Armenian intellectuals not enthusiastic about Russian gas deal
The Armenian-Russian inter-governmental agreement on the sale and purchase of Hayrusgazard's shares does not receive welcoming remarks by intellectuals.
Speaking to Tert.am, Ruben Babayan, the Yerevan Puppet Theatre’s art director, said he is hopeful the parliament will not ratify the controversial deal expected to give the Russian Gazprom a privileged status in Armenia.
“My attitude to that agreement is absolutely negative, 100 percent negative,” he said. “I don’t want to lose my optimism; I really want to believe that the state interest will dominate individual and partisan interests at the National Assembly. Perhaps, that's what I want; I know it’s naïve as there is very little likelihood, but I would like that to happen, anyway.”
Armenia’s National Assembly is holding an extraordinary session later today to ratify the agreement.
Gagik Ginosyan, the art director of the ethnographic song and dance ensemble Karin, said he is more than sure the parliamentary majority will vote in favor of what he called a humiliating deal.
“All will sign it because if the agreement has been concluded, that’s what is expected to happen,” he told our correspondent.
Ginosyan said he wasn’t surprised by the agreement’s terms, adding that it was yet another servile step by the Armenian authorities.
“I think they negotiate any agreement guided purely by a servile mentality, instead of considering the economic advantages and other relations,” he noted.
“The Russian base’s 49-year presence in Armenia was at the heart of everything. It was signed, then the Customs Union [deal] followed, so this is the logical continuation; nothing unexpected. These are the links of the one and the same chain, so there’s nothing surprising,” he said, referring to an earlier government plan to grant the Russian language a special status in Armenia.
Commenting on the agreement, poet David Hovhannes said he does not encourage the deal, adding that it was the only choice for Armenia in the present circumstances.
“I do not encourage the provisions set out in the agreements because we could have done it in a better way, but in the meantime I find that we should have behaved more independently and decently. This is what we lack,” he said.
“Perhaps, if we had demonstrated dignity, we could have traded in a way that would give us something. But we have what we have. That’s an agreement which brings gas to Armenia.”
The poet said he thinks the deal is the repetition of the Property for Debt program which obliged Armenia to give some of resources to
Russia in return for such basic necessities as natural gas and military security.
“That’s a forced, not a disgraceful agreement, as some like to state. The path we have taken and will probably pursue until reaching relations deserving a respect is not unfortunately something new. But the fact is we receive gas for the cheapest price in the
Transcausasus [region], ” he noted.
The poet further warned against comparing the situation with Ukraine. “Comparisons with Ukraine is from the series of the conceited delusions characteristic of the Armenians. Ukraine is the second biggest country after Russia, with huge potentials and a population of 45 million. So anything that has to do with Ukraine can either support Russia or let it down,” he noted.
The poet said Ukraine’s European integration would imply NATO’s closer relations with Russia, adding that the opposite scenario (remaining under Russian influence) would oblige the country to pay a price for it.
“Ukraine adjusted itself to its sizes and weight; so they gathered in the [Euro]maidan. And everything possible was done to make that happen. I don’t think Armenia is of such a great importance to Russia as some people say conceitedly, without looking at the map,” he added.
As for the alternative option of purchasing the Iranian gas, David Hovhanness said he doesn’t think it is serious to focus on that given that earlier rumors on such a plan remained were never translated into real steps.
“Iran’s ambassador is not a representative of the Iranian gas to say things of the kind. Iran has just made statements and given promises to sell gas 100 Dollar to anyone who wishes,” he said, expressing skepticism as to any future gas deals with the Islamic Republic.
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