Epress.am News from Armenia
The Armenian-Russian parliamentary friendship club is one of the few structures that "bears big fruit" for Armenia, the Armenian chair of the friendship club, MP Hermine Naghdalyan, said in Armenia's National Assembly today. According to her, the Armenian side is now trying to use this group to improve the role of Armenian business entities in the Russian market. In addition to economic matters, cultural integration, armament of the region, and other issues were discussed at the last meeting.
Naghdalyan was reminded of the "property for debt" program (whereby Armenia transferred several properties to Russia to repay its debt), Russia's selling arms to Azerbaijan, the increase in the price of (Russian) gas imported into Armenia, Dmitry Kiselyov's statement, and asked, what, in this case, does the MP consider to be Armenian-Russian friendship?
"We interpret the property for debt [program] as property taken from us; that property began to work; and as a result, we have opportunities for cooperation. Selling weapons to Azerbaijan cannot break our friendship. Don’t look [at this issue] only one-sided," she said.
Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) MP Vardan Ayvazyan continued to list the arguments in Russia's favor. He said that Russia ensures Armenia's energy security and resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, opens a huge market for Armenia, and the largest Armenian diaspora is in Russia. "The comparisons have to be made in parallel," he said.
MP Levon Martirosyan, in turn, said that an individual's statement, whoever he may be (referring to Kiselyov), shouldn't be equated with the gas agreement or the property for debt program.
"Don't get so serious. It's unlikely that that man will discuss your remarks for very long," he said.