Ruben Megrabyan: "Soviet inertia works in Armenian-Russian relations"

In the last few years Russia has become more active in the South Caucasus. After Russia won in the five-day war with Georgia, it focused its attention on two other South Caucasus nations - Armenia and Azerbaijan. VK asked an expert of the Armenian center of Political and International Studies, Ruben Megrabyan, some questions on the role of Russia in the region and Russian-Armenian relations.

Do you think it is true that the US is leaving the region and giving it to Russia?

I disagree that Russia has returned  to the South Caucasus successfully and strengthened its positions and role. I disagree that the US is leaving the region. But Russia has become more active in the region. But this is not leading to anything: the influence of Russia cannot be bigger than its potential. Its military, cultural and political potential is inferior to the Western one. Thus, we should expect other results here. At the moment there is only lots of noise and PR, but nothing has changed.

How did the protocol on the Contract concerning the Russian military base in Armenia change the security status quo in the region? Did it make the US factor weaker?

No it didn't, as it did not add anything new, except for new terms. Other formulations do not mean anything. I think this protocol is of a political nature.

Many Armenian-Russian conferences and seminars give grounds for thinking that Moscow's view on Armenia is too simple. Don't you think the real situation is wider?

Of course it's wider. In our relations, stereotypes and soviet inertia are still at work. And this bureaucratic logic dominates our relations. There is neither pragmatism nor politics in our relations with Russia. The reason is not only inertia, but an unwillingness to do anything. Let's remember that for 20 years we didn't know what was going on in the minds and hearts of Russians and Armenians. There are two different state interests, it's an objective process. What is surprising is that nobody tries to understand this. There are relations between our governments, departments, oligarchs and criminals, but that is the limit of our relations. There are two civil societies with no contacts. Although there are common problems, such as the advocacy of human rights. We could cooperate here, but, unfortunately, we don't.

How do you evaluate the economic relations between the two countries?

Russian business works here, but the Russian state companies working in Armenia, such as Gazprom and Russian Railways have monopolies in Armenia, which means they can influence the Armenian government. This is a big disadvantage in Russian-Armenian economic relations.

How should the Russian-Armenian relations be modernized? What should be the direction of this process?

I think that modernization should be in the real democratization of the socio-political systems of Armenia and Russia. Here we have the same interests. Without the primacy of human rights and freedoms, any talks about modernization are only imitation. Nevertheless, I believe in the success of Russian-Armenian relations. I think our people deserve better lives. We are no worse than Europeans and could live with the same principles of human rights and freedoms. Our people have showed that they are able to do great things. They just need some time.

Interviewed by Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for VK.