Recently, on the background of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border tension, perhaps, it’s worth reminding that on 20 August 2010, in Yerevan, in the presence of the presidents of Serzh Sargsyan and Dmitry Medvedev, the defense ministers of Armenia and Russia signed a protocol, by which Russia pledged to ensure Armenia’s security along the borders of the Republic. Instead, Yerevan agreed to extend the term of the deployment of Russian military base in Armenia for 25 years until 2044.
Aravot.am asked the President of the “Asbarez” Journalists Club, Levon Barseghyan, whether in response to the recent bombings by the Azerbaijani side, the Russian military base deployed in Armenia undertook any action to ensure Armenia’s security, or why the official Moscow didn’t even come up with a statement. Mr. Barseghyan replied, “On the one hand, Russia fails to fulfill the commitments of the Armenian-Russian strategic alliance, on the other hand, the CSTO fails fulfilling its commitments. Not in the far past, Armenia not long before declared thru the mouth of the minister that we have not applied, we find that there is no need.” According to Levon Barseghyan, thus, the RA authorities tried to justify Russia’s inaction or deliberate inaction.
According to him, it’s not an excuse, especially having plenty of evidence, only some incoherent statements were voiced by Russian officials. Levon Barseghyan assured that in the case of Russia’s adequate reaction, Azerbaijan would not ever dare to release a bullet in the direction of Armenia, not to speak about artillery firing. Levon Barseghyan accuses the Armenian authorities on the issue and thinks that our demand should be from them. Despite all of this, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan emphasized on one occasion that he does not doubt that Russia will fulfill its commitment as an ally and detailed, “If the threat unleashed against Nagorno-Karabakh grows into an immediate threat against the Republic of Armenia, then I have no doubt that the Russian Federation will fulfill its allied and contractual obligations.”
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We asked whether the Minister’s optimism as such is justified and whether the occurrences in Tavush are not connected with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mr. Barseghyan replied, “This optimism is wrong, because, for example, we seriously doubt. The Defense Minister is entitled to express his own opinion, but the problem is not in having an opinion. The whole Republic of Armenia seeing the shelling, even if a bullet is released towards Armenia and Russia fails to fulfill its federal commitments, this means a violation. In this case, Seyran Ohanyan would say that he does not doubt, and who would say that it does not matter, anyway, everybody already doubts. People also doubt. Who is who, but the defense minister is not a minister of culture and has no right is to be governed by the lyrics, he is an official based on the pragmatic calculations”.
Regarding the shelling over Tavush, Levon Barseghyan said, “It is sad that the Defense Minister is unable to connect the shelling over Tavush Region and the years-lasting attacks with the Artsakh problem. These attack are directly associated with the Artsakh problem. Seyran Ohanyan knows is well-aware, simply he has assumed the role of the defender of Russia’s interests, in fact, he has become the second Kostanyan. It is obvious that there is no human in Armenia and the world that does not comprehend that these attacks are associated with the Artsakh conflict. What is there for doubting or not? It is amazing and sad. The RA defense minister should either be far from giving estimates for they are political estimates, let him stay in his position as a Defense Minister, or let Serzhik Sargsyan talk about such things, we are used to hearing such things from him.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
