Anush Sedrakyan, Vice Chairman of “Free Democrats” political part, assures that very soon information will appear that Russia still continues selling arms to Azerbaijan. In an interview with “Aravot”, Ms. Sedrakyan said she cannot disclose the source, but she has information that Russia is gradually increasing the volume of sold weapons.
We reminded Anush Sedrakyan that RA NA Vice Speaker, also RPA Spokesperson Edward Sharmazanov, commenting on Russian Ambassador to Armenia, Ivan Volinkin’s statement a few days ago whether we have a document saying that Russia is selling weapons to Azerbaijan, assured that “it is at least at the moment an evidence of the fact that now Russia is not selling weapons to our enemy.”
Anush Sedrakyan naturally does not believe that now Russia does not sell weapons to Azerbaijan. She stressed again, “Moreover, now they have switched from contractual basis to selling in secret. There is reliable information that Russia is even selling weapons to Azerbaijan on loan while in our country, they sign a loan agreement but do not give the weapon.” Ms. Sedrakyan argues that Russia uses it not as an economic leverage as they were trying to convince but as a political tool: with an unproportionate sale of weapons Russia changes the balance in the region.
To our observation, but the spokesperson of the ruling party has made a statement on non-sale of arms to Azerbaijan by Russia at the moment, so could it be such an irresponsible statement, Ms. Sedrakyan reminded that once the representatives of the same ruling party were doing everything to persuade that the sale of weapons was only an economic function, and the EurAsEC solves an economic prosperity and security issue for Armenia. Then, she argued, “The statements of Volinkin and some representatives of our ruling elite are incorrect and politically punitive.” Ms. Sedrakyan is reluctant to comment on the words said by the second secretary of the Russian Embassy that the Russian weapons cannot go to Artsakh as long as Armenia has not recognized the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. Instead, she thinks that we must already get used to the fact that the Russian and Armenian consonant diplomatic statements are devoid of logic and at least a slight manifestation of goodwill, “The stance of our so-called strategic ally and sworn friend again proves that Russia is interested in keeping Armenia and Azerbaijan simultaneously pending in the region. In this process, Russia prospers a lot thanks to the fact that there are also forces in Armenia that support Russia’s anti-Armenian policy. We also have the kind of quality of statements inside our country, we mainly hear from the older generation that for example Armenia is a shabby country and should not enter into the industry and buy-and-sale of arms, or we have heard that there were constructive weapons. All these statements are from the same category.”
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But at the same time, Anush Sedrakyan opines that there are also people in our country who estimate the situation realistically. According to her, as Putin had announced that the arms sales to Ukraine and Georgia are a blow to strategic relations with Russia, Armenia should do the same in the case of the sale of weapons to Azerbaijan.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN “Aravot” daily
