Why don’t our oppositionists be more honest and say: “People, don’t stick to Russia because Putin will get angry and destroy Armenia…”
The Russian “ombudsmanship” parade is again in hot self-representation in Armenia. Those who consider themselves an opposition political force that enjoys almost no public support have moved on to their preferred cause—the defense of Russia.
The reason was the last meeting in Brussels. First of all, the small amount of money promised to Armenia seemed ridiculous to everyone, or rather, the change of the foreign policy course with that money, which the government of Armenia is accused of, which will not leave either the CSTO or the EAEU. He did not take a step toward withdrawing the Russian military base in Gyumri from Armenia, nor did they say that such issues are being discussed on the agenda. Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that “we will leave the CSTO if…” does not mean anything.
Now, Armenian oppositionists are announcing day and night that Armenia is being destroyed. Still, the only question that bothers them is this: why should there be criticism of the Russians in Armenia all day long, “isn’t Russia an ally of Armenia?”
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Or they say, “What does the West give us?” “Don’t we get more remittances from Russia?” In other words, Armenians go to Russia, work there, and send money to Armenia. Our oppositionists consider this a big and unexpected favor from the Russian government towards the state of Armenia.
The Russian authorities would have done a great favor to the Armenian people if they had not decided to arm Azerbaijan after 2010, had not violated the military balance between Armenia and Azerbaijan with that decision, and through the 44-day war in 2020, would not strengthen Turkey’s role in the region to this day, which is what Putin is personally busy with, but not or the West.
The reason for another “strong” criticism is the following: “Did you see that Blinken and Von der Leyen made friendly, reassuring phone calls to Aliyev…”? Do these oppositionists generally follow Putin’s phone calls? Are they aware of the intensity and content of his warm-friendly calls and congratulations to Erdogan and Aliyev? Do they get to know those messages at all?
Or, are the Armenian oppositionists aware that Azerbaijan will hold a joint military exercise with the three CSTO member states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, plus Uzbekistan? According to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, “the large-scale exercises will take place in July this year at the Oimasha proving ground in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” as well as at the Tokmak cape in the Caspian Sea. It was reported that within the framework of the military exercises, the military would carry out “training and combat tasks aimed at determining the location of armed conflicts.”
Armenian oppositionists have already been informed that “Europe is buying Azerbaijani gas,” therefore, they have also realized that in this way, Europe “is turning a blind eye to the Russian origin of this gas.”
I wonder why the well-informed Armenian oppositionists, who recently started following the phone calls of Western officials and Aliyev with all their attention, did not raise a voice when a contract was signed with the Russian “Gazprom” by the decision of Moscow and Baku, which closed the Nagorno-Karabakh issue with a 44-day war so that Azerbaijan receives one billion cubic meters of Russian gas. As a result of this transaction, the plan to deliver Russian gas to the European Union through Azerbaijan was put into action.
In other words, according to our oppositionists, Putin, who signed this gas deal with Aliyev, is more innocent than the beneficiaries of that deal. Or have our well-informed oppositionists just discovered that Azerbaijan uses Russian gas on the domestic market and sells the surplus to Europe, and that is why Aliyev is Putin’s trusted partner?
The other accusation of our oppositionists – “The West is deaf, blind…” – means that they ignore the problems of authoritarian Azerbaijan, where there are political prisoners, unfree elections are held, and the oligarch-clan system rules. That is said if resolutions regarding Azerbaijan have been adopted in the Western institutions, and there is no shortage of publications about the Aliyev clan in the international press, unlike in Russia, where Aliyev and Erdogan are considered “kind angels” and are Putin’s “trusted friends.”
It is interesting, but why did the Armenian opposition parties forget the Armenians held in Baku prisons, including the military-political leadership of the Artsakh Republic? Maybe the reason for this is that if they are remembered, it may be necessary to clarify how it happened that the military-political leadership of Artsakh “traveled” to prisons in Baku in front of Russian peacekeepers, with their “tacit consent.”
On this issue, do the Armenian opposition forces and the young wings of the parties not feel the need to gather in front of the Russian Embassy in Armenia and present demands? No, not at all; what is necessary to engage in such a patriotic case? They will be deprived of the honor of being received by the Russian Embassy (apparently, not only from that). For that reason, we can talk about the military-political leadership of Artsakh, who took the “road” from Artsakh to the prisons of Baku with the support of the Russians, also not to speak.
Armenian oppositionists have no right to mention Aliyev’s and Putin’s prisoners because a “small” hint of Russia’s responsibility will be noticed. That is why it is possible to discuss more “harmless” topics and to make speeches about the “destructive” consequences of denying Russia and threatening the people with it.
And in general, will anyone explain when it is said, “Don’t stick to Russia?” If “we don’t stick,” what else shouldn’t happen, which has already happened to Armenia? Will Putin bring Artsakh back, or will he get angry with Aliyev,” if Aliyev dares to carry out another encroachment on the borders of CSTO member Armenia and if he suddenly starts a new war, will Putin “level Azerbaijan to the ground?”
Why don’t our oppositionists be more honest and say: “People, don’t stick to Russia because Putin will get angry and destroy Armenia…” They don’t say it because after saying it, it will become clear that Russia is the potential destroyer of Armenia, isn’t it?
And should Armenia be an “ally” of the third hostile state… Are two states that are enemies to us few?
Emma GABRIELYAN
“Aravot” daily, 11.04.2024
