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."