"Russian boot" and "Russian bear" expressions should disappear from ANC's lexicon, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Leader of the Armenian National Congress Party (ANC), former president of Armenia, said at the meeting of ANC Party Board.
"Serzh Sargsyan has been recently considered as a broad-minded pro-Western politician, while we have been considered as dark pro-Russian forces. After Sargsyan has made a 180-degree change towards the Customs Union, they will try to label us as Rossophobes. We must not allow them to do that. I have repeatedly said that anti-Russian and anti-Western sentiments are inadmissible. Our leaders must not voice any contempt of Russia, the people, or Putin. They can like any country, its culture, but they must not hate Russians," Ter-Petrosyan said.
ANC, he said, is not a marginal element. It is a real alternative to the authorities, a serious institutional political force that realizes the state responsibility.
"In late 80s the Karabakh Committee did not fight against Russia. It fought against the USSR. There were no affronts to the Russian people. Inappropriate statements by separate mouthpieces were immediately stopped. We did not allow the anti-Soviet measures to transform into anti-Russian sentiments, which was one of our biggest achievements, a factor of state establishment, and we gained from that when forming the CIS in the hard years of war," Ter-Petrosyan said.
On September 3 in Moscow, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan confirmed Armenia's intention to join the Customs Union and the process of the formation of the Eurasian Union. Vladimir Putin supported Sargsyan's decision and promised to contribute to Yerevan's accession to the Customs Union in every possible way. Meanwhile, Armenia was expected to initial an Association Agreement with EU, including DCFTA, at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius in November along with some other countries.