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  • Russia Will Stay In The Caucasus

    RUSSIA WILL STAY IN THE CAUCASUS

    WPS Agency, Russia
    December 3, 2013 Tuesday

    by Yelena Yegorova
    Source: Moskovsky Komsomolets, No 268, December 3, 2013, p. 2

    RUSSIA WILL REWARD ARMENIA'S LOYALTY WITH INVESTMENTS; Armenia was
    lured into the Customs Union.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin flew to Armenia yesterday. Armenia
    could well follow in Ukraine's steps... but local leaders knew better
    than pushing things to and beyond the boiling point. As a result,
    they are entitled to a carrot from Moscow instead of a stick from the
    domestic opposition. Putin promised official Yerevan investments and
    a discount on gas. "Russia will never leave the Caucasus," he said.

    Armenian leaders aspired for rapprochement with Europe as greatly as
    their Ukrainian counterparts only recently. Armenian Prime Minister
    Tigran Sargsjan openly called membership in the Customs Union
    "pointless and impossible" this summer. The premier promised that
    come November, Armenia would sign the agreement of association with
    the European Union at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius.

    Everything changed on September 3 when President Serj Sargsjan visited
    Putin in Moscow. Once their meeting was over, Armenia executed an
    unexpected U-turn. Nobody knows exactly what arguments made the
    Armenian president a political weather vane but it is very unlikely
    that they greatly differed from Moscow's usual rhetorics in dealings
    with CIS partners. Armenia is a traditional importer of Gazprom and
    foods from Russia. A mere hint at the problems could might develop in
    these spheres would have persuaded Sargsjan to play ball. Particularly
    since the domestic opposition clamoring for rapprochement with
    Europe did not make all that much noise in the first place. (What
    few opposition activists were out in the streets with pro-European
    posters on the day of Putin's arrival were promptly overwhelmed and
    whisked away to police stations.)

    Speaking at the form "Russia. Armenia. Customs Union", the Russian
    president said that official Yerevan had considered all pros and cons
    and made its choice. "That's it sovereign right and its own choice,"
    said Putin and promised Armenia help with making "the process of
    integration as smooth as possible".

    "Russia will never leave the Caucasus. On the contrary, Russia means
    to reinforce here," said Putin.

    Unlike obstinate Kiev that is paying for its obstinacy these days,
    Armenia required practically nothing in terms of persuasion. In any
    event, this loyalty has to be appreciated and rewarded now... and
    rewarded it will be. Russia will invest in Armenian infrastructure and
    industry, it will help Armenia modernize its railways and technically
    obsolete nuclear and hydroelectric power plants... There are 1,300
    companies with Russian capitals functioning in Armenia at this point
    - Gazprom, VTB, Russian Railways, Inter RAO Unified Energy Systems,
    and many others.

    [Translated from Russian]

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