Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?
24.12.13
Analyst on 2013: Improvement before September 3, counter-effect afterwards
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Summing up 2013 the director of the Regional Studies Center views it as “the activists’ year”, considering their involvement in various spheres this year.
Tuesday, Richard Giragosian said the active involvement of civil society has demonstrated that Armenia is not desperate and it is more about its citizens trying to challenge the government.
“During the first six months of this year we saw improvement bringing Armenia closer to the European Union, but the tendency of the second half of 2013 had a counter-effect. Starting September 3, when the Armenian president surprised many by his statement – the hasty decision to shift Armenia’s political vector and say ‘no’ to the Association Agreement with the EU, which I believe is a lost opportunity for Armenia and a step backwards,” says Giragosian.
The next important event, Giragosian points out, was December 2, when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Armenia, and both events, he says, were an insult against Armenia’s sovereignty, revealing the disproportional nature of the Armenian-Russian relations, characterized by lack of respect and unequal opportunities.
He says the late November meeting of the Armenian president and his Azeri counterpart in Vilnius was another significant development of the ending year, as well as the OSCE Minks Group co-chairs’ field visit, the Russian co-chair’s meeting with the defense minister and the co-chairs’ meeting with the civil society in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Giragosian points out another major event of late 2013, the Monday parliament voting ratifying the gas agreements under which, in particular, the Armenian government’s remaining 20-percent stake in ArmRosgazprom was handed over to Russia’s Gazprom and which regulate the order of further natural gas supply to Armenia.
“That agreement will cause more damage to Armenia’s sovereignty, national security… What happened in the National Assembly yesterday shows that the authorities bear more responsibility now,” says Giragosian, adding that considering the Armenian-Russian relations, Armenia’s choice to join the Customs Union, one can presume that in 2014 Armenia might find itself in a rather poor condition economically.
Source URL: http://www.armenianow.com/news/polit...lysis_year2013
24.12.13
Analyst on 2013: Improvement before September 3, counter-effect afterwards
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
Summing up 2013 the director of the Regional Studies Center views it as “the activists’ year”, considering their involvement in various spheres this year.
Tuesday, Richard Giragosian said the active involvement of civil society has demonstrated that Armenia is not desperate and it is more about its citizens trying to challenge the government.
“During the first six months of this year we saw improvement bringing Armenia closer to the European Union, but the tendency of the second half of 2013 had a counter-effect. Starting September 3, when the Armenian president surprised many by his statement – the hasty decision to shift Armenia’s political vector and say ‘no’ to the Association Agreement with the EU, which I believe is a lost opportunity for Armenia and a step backwards,” says Giragosian.
The next important event, Giragosian points out, was December 2, when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Armenia, and both events, he says, were an insult against Armenia’s sovereignty, revealing the disproportional nature of the Armenian-Russian relations, characterized by lack of respect and unequal opportunities.
He says the late November meeting of the Armenian president and his Azeri counterpart in Vilnius was another significant development of the ending year, as well as the OSCE Minks Group co-chairs’ field visit, the Russian co-chair’s meeting with the defense minister and the co-chairs’ meeting with the civil society in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Giragosian points out another major event of late 2013, the Monday parliament voting ratifying the gas agreements under which, in particular, the Armenian government’s remaining 20-percent stake in ArmRosgazprom was handed over to Russia’s Gazprom and which regulate the order of further natural gas supply to Armenia.
“That agreement will cause more damage to Armenia’s sovereignty, national security… What happened in the National Assembly yesterday shows that the authorities bear more responsibility now,” says Giragosian, adding that considering the Armenian-Russian relations, Armenia’s choice to join the Customs Union, one can presume that in 2014 Armenia might find itself in a rather poor condition economically.
Source URL: http://www.armenianow.com/news/polit...lysis_year2013
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