At the press conference held on 6 October 2016, the RF official rep Maria Zakharova in response to the raised question stated that the Russian Foreign Ministry has examined the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s note about the banning of RA citizen, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan’s access to Russia and has responded to it. The Russian Foreign Ministry’s response clarifies that the Russian side has not reconsidered its decision on banning the access of the Armenian political scientist to Russia until 2030 reiterating the preliminary reasoning that the activities of the Armenian political scientist are a threat to the RF security.
In an interview with Aravot.am, President of the Center for Globalization and Regional Cooperation told that he is grateful to the Russian side for such a sincere answer, “I had a fear that they will associate with some technical issues, with crime and the like. But the answer is very clear, they said that my activities are a threat to Russia. And since I have not lived in Russia and have not conducted any activities in Russia, it is clear that they are referring to my political and social activities. With this response, the Russian side affirmed that the decision was political.” Our interlocutor is also sure that this case is an evidence of the existence of “black lists” in the Russian Federation. Incidentally, Russia has conducted this policy against the Western countries since the years of the USSR.
The political scientist reminds that various American high-ranking officials are on this list, including the former US ambassador to Russia, the list also gives the name of a person whom the US President-elect Donald Trump has decided to appoint a head of the US intelligence. “I am touched that I am on this list,” notes Stepan Grigoryan jokingly. The access of the Armenian political scientist to Russia, let us recall, was banned on August 30, 2016. At the airport, he was shown a document, based on which the access of people to Russia can be banned. Stepan Grigoryan has found one clause in this document: Article 26, paragraph 9, according to which his access to this country is banned. This clause was enshrined on May 23, last year, and in his opinion, it obviously carries a political character as it bans the access of people to Russia who are working with the international organizations that are undesired in Russia.
As to which organization cooperating with his organization is undesirable for Russia, the political scientist could not say. However, Stepan Grigoryan notes that recently he has conducted active social activities with various European and American organizations struggling for democracy in Armenia, “I raise my questions, also in the connection with regional cooperation, I criticize Russia’s posture over Armenia in the CSTO and the Eurasian Economic Union. In other words, it is clear that they will dislike my struggle for the establishment of democracy in Armenia, my cooperation with the European and Western organizations.”
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During all this time, Stepan Grigoryan is characterizing the response of the RA Foreign Ministry, the RA Embassy to Russia and the note sent to the Russian Foreign Ministry positive, therewith highlighting the existence of the problem, the surprise at what has happened, especially with the RA citizens having a high diplomatic level and a former NA MP. As to what steps have been taken and will be taken by the RA Foreign Ministry after such a sincere confession by the Russian side, the political scientist does not know. At the same time, he notes that in such cases, it is accepted in practice that the principle of reciprocity should work.
In the given case, Stepan Grigoryan is not a senior person, and formally, the MFA cannot reply but he thinks that it would be nice, nevertheless, to answer, “For example, there are many public and political figures in Russia whose stance is pronounced anti-Armenian and not only on Karabakh conflict. It would be nice to ban the access for some of them to Armenia”. Incidentally, the neighboring Georgia is also using the principle of the so-called “black lists” against Armenia. The access of Armenian political, cultural and public figures to this country is banned for more than a decade, this time even without any clear explanation.
“I think that the time has come for the authorities of Armenia to elaborate response options as well. I am not saying to spoil relations with these countries but they can ban the access of this-or-that political and public figures who have pronounced anti-Armenian stances to Armenia to show that the RA authorities are ready to defend the interests of their citizens,” said Stepan Grigoryan, adding that if Armenia is unable to defend its citizens in this sphere, therefore it is unable to select it Secretary-General in the CSTO. The government must understand that it is a whole chain. The matter, of course, is about political cases rather than the ones when the RA citizens have violated the laws of the country in the given countries.
Nelly GRIGORYAN
