Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

[Vrej1915]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

Vrej do you even check your sources? Do you see where this guy does his research and studying? I swear any shmuck can write something and so long as it fits the stupid agenda you guys bite hard. The arguments made are pretty lame to like yeh Armenia does not have any borders with Russia but its not like we are next door to France either you know. Russia promises investment and security both of which they have delivered on before. EU promises what? No security,no investment, but it demands reforms some of which are good and some are not so good. They offer loans in return for reform which is ok but not as good as direct investments into infrastructure like Russia has done and keeps doing. No one really knows what else is said or not said at these meetings so the reality is that we are all pretty much guessing about who offered what to whom. I think Serj did a good job of playing the two sides and took the better offer for the country. Talking trade is great but trade wo security is worthless.

What sources do you want me to check?
The guy is a Pole, and had worked in Turkey?
What a surprise!
All Western experts dealing with the region have worked in that state, and yet most are more objective than russian experts on turkish or bakinski payroll....
Stick to the points, and may be one day you may think about your blind russophilia, reason of all our capitulations...

[Hakob]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

This Konrad Zasztowt has got some true ideas about how russia is trying to bring all former soviet states under her controll. It is true also that russians switch sides. It was a clear signal from putin that russia could support baku in Karabakh conflict. Our government had to be blind and in european lalaland not ot see this and not to worry. Kemalist turkey/leninist russia love story is a great lesson of this type of behavior for any Armenian.
But this guy and others fail to see that there was not even a carrot in russia's policy. Europe has shown us carrots. Carrots have value in west only. But here in the caucasus its all about sticks and knives. Russia, turkey, azerbaijan, all have shown us only bloody sticks and knives.
Anybody that speaks about carrots in caucasus is totally cut from reality like that lunatic Sahakashvilly. All this time we have to worry only about survival (for so many centuries no change). What carrot? what easy life?
Next russia will try to bring azerbaijan under controll. Karabakh will be a big bargaining chip. But the question is: are azeris ready to loose their independance to gain a chank of artsakh back? Will their rulling elite give up their oil wealth controll to russians? Will turkey and azerbaijan accept russias controll of their relations? Will turkey give up it's drive to caspian wealth? Will western oil companies give up their investments to russians?
You see in reality azeris have many many more problems to solve with russia then us. Armenia was an easy victory for russia, but azerbaijan won't be. There could be many opportunities for us to sink our knife in our enemies in that big backstabbing party, called "southern caucasus".

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

What sources do you want me to check?
The guy is a Pole, and had worked in Turkey?
What a surprise!
All Western experts dealing with the region have worked in that state, and yet most are more objective than russian experts on turkish or bakinski payroll....
Stick to the points, and may be one day you may think about your blind russophilia, reason of all our capitulations...

The only issue I see with the article is its headline. There is actually a very big carrot for a select few in Armenia. Unlike the EU, Russia is not interested in democratising Armenia or improving the lot of Armenia's population, so it has issued no requirements that would eventually change the status of the corrupt rulers and criminal gangs that run Armenia. For them, under Russian hegemony, it can continue to be business as usual.

[Haykakan]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

The only issue I see with the article is its headline. There is actually a very big carrot for a select few in Armenia. Unlike the EU, Russia is not interested in democratising Armenia or improving the lot of Armenia's population, so it has issued no requirements that would eventually change the status of the corrupt rulers and criminal gangs that run Armenia. For them, under Russian hegemony, it can continue to be business as usual.

