Armenian-Russian Relations on Track Despite Pessimism in Media

Asked to comment on the talks, before they took place, against the backdrop of existing uncertainties, Martirosyan said that the two leaders are meeting for the very purpose of finalizing certain points of contention and agreeing upon matters of urgent importance. “But that meeting, by and large, is being held for reasons of settling matters linked to that distrust. We can, certainly, leave it to Russia, but in the light of our [strategic] alliance with that country, the distrust cannot and should not remain Russia’s affair only,” he explained.

Despite all the apprehension, the meeting was concluded on a positive note. Pashinyan was almost jubilant in his statement. “My meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has just ended. We had a productive talk and stated that Armenian-Russian relations are at a brilliant level. There is not a single problem in any field of our relations,” he said.

Although much more guarded, Putin’s statement also had a positive spin. “Relations between Armenia and Russia are developing steadily in all directions. This concerns political relations, military, security issues and economic cooperation spheres,” the Russian leader said.

For energy-hungry Armenia, importing Russian gas is of vital importance.

“We are the largest investor in the Armenian economy and we can affirm that in this respect our relations are rather diversified,” Putin stated. He also touted the fact that Armenia buys Russian gas at the cheapest price of $150 per thousand cubic meters, to which Pashinyan retorted that by the time consumers receive that gas in Yerevan, the price rises to $270-$275 per thousand cubic meters due to the high Georgian transit fees and the Russian Gazprom’s monopoly in Armenia.

Putin promised to study the case.

Couched in a palatable diplomatic format, Pashinyan has delivered a message that his backers at home and in the West much appreciate, that of Armenia’s sovereign status in dealing with Russia.

Armenia is no longer an “inferior vassal,” as the guru of the Velvet Revolution, Levon Shirinian would say. Indeed, Pashinyan has stated: “Russia and Armenia have no unsolvable problems. Our countries rely on the principles of respect for the interests of each other’s affairs and non-interference therein. We are determined to develop relations further, not only bilaterally, but also within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union and Collective Security organizations.”

Besides confirming mutual respect and pledge for future productive cooperation, Pashinyan has come up with making a positive step in the Karabakh issue. Indeed, Vahram Atanesyan, the correspondent for Hay Dzayn in Stepanakert, who reviews Azeri press meticulously, states that there was speculation in that country that Putin was ready to reprimand Pashinyan on his position on Artsakh. But, the commentator states, they were bitterly disappointed. The Azeri leadership came to the realization that Aliyev’s bellicose rhetoric will not make a dent in Yerevan. Pashinyan delivered a clear message to Putin and to Baku that Armenia will be ready to compromise when Baku is ready for them. Also, only elected officials of Artsakh may speak on behalf of the people there. As far as the seven regions under Artsakh are considered, the so-called “occupied territories,” they are part of that republic by its constitution.

Indeed, when we read the speech and the news release after the Putin-Aliyev meeting, reference to Artsakh by Putin is generic, run-of-the-mill statement but excludes the military solution.

The balance of power between Armenia and Azerbaijan is in Moscow’s hand. Putin has refrained from playing his Azeri card against Armenia, because he uses his options sparingly and because of political prudence, rather than charity.

At the end of the day, if we take a fair account of the meeting, the best way to describe it was Pashinyan’s characterization: that despite apprehensive predictions in Armenian and Russian media, the meeting was a reasonable success.