“In the politics, I do not think that there are grumbling and whimpering. Only the government is not complaining, the whole people are complaining and they are right to complain. This is the only most important issue related to Russia that there are complaints and the complaints are right,” – said Chairman of “New Times” party, Aram Karapetyan, in an interview with Aravot.am, in response to the question whether he shares the view of Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Rogozin, pertaining to the discontents raised in Armenia regarding the sale of weapons by Russia to Azerbaijan. Incidentally, this discontent was also expressed at the level of first figure of Armenia, also during the meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Note that Russian Deputy Prime Minister, in his recent interview, said, “It started a terrible demagogy there. I do not want to point out but some citizens did not behave them well. War requires equanimity rather than some vague propaganda wimpy.” Russian Deputy Prime Minister’s words from the perspective of “real politics”, according to Aram Karapetyan, mean that Russia will continue to sell weapons to Azerbaijan and Armenia. “There are types of weapons that if Russia does not sell to Azerbaijan, at that price and that quantity, Azerbaijan cannot obtain it from other states. This is a fact. There are, of course, countries that sell arms to Azerbaijan but they are not the type of weapons that exist in Russia.
There are types of weapons which the United States, Germany and France approximately in the same amount can sell to Azerbaijan but these countries are in the embargo, they are not selling to us and Azerbaijan,” said Aram Karapetyan, countering Russian Deputy Prime Minister’s observations that if RF suspends the military-technical cooperation with any of the countries, the US and NATO will immediately appear there. “It is clear that Rogozin is trying to somehow explain everything that he had said before and I think he was mistaken. One thing is clear that selling weapons to Azerbaijan, Russia is trying to keep this country within its geopolitical scope. In my opinion, it should simply be said, accordingly listen to the complaints of the Armenian side, as there is no such strategic brotherhood, and then make decisions. In other words, no need to give explanations that make the situation more confusing,” says our interlocutor. Like many others, Aram Karapetyan also thinks that under the created situation, the RA authorities should switch from complains to making steps. Let’s say, to bring the stolen money back and use it for buying weapon rather than take a loan from Russia and buy weapons from Russia. “Let’s say that Rogozin, Medvedev and all of them are bad guys. But what is the solution? The solution is in midst us,” says Aram Karapetyan, adding that he eventually has not understood the RA Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan’s explanation of why we have not developed the production of unmanned aerial vehicles or have not bought them from Israel. “We have not consider it appropriate,” said Davit Tonoyan.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
