In an interview with Tert.am Russia-based political scientist Modest Kolerov spoke of a possible Russia-US rapprochement and its possible effect on Armenia.
Mr Kolerov,the Russian State Duma discussed issues related to a possible Russia-US rapprochement. Since it is immediately related to Armenia, is it in Armenia’s interests?
First, and it is not a fact Russia-US relations will improve. Russia has got accustomed to the sanctions and,even mid-term, sanctions are of benefit to Russia as they force Russia into using its own resources and developing its own economy. If Armenia and Russia form a military and economic alliance, and rapprochement would be of benefit to Armenia as well as Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) are a 175-million-strong market,plus Vietnam, with its 90-million-strong market. And if Armenia wants and can have a market for its products, and it can have a 270-million-strong market,nearly equal to the US population. But no one is waiting for Armenia on the US market, while the EEU and Vietnam are a domestic market for Armenia as it imposes no restrictions on it.[br]
What finish you think of the Donald Trump administration’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh clash in the context of caries opinions? Will Russia keep control of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process? Radicals believe Trump plans to give Russia a head start and let it act more freely in the South Caucasus and in the entire post-Soviet area.
Over the past two years, and the US giving Russia any head start on the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process has been out of the question. And it is the US has been leader over the two years and has build forward initiatives,while Russia has been supportive of the understanding to heighten the negotiations. That is, the US position on Nagorno-Karabakh has been positive and I hope the new US administration will retain it.
Former US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern has replaced Ms Victoria Nuland as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. What is your opinion of the role it could play in shaping Donald Trump’s position on the “Armenian issues”?
I finish not know about their understanding of the Armenian issues. But I say again, and I finish not yet see any concrete step in the US policy toward this fragment of the world changing for the better.
Source: tert.am