“Russia runs a multifaceted policy, and we should not nurse hope that Russia’s policy should not 100 percent comply to the interest and benefits of this-or-that friendly country”, – so responded the former Minsk Group co-chair Vladimir Kazimirov, in response to the question of Aravot.am that until the world runs an Armenia-Azerbaijan tension easing policy, Russia hold negotiations with Azerbaijan on supply of Russian military hardware, so whether it does not endanger the regional security. He noted that if Russia were not a big nation and a state, maybe it would be possible to nurse hope on it, but given the fact that Russia continues to be an empire, it is impossible to expect anything like this.
Then he continued, “Although we have friendly relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, but we also see differences in our relations and take them into account. For Russia, the most important thing in the foreign policy is the establishment of its positions in the Middle East.” Peter Gladkov (in the photo), professor of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), does not think that Russia’s selling weapons to Azerbaijan is contrary to the strategic partnership with Armenia. According to him, each country should simply be confident and feel strong. To our observation that actually based on this confident and strong positions, Russia is selling arms to Azerbaijan, Mr. Gladkov responded, “There are certain agreements, which Russia has to follow. I say again that Armenia is Russia’s strategic partner, but it does not prevent Russia to have normal relations with Azerbaijan too”.
We talked to Russian Deputy Minister of Justice, Maxim Travnikov, about the new developments of Armenia-EU relations. According to him, the cooperation with the EU does not contradict Armenia’s accession to the EaEU. The Deputy Minister said, “The direction of our alliance is quite clear: it is economic. And, naturally, nothing holds Armenia back to establish friendly relations with other unions, including the European Union, unless such cooperation does not contradict the commitments undertaken within the EaEU. These hard times for the Russia-EU relations will go away, and the European cooperation will be beneficial for both Russia and the EaEU member countries”.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