You make a great point yes this does favor the oligarchs since it allows business as usual but they would have done well under the EU rules to because it would open up new markets for them as well. Its not like the west is not dominated by oligarchs you know. So long as capitalism reigns so will the oligarchs.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

Ազատամարտիկները քննադատում են Մաքսային միությանը միանալու որոշումը


Նաիրա Բուլղադարյան
Հրապարակված է՝ 05.09.2013

Այսօր կայացած հերթական համահավաքի ժամանակ Ղարաբաղյան պատերազմի մասնակից ազատամարտիկները կարծիքներ հնչեցրին, թե երկու օր առաջ Մոսկվայում Ռուսաստանի նախագահ Վլադիմիր Պուտինի հետ հանդիպման ժամանակ Սերժ Սարգսյանի հնչեցրած հայտարարությունը նրա կամքին հակառակ է արվել:

«Մաքսային միությանը միանալու նրա որոշումը պարտադրված է»,- ասում են ազատամարտիկները։

Նրանց սատարող ընդդիմադիր «Ժառանգություն» կուսակցության փոխնախագահ Արմեն Մարտիրոսյանն համահավաքի ժամանակ հայտարարեց, որ Րաֆֆի Հովհաննիսյանին այս պարագայում այլ բան չի մնում, քան հայտարարություն տարածել Սերժ Սարգսյանի հրաժարականը պահանջելու մասին։

[Hakob]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

Ազատամարտիկները քննադատում են Մաքսային միությանը միանալու որոշումը


Նաիրա Բուլղադարյան
Հրապարակված է՝ 05.09.2013

Այսօր կայացած հերթական համահավաքի ժամանակ Ղարաբաղյան պատերազմի մասնակից ազատամարտիկները կարծիքներ հնչեցրին, թե երկու օր առաջ Մոսկվայում Ռուսաստանի նախագահ Վլադիմիր Պուտինի հետ հանդիպման ժամանակ Սերժ Սարգսյանի հնչեցրած հայտարարությունը նրա կամքին հակառակ է արվել:

«Մաքսային միությանը միանալու նրա որոշումը պարտադրված է»,- ասում են ազատամարտիկները։

Նրանց սատարող ընդդիմադիր «Ժառանգություն» կուսակցության փոխնախագահ Արմեն Մարտիրոսյանն համահավաքի ժամանակ հայտարարեց, որ Րաֆֆի Հովհաննիսյանին այս պարագայում այլ բան չի մնում, քան հայտարարություն տարածել Սերժ Սարգսյանի հրաժարականը պահանջելու մասին։

LOL...
How many times has Raffi demanded Serj's resignation? Is there a count?
The irony is that no one says if there was a better move Serj could have taken. Now it is about if it was forced or not. Of cource it was... Next it wil maybe be that russians take off toilet papers from bathrooms armenians use... Of course they do... But what is relevant? All those months no Armenian politician or activist has ever said "government you have to do this and this, we take responcibility and will fight to death for it".

[Eddo211]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

RUSSIA'S POLICY TOWARDS ARMENIA: BIG STICK AND SMALL CARROT

Sounds more like Russian blackmail.

comply or we will let in the savages at the gate.....remember Stalin's NKR.

[gegev]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

Some people claim that EU, like Customs Union of Russia, have no common border with Armenia and the goods transported through third countries will be taxed there, therefore it will be useless joining both of them.

This is wrong statement in case of EU association agreement, because Georgia soon will become associated with EU and the goods transported through Georgia would not cross non EU countries (through Black Sea) and therefore it means that Armenia has common border with EU in case of Armenia's association.

[londontsi]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

The objection for Armenia becoming a member to both EU and CU is, that it would become a transit country.
It would deprive other members vast sums of customs duty, since there would be no customs duty either direction.

Incidentally many countries have association treaties with EU as far away as the Caribbean and South America.

[londontsi]

Re: Is Russia an ally or foe, nowadays?

Some people claim that EU, like Customs Union of Russia, have no common border with Armenia and the goods transported through third countries will be taxed there, therefore it will be useless joining both of them.

This is wrong statement in case of EU association agreement, because Georgia soon will become associated with EU and the goods transported through Georgia would not cross non EU countries (through Black Sea) and therefore it means that Armenia has common border with EU in case of Armenia's association.

This concern can very easily be overcome by both countries becoming TIR CONVENTION members, either through the EU or indivdual countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIR_Convention