Is Russia again solving its problems at the expense of Armenian territories?
“I find it a very late, but necessary statement,” said the NA National Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs Standing Committee member, Khachatur Kokobelyan, in the conversation with “Aravot,” referring to the President Serzh Sargsyan’s recent statement. Recall, during his visit to Latin America, particularly in his interview to Argentine Clarín newspaper, and then at the meeting with the Armenian community of Argentina, President Sargsyan, referring to issue of selling arms to Azerbaijan by Russia, has said, “It is a very painful matter for us, and our people are very concerned that our strategic ally is selling weapons to Azerbaijan.” Despite everything, the NA opposition MP welcomes the president’s statement. However, he believes that the president should not only voice this issue, but also as demanding and representing the Republic of Armenia in this specific case, is obligated to demand Russian authorities to promptly cease the process of equipping Azerbaijan and “at least a proper explanation about how it happens”. Khachatur Kokobelyan notes that all citizens and politicians concerned about the future of Armenia are already voicing this issue for a year and point out that it is a violation of the 1997 Armenian-Russian friendship treaty, which the first President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, called “the agreement of the century”. Pursuant to the third paragraph of the agreement, the parties are committed to contribute to peacemaking with their own resources. “It is obvious that equipping Azerbaijan, which is not even a SCTO member, RF does not contribute to establishment of peace in the region. In fact, Russia is also one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,” said our interlocutor, adding that obviously we are dealing with breaching of interstate important treaty, therefore, to be contented only with the fact that the president would say, it is so painful, we have concern that the Russian side sells weapons, is not enough. Moreover, Khachatur Kokobelyan believes that after the president’s statement, the RA Foreign Ministry at least should have sent a note to Russia and presented the response to the public. It has been a long time that Russia equips Azerbaijan, while the official Yerevan is worried now. To our question of what the time-period is due to, Khachatur Kokobelyan reminded that the international centers exercising buy-and-sale control of weapons by the states, namely, the Swedish Center, recently, has stated that in Europe, at least by the volume of arms’ purchase, Azerbaijan yields only to Great Britain. Azerbaijan purchases the 80 percent of this munitions and military equipment from RF. The second place among the countries selling weapons to Azerbaijan ranks Belarus, which is also one of the founding members of yet to be established Customs Union and the EEU. “Russia and Belarus have not and do not take the interests of Armenia into consideration,” says the NA opposition MP, adding that selling weapons to Azerbaijan, these countries are guided by exclusively their own economic and political interests. “The anxiety, which is expressed by RA authorities today, of course, is normal and not new. But, the anxiety on the borders and generally in the region has compelled to voice them. In addition, I strongly believe that Russian and Azerbaijani authorities, today, are leading rather an active political and economic trade. The vivid proof of it are their diplomatic and governmental meetings and relations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Baku and subsequent statements. Also, today, we witness discussions in the Azerbaijan press, still at the level of expertise, which voices that if Russia could ensure return of the three districts, then Azerbaijan will consider the issue of membership to EEU. In this regard, I think, the RA authorities are in a panic,” said Khachatur Kokobelyan. The leader of NA RPA faction, Vahram Baghdasaryan, responding to Aravot’s observation of whether the president’s statement was a proof that the official Yerevan does not anymore trust its strategic ally, expressed outrage. “There is no problem of not trusting or something else. The president has ratified the fact. It is a very normal statement. Why are you looking for reading in-between the lines? What is the distrust here? Doesn’t Russia sell weapons to Azerbaijan? It does”. To the next observation that so far the RA government was not displaying any visible signs of anxiety, moreover, the RA defense minister repeatedly stated that it is a business that does not harm the Armenian-Russian strategic partnership, Vahram Baghdasaryan urged upon, “We are not worried, we just state that there is such a thing.” The RPA MP does not condition President Sargsyan’s statement with protraction of signing the EEU document. “There is no protraction problem. Be patient and you will witness everything in the near future.”
NELLY GRIGORYAN
