28.12.18 13:10

Translated from the archives of  kavkazplus 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 27 in Moscow. There are all signs that it was Pashinyan who spoke to Putin from the position of ultimatums, and not contrary.

Since the main trump card in the hands of Pashinyan is the question of the further stay of the 102 Russian military base in Gyumri. The role of this base is even more intensified, given that the United States announced the withdrawal of its troops from Syria. In such an environment, the “flight” of Russians from the place closest to the “Syrian theater of operations” where they have a base will be clearly perceived as Russia's geopolitical defeat.

Meanwhile, in Armenia, it is already openly and loudly demanding that Russians get out of the country along with the military base.

On December 25 (that is, 2 days before Pashinyan’s visit to Moscow), a group of Armenian citizens, on the initiative of Narine Mkrtchyan and Narine Dilbaryan, organized a protest rally in front of the Russian Embassy in Yerevan, during which they submitted a petition to the Russian ambassador.
Narine Mkrtchyan reminded that the sovereignty of Armenia is the highest value, and if these problems are not solved, Armenia’s international rating will not be higher. The European and Conservative parties of Armenia joined the participants of the action. The European Party of Armenia in front of the Russian embassy unfolded a huge poster on which was written: “Russian army! Get out of Armenia! ”

Narine Dilbaryan read the petition, which was given to the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Armenia.

We give her text in full:

Petition

To Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the RA Sergey Kopyrkin

We, the undersigned, stating the fact that the sovereignty and security of Armenia become vulnerable due to the undesirable behavior of the servicemen of the 102nd Russian military base and the non-statutory relations prevailing there, express deepest indignation and concern to the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation Sergey Kopyrkin in connection with the situation at a military base.

The Russian military base due to the uncontrollable, criminal behavior of its servicemen in recent years, instead of the RA security guarantor, has become a threatening, terrorist factor for the local civilian population.

1. On January 12, 2015, 7 members of the Avetisyan family became victims of the brutal crime of a soldier of the 102nd military base of Valery Permyakov. The terrible nature of the crime and the dark sides of the investigation led to violent protests in civil society, as a result of which an attempt was made to conduct at least a partially transparent and comprehensive investigation, preventing attempts by the leadership of the 102nd base to hide the crime and restrict the necessary information. The Armenian public, and especially the people of Gyumri, have not received guarantees that there will be no similar incidents in the future.

2. As a result of the criminal inaction of the leadership of the military base of the Russian Federation, no proper steps were taken to improve the internal moral and psychological atmosphere, to develop appropriate rules of conduct for servicemen, as a result of which regular actions to strengthen the atmosphere of anxiety and fear among the peaceful population of Shirak region and the peak of such sentiment was the crime committed on December 3 in the Slobodka district of the Gyumri city, when a 57-year-old woman was brutally beaten up by Russian soldiers. A Russian soldier brutally beating a woman killed her - she died on the way to the hospital.

3. We demand maximum transparency and public control throughout the entire investigation in order to exclude possible biased steps from the leadership of the military base. It is necessary to establish such legal relations and new internal rules that guarantee the exclusion of unwarranted criminal offenses against civilians in the Republic of Armenia. We demand that you personally inform the leadership of the Russian Federation about the existing circumstances in order to take the necessary steps to fundamentally change the situation.

4. We demand that Russian military personnel respect the legislation of the Republic of Armenia and submit to it throughout the territory of Armenia.

5. We demand to transfer to the Armenian side the Russian soldier who committed the murder. Based on the above, we emphasize that in case of non-compliance with these requirements, we will take into account the fact that the continued existence of the Russian military base in the RA becomes not only dangerous and questionable, but also contrary to our national interests and unpromising. We will be consistent in our requirements.

The anti-Russian demonstration in front of the Russian embassy in Armenia has so far been relatively small. This suggests that Pashinyan intends to “bargain with Russia”.

But the very fact that the demonstration was obviously carried out with the blessing of the new Armenian authorities and the petition was handed, says that they will be bargaining on one issue - how the Russian base withdraws from Armenia. "Quietly" without much publicity - or loudly and with scandals. Moreover, the “quiet” withdrawal of the base will, apparently, cost Russia very, very expensive.

And perhaps not only for Russia. It is not excluded that Pashinyan will insist on “breaking the blockade” by organizing transit for Armenia through the occupied territories of Georgia. Moreover, the issue of political pressure on Georgia in the Armenian interests will again be forced to take Russia.
The question of preserving Russia's military presence in the Republic of Armenia is no longer in principle. It will be necessary - there will be other provocations, will appear new Armenian old women or children “brutally killed” by Russians.

Not for that, the US State Department arranged the “Maidan” in Armenia and brought its proteges led by Nikol Pashinyan to power so that Russia could continue using its territory of Armenia to solve its defense and geopolitical issues.

But once again, the Russians need to think about the price they are costing and the “ally” as the “ancient, long-suffering Armenians” will still cost them, who don’t feel any gratitude to the country, thanks to which they exist in the world, even having betrayed Russia, they are engaged in blackmail and extortion, demanding to “get out” of their defenders.

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