to the Russian language in Armenia and the Russian-Armenian relations. Anyway, the matter is about the representatives of our friendly country that have long lived with us in the same country, communicated with us in Russian language and have some concerns in that regard.
Haykak Arshamyan – I will proceed from the opposite side. Should you have raised similar questions in Russia, naturally, Russian journalists and individual people would talk about it, and the matter here is not about Kiselyov’s behavior. I link all of this with a little earlier process, I mean September 3, and Serzh Sargsyan’s statement of joining the Customs Union, also with the recent statements made by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Armenia, Volinkin. Now, someone from the so-called “X class” is coming to Armenia, bragging at the National Assembly, and when talking to the deputies is demanding that the Russian language should be put on a better basis, and may be accepted as a second language in Armenia, which is a violation of our Constitution. For me, it does not matter whether it is done by a journalist from Russia or any other country, let’s say, Korea or the United States who tries to violate the Constitution of my country and compel me doing something.
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A. A. – Is Kiselyov truly bragging? I’ve heard different things, because all deputies and other attendees say that he was not bragging, but the videos show that he, at least, was not sufficiently respectful.
L. M. – I was not present, even though I am a member of this club, by the way, such a club soon will be opened in the Duma, and our journalist can attend it. I’m not confident that any statement made by our journalists will already become a subject of heated discussion, because it really is, if I do not say personal, but a non-official opinion.
A. A. Why did the Vice Speaker of the National Assembly meet this non-official person, Kiselyov, saw him off and so on?
L. M. – I do not see anything bad there. The Vice President is a member of this club and he has accepted him followed by this status, the same Vice President of the National Assembly is the co-chair of our Armenian-Russian interparliamentary committee, the co-chair from the other side is Nikolai Ivanich Luzhkov, who is a national hero of Armenia, a very famous person and does not hesitate to meet us, see us off, and so on, including our journalists, hence, it is not a matter of statuses. In my opinion, the matter is as follows: what sounded Dmitry Kiselyov, is it an opinion prevailing in Russia, or not? I am sure that it is, because the same ideas were expressed by many of our friends, partners in Russia, people who cannot be suspected in armenophile, people who were granted our state awards for the very strengthening of the Armenian-Russian friendship.
Prepared by ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
“Face to Face” talk show series are released by the Open Society Foundations- Armenia. The views and analyzes found in this broadcast express the opinions of the participants, and are not approved by the Open Society Foundations-Armenia, or its Board. This broadcast is made available thanks to comprehensive financial support by the Open Society Foundations-Armenia, under the mass media support program, grant No 18624.
