Political expert: Majority of Armenian citizens thinks that Russian  affects on negotiation process on Karabakh conflict settlement issue 

ArmInfo. "56% Armenian citizens believe that Russia negatively influences the negotiation process on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, "Stepan Grigoryan, head of the Center for Globalization and Regional Studies, said on September  11 at a presentation of preliminary results of the poll.

According to Grigoryan, the purpose of this survey was to study the  attitude of Armenian citizens to international organizations. Another  goal was to compare the attitude of the republic's citizens to the  position of the representatives of the National Assembly and the  Government of Armenia.

Social survey  was conducted among residents of towns and villages of  Armenia - Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Martuni, etc. According to  Grigoryan, in the poll conducted from June 1 to September 1, 2017,  900 citizens from various cities and villages of Armenia  participated. The poll, according to the political scientist:, was  conducted not by professional sociologists, but by young educated  people, who were interested in the attitude of their compatriots to  this or that international organization, including NATO, EU, EEA, and  attitude to Russia. One of the main conditions of this survey was  anonymity, the sample of respondents was limited to three people from  one residential building to ensure unobstructed ness. Also, young  people were allowed to conduct a survey among friends and relatives.

According to the data as a result of the survey, answering the  question whether Russia is an ally of Armenia - 34% answered  positively, and 30% - negative. On the question whether Russia  provides security to Armenia - 25% answered that no, and 30% - what  it provides.

Meanwhile, 40% of respondents considered that Russia hinders the  development of relations between Armenia and the EU. According to the  political scientist, 41% of RA residents believe that the Collective  Security Treaty (CSTO) does not ensure the security of Armenia, 42%  answered that it partially provides and 15% believe that the  agreement ensures the security of Armenia. Asked whether Armenia's  membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization can be a  deterrent mechanism in the Karabakh conflict, 38% of the citizens  answered that no, 37% answered that in part, and only 23% said yes.  63% believe that CSTO members will not help Armenia in the event of  war with Azerbaijan.

The survey, according to Grigoryan, showed that 50% of respondents  believe that Armenia's membership in the EEU negatively affects  Armenia. 37% of respondents believe that the deterioration of the  economic situation in Armenia is related to Armenia's membership in  the EEU, 38% believe that the deterioration of the economic situation  in Armenia is partly due to Armenia's membership in the EEU.

According to him, 78% of respondents negatively refer to the fact  that in September 2013, Armenia renounced the association agreement  with the EU. 88% of respondents are positive about the development of  relations between Armenia and the European Union. 35% also think that  the European Union helps Armenia in the implementation of economic  reforms, while 14% said that it does not help, and 50% believe that  the EU only partly helps Armenia in this matter. 58% of respondents  connect Armenia's future with its membership in the European Union.

61% of the opinion poll participants are positive that Armenia will  become a member of NATO in the future. And to the question whether  the interaction with the EU and NATO can positively affect the  peaceful settlement of the Karabakh issue, 35% answered positively,  27% - negatively, and 37% felt that cooperation could partially  contribute to a peaceful settlement.