Armenia needs cautious policy in relations with its strategic partner  - MP

ArmInfo.The opposition parliamentary faction Armenia expects the dominant parliamentary faction Civil Contract to participate in the February 3 parliamentary  hearing of the situation round the Lachin corridor, Gegham Manukyan a  member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) and of the  Armenia parliamentary faction, told reporters on Wednesday. 

A few weeks ago the opposition introduced a draft statement on the  Lachin corridor, but the dominant faction rejected it and proposed  its own draft, which, in turn, was rejected by the opposition forces.   Numerous discussions took place over two or three weeks, which  resulted in an idea of parliamentary hearing with the participation  of all the forces concerned, including the dominant parliamentary  faction. "In our request to the Parliament speaker we pointed out the  advisability of Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, as it is a matter of  vital importance," Mr Manukyan said. 

He pointed out serious faults in the Armenian authorities' actions to  resolve the situation round the Lachin corridor. 

"The Armenian authorities' arguments that they are negotiating with  Azerbaijan on the Lachin corridor has put Artsakh in a critical  situation, which makes Stepanakert conduct negotiations with Baku on  unequal terms," Mr Manukyan said. The Armenian authorities' actions  are extremely dangerous, and the growing public pressure makes them  take certain steps, and Premier Nikol Pashinyan's telephone talk with  President Vladimir Putin is evidence thereof. 

Armenia's authorities are following the principle of total  intolerance to those opposing them, including the ARF members  prohibited the entry to Armenia. 

Mr Manukyan highlighted a need for a cautious policy, especially in  relations with Armenia's strategic partner. "But we can see quite the  opposite. The propaganda machinery is delivering regular blows to the  Armenian-Russian relations, which is followed by a decline in the  anti-Russian sentiments, with a new wave followed. And this has  recently been a frequent phenomenon," the opposition MP said. 

According to him, official Yerevan's actions show it is actually  turning a blind eye to Armenia's relations with its strategic  partner.