Sharmazanov: Opponents of Armenian-Russian alliance unwittingly advocate for strengthening Turkey`s role in the South Caucasus

ArmInfo. Opponents of the 
Armenian-Russian alliance and the increased role of Russia in the South Caucasus unwittingly favor strengthening Turkey's role in this region.  This is the opinion of Eduard Sharmazanov, the former vice-speaker of the Armenian parliament and a member of the Republican Party.  He pointed out that it is obvious that Turkey and Azerbaijan are the main threat to Armenia's security "Moreover, Turkey also plays a key role as the main ally of the Collective West   in the South Caucasus.  Leaving aside the threats posed by the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem, some pro-Pashinyan, pro-government and pro-Western actions have started to incite another anti-Russian hysteria," the politician noted.

In this regard, he pointed out that a similar situation arose around Armenia about 100 years ago.  "Some politicians pinned their hopes for salvation on the West, but during the Turkish-Armenian war that began in 1920, the West did not provide any support to us.  As a result, on December 2, 1920, the Treaty of Alexandropol was signed, resulting in a reduction of the territory of Armenia to less than 10, 000 square kilometers. It was only through the Sovietization of Armenia that its territory was extended more than three times, reaching about 30,000 square kilometers," Sharmazanov recalled.

At the same time, he is confident that the most effective period of the Armenian-Russian alliance was from 1991-2018, when key agreements were signed, including the declaration on the deployment of the 102nd Russian military base, and a large Armenian-Russian agreement. Armenia joined the CSTO, and thanks to the efforts of the third President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the country joined the Customs Union, and then the EAEU.  "In 2014, the presence of the Russian military base was extended until 2044, and a contract was signed to receive military products at domestic Russian factory prices. The contract is valued at 300 million US dollars. The CSTO strategy was adopted in Yerevan.  The Armenian-Russian relations of that period were characterized by predictability and mutual trust," the politician added.

Sharmazanov noted that in recent years, the growth of the Armenian economy has been directly linked to Sargsyan's decision to join the EAEU.

"And who in the National Assembly initiated the process of leaving the EAEU in 2017? Nikol and others like him. If Pashinyan's team had not pursued a policy without external turbulence and isms, the Republic of Armenia would not have found itself in this shameful situation," he noted. In conclusion, Shramazanov quoted Armenia's national hero Garegin Nzhdeh: "Armenia's only natural ally is the great Russian nation."