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ANALYST: ARMENIANS PREFER RUSSIA OVER EU
SOCIETY | 05.09.13 | 16:22
Photolure
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
A well-known sociologist of Armenia concludes that if a referendum were
held on joining the Customs Union (as announced by President Serzh
Sargsyan Tuesday), the majority of citizens would have definitely
voted for it, because, he says, decades of studies and surveys show
that the people of Armenia support deepening relations with Russia.
Director of Sociometer Sociological Center Aharon Adibekyan told the
press on Thursday that the center has been carrying out studies since
the 1990s to establish which country or political union Armenia should
cooperate with and Russia has always held the top position on the list.
"It has never dropped below 40 percent, never exceeded 55 percent. The
European Union always came second, followed by Iran and the United
States. In terms of remittances, last year out of the total $1.7
billion $1.47 billion came from Russia, which makes 85.6 percent.
Every sixth or seventh family lives off the money sent from Russia,"
he says, adding that between 1988 and 2011, 34 percent of general
$16.5 billion investment in Armenia was by Russia, which makes 42.5
percent of direct investment, while the share of those 12 countries
of the European Union which made tangible investment in Armenia is
only 20 percent in general and 25 percent in direct investments. The
USA's share is 3 percent.
"If the European Union wants to see Armenia as its friend, it has to
found a business with us, so that we can understand that partnership,
but the issue remains in the political domain. They say come and
befriend us, then we will try to help you, meanwhile Russia, as our
ally historically, has been fulfilling that mission," says Adibekyan,
adding that there are 1.5 million Armenians officially residing
in Russia and it is only natural that President Vladimir Putin is
interested in attracting those votes to support him.
However, Adibekyan says that Russia, as opposed to Europe, is a
technologically less developed country, if we put aside the strategic
and space fields, hence cooperating with it will make Armenia lag
behind technologically and will only be able to sell its products
in Russia.
According to him, speaking in chess terminology, this is a mutual
political "zugzwang", meaning when both parties take steps because
the situation on the game board is such that other steps might lead
to bitter defeat.
SOCIETY | 05.09.13 | 16:22
Photolure
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
A well-known sociologist of Armenia concludes that if a referendum were
held on joining the Customs Union (as announced by President Serzh
Sargsyan Tuesday), the majority of citizens would have definitely
voted for it, because, he says, decades of studies and surveys show
that the people of Armenia support deepening relations with Russia.
Director of Sociometer Sociological Center Aharon Adibekyan told the
press on Thursday that the center has been carrying out studies since
the 1990s to establish which country or political union Armenia should
cooperate with and Russia has always held the top position on the list.
"It has never dropped below 40 percent, never exceeded 55 percent. The
European Union always came second, followed by Iran and the United
States. In terms of remittances, last year out of the total $1.7
billion $1.47 billion came from Russia, which makes 85.6 percent.
Every sixth or seventh family lives off the money sent from Russia,"
he says, adding that between 1988 and 2011, 34 percent of general
$16.5 billion investment in Armenia was by Russia, which makes 42.5
percent of direct investment, while the share of those 12 countries
of the European Union which made tangible investment in Armenia is
only 20 percent in general and 25 percent in direct investments. The
USA's share is 3 percent.
"If the European Union wants to see Armenia as its friend, it has to
found a business with us, so that we can understand that partnership,
but the issue remains in the political domain. They say come and
befriend us, then we will try to help you, meanwhile Russia, as our
ally historically, has been fulfilling that mission," says Adibekyan,
adding that there are 1.5 million Armenians officially residing
in Russia and it is only natural that President Vladimir Putin is
interested in attracting those votes to support him.
However, Adibekyan says that Russia, as opposed to Europe, is a
technologically less developed country, if we put aside the strategic
and space fields, hence cooperating with it will make Armenia lag
behind technologically and will only be able to sell its products
in Russia.
According to him, speaking in chess terminology, this is a mutual
political "zugzwang", meaning when both parties take steps because
the situation on the game board is such that other steps might lead
to bitter defeat.