Russian ‘Kommersant’ notes deepening crisis in relations between Russia and Armenia

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 19. An
article has been published in the Russian ‘Kommersant’ newspaper,
which focuses on the deepening crisis in relations between Russia
and Armenia, Trend
reports.

The article notes that relations between Moscow and
Yerevan continue to deteriorate.

“In the absence of direct contacts between the leaders
of the two countries, the parties are arguing at a distance.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan criticized the Russian side
in the European Parliament. He also slammed the Collective Security
Treaty Organization, in a veiled form, Russia, as well as the
Russian peacemakers in Karabakh. Moscow called the behavior of the
Armenian leader ‘irresponsible and provocative’,” the article
said.

The author of the article emphasized that Russia’s
relations with this country, which is a member of both the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian
Economic Union (EAEU), are now experiencing perhaps the worst
period in the entire existence of independent Armenia.

“The crisis in Russian-Armenian relations is not new.
Nikol Pashinyan has been criticizing Moscow and the CSTO quite
harshly for a long time. In early September, he called Armenia’s
dependence on Russia and the organization created on its initiative
in terms of security a mistake,” the article said.

The author noted that one of the reasons for the
deterioration of relations is the ratification and subsequent
signing by Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturian of the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Moscow, before Armenia carried out the necessary
legislative procedures, indicated that the Rome Statute would spoil
bilateral relations. However, Yerevan still signed it. Now Armenia
is obliged to comply with the instructions of the ICC, which,
issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova.
Also, Yerevan is considering shutting down Russian TV channels. In
addition, Nikol Pashinyan prefers to travel to the West, rather
than to Russia and allied countries. In the West he criticizes
Russia,” the article said.

The author, regarding Armenia’s aspirations to get
closer to the West, noted that Armenia and the EU do not have such
close relations.

“The parties signed an agreement on a comprehensive
and expanded partnership. At the same time, Armenia is in a unique
situation. It is a member of the EAEU and the CSTO. However, Nikol
Pashinyan insistently demonstrates that he is ready to move to a
different level of relations with the EU. At the same time, it is
unknown how he intends to deal with the alliances where Armenia is
a member together with Russia,” the article said.