Saturday, December 5 2020 01:41

ArmInfo.After the war in Artsakh, I believe that our relations with Russia must reach a new level. The first president of Artsakh, the second president of  Armenia Robert Kocharian stated this in an interview to Channel 5.

He stressed that this war has become a difficult test for Armenia,  and now the country faces a number of important issues that need to  be addressed.

"So, for example, one of our main tasks is to restore the army,  during the war we suffered a number of very large losses, including  in weapons. However, in order not to sow panic, I will not list them,  I will only say that the results are completely To resolve this  issue, and a number of other equally important and systemic problems,  we need further integration with Russia, "Kocharian stressed. The  second president of Armenia noted that today the situation is such  that we do not even have an army capable of defending the borders of  Syunik, and the authorities do not even think to take part in this  process. "As a result, all responsibility for the situation fell on  the head of the village and the militia, which protects this  important border," he stressed.

Kocharian also noted that the role of Russia is also becoming very  relevant due to the fact that the role of Turkey as an active player  in the region is growing. "We all know that Russia is the guarantor  of Armenia's security. If it seems to you that the war is over and  now the situation will be calm, you are wrong, you should clearly  realize that Turkey has never abandoned its plans. Now Ankara hopes  to weaken Yerevan as much as possible.

Another question concerns the Armenian market, it is not too large,  in contrast to the Russian market. Thus, I believe that we needa new  government that will be able to deepen our relations with Russia,  this government does not have such an opportunity.

I'll tell you why I think so. Let's go back in time, a few weeks  before the war, a person was appointed to the post of head of the NSS  of Armenia, who was going to get rid of "Russian agents" in the  structure. In particular, I mean people who were educated in Russia.  And after all this, how do you imagine the development of relations  between this government and Moscow? "- asked Kocharian. According to  the second president of Armenia, during the war, cooperation between  the special services occupies a special place, and when a person with  such a mission is appointed to the NSS, these contacts are  practically impossible." During the war, this person was removed from  his post, but now he continues to report something to the President  of Artsakh. This behavior is called double-dealing. When such a  person works in a country, in one of the main structures, one can  hardly count on the reputation of a reliable partner, "he said.  In  conclusion, Kocharian also touched on the issue of prisoners of war.  According to the second president of Armenia, the country's  authorities should be especially active in this matter, while they  are shifting responsibility for the entire process onto the Russian  peacekeepers.

"The parents of the missing soldiers and prisoners of war go from one  department to another. And no one takes responsibility, no one gives  them answers. As a result, people are forced to ask for assistance  from the Russian Embassy in Armenia. If the government does not deal  with this issue, then what is its task? Why is it in power? The  country's leadership must take responsibility and deal with this  issue, "Robert Kocharian concluded.