In his interview to Argentine La Nacion newspaper, referring to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the President Serzh Sargsyan, on his official visit to Argentina, has said that the Armenian the people are very concerned that Armenia’s strategic ally, Russia, sells weapons to Azerbaijan. To the question of Aravot.am whether you can tell that Serzh Sargsyan rebukes Putin in the 3rd country for selling weapons to Azerbaijan, the political scientist Yervand Bozoyan responded, “Given that this concern exists in the society, it was very illogical that this concern was not presented at the state level. When your strategic ally sells that much arms and ammunition to your opponent, and let’s recall that according to the agreement, Russia has pledged to provide Azerbaijan with more than 700 million dollars in arms and military equipment, and it has another more than 4 billion dollars agreement to establish a military-industrial complex in Azerbaijan. It is clear that there was a dead silence by the state instances, and Serzh Sargsyan could not but respond. He had to respond.”
To our question of whether in his opinion, Serzh Sargsyan has the courage to say directly to Putin about Armenian people’s concern, Yervand Bozoyan replied, “If Serzh Sargsyan honestly considers that he is correct, he can directly say to Putin. But, since he understands that his fault is also there, Putin may reverse. He will say, hey, boy, for 2 years we were telling you to stop humiliating us in front of the West, you were taking us by the path of humiliation, we were explaining, but you were not perceiving the situation. Since he knows that he would get this answer, he will never say it.” To the question of whether this statement may have a negative impact on the relations between him and Vladimir Putin, Yervand Bozoyan replied, “If we move on by the logic that Putin may get offended, then there should be no response at all from Armenia to Russia. Countries build their relationships not based on the fact that Putin may get offended or not. And won’t Armenians get offended that Putin sells that such weapon to Azerbaijan? This is not a category to get offended. This is a category of politics, which shows that Armenia’s foreign policy just does not know what to do when it loses its allies in the West, it does not also have confidence in its strategic ally.”
To our question of whether Putin will respond to Serzh Sargsyan’s this “rebuke” or will ignore, Yervand Bozoyan replied, “Putin is still surprised why until not there has been no such respond in Armenia’s official position. It is almost like when you have a brother in the family and a strategic enemy, and the enemy comes and constantly enters into business with your own brother, you feel that you are facing danger, but you say nothing to your own brother, your family member. It would be an abnormality in everyday life, wouldn’t it? Whereas, everyday life and international relations are alike. In this event, it is illogical that there was no response from Armenia. And this is in the case when Russia has signed these agreements with Azerbaijan in 2013, August. Since August until now, almost one year, there was no response made. And, let’s recall the past, when Azerbaijan was getting only a few secondary class arms and ammunition, what tough reactions were heard from the Foreign Ministry of Armenia. But now, not only ordinary tanks but rocket complexes are sold, which is very dangerous for us. It is basically an offensive weapon, which is a serious threat to us.”
To our observation that the Republican party MPs are always mitigating the issue saying that Russia also sells weapons to us, so what, Yervand Bozoyan replied, “Russia has always sold weapons to Azerbaijan; to Armenia – on preferential conditions, to Azerbaijan – at market prices. But he has never sold offensive weapons, especially rocket complexes, which is localized to the peculiarities of our region. Armenia’s political elite and the government should be concerned about this. Serzh Sargsyan’s response is late. The Armenian community should ask, why such a situation has been created? What is changed that Russia dramatically changed its relations with Azerbaijan? If I explain this only by the business interest, it would be just insane. There is a deep suspicion of Armenia in Russia, for the last 2-3 years, Armenia was leading a policy that was irritating Moscow. The RA authorities and pro-Western circles were proud that Armenia is a few steps ahead of Azerbaijan with regard to the moves to EU Association Agreement. As a result, Russia obtained non-confidence in Armenia. First of all, it raised the gas price in secret negotiations, accumulated 300 million debt, plus, it was getting ready for the 4-billion-dollar contract. All are guilty, the mass media and the editors, who were praising the process of signing the EU Association Agreement. Serzh Sargsyan is not the only one to blame; he will not become a scapegoat. A person like Shavarsh Kocharyan was saying it a business transaction, trying to oppose Moscow that if they are doing business, we also have the right to do so. Well, let them go and assess Shavarsh Kocharyan and the pro-Western circles, who were leading this line. With their estimates, they cased a great damage on Armenia. Let them do not behave coward and say that only Serzh Sargsyan is to blame. As a result, our enemy has strategic rockets, the equivalent of which, at the moment, we do not have.”
Read also
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
