Russia must not preach ethnic hatred, envoy to Armenia says
Aykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
11 Nov 04
Russia and Armenia must maintain and foster their relations, the
Russian envoy has told a conference in Yerevan. Asked to comment on the
attitude in Russia towards Caucasian people after the Beslan school
siege, the envoy said “we are a multi-national state and simply we
cannot propagandize hatred”. He also denied that Armenian enterprises,
handed over to Russia as part of the Property for Debt deal, were
failing to make progress. The following is the text of Anna Akopyan’s
report by Armenian newspaper Aykakan Zhamanak on 11 November headlined
“We have what we have”; subheadings inserted editorially:
“I have always said that I could never imagine that one day I would
become Russian ambassador to an independent Armenia, as for hundreds
of years we lived in the same state and certainly our situation today
seemed unnatural. But today we are living in the 21st century and
have what we have, we are living in two independent states.” This is
how the Russian ambassador to Armenia, Anatoliy Dryukov, started his
speech at the scientific conference at Grachya Acharyan University
yesterday [10 November].
Armenia and Russia must foster deeper relations
Mr Dryukov thinks that today Russians and Armenians are facing
an important and difficult problem: not only to maintain the
existing relations between the two peoples, but also to deepen and
strengthen them in order to use these relations to overcome today’s
challenges. “Certainly it is not easy, as some things do not promote
the deepening of our relations. But all the negative instances in
Armenia and Russia are not of major significance, they have a temporary
nature, and I should say they are a consequence of stupid actions,”
Anatoliy Dryukov said.
He also touched on Armenia’s balance between the West and North
and said that it was most correct for Armenia to orient itself by
its own interests. “In Armenia many political scientists look at
Armenian-Russian relations from the point of view of the cold war,
whereas the policy that divided the world into two camps has already
finished, and there are challenges and threats that cannot be fought
alone,” the ambassador said.
Enterprises handed over to Russia working well
[Aykakan Zhamanak correspondent] Mr Ambassador, under the Property
for Debt programme five Armenian enterprises were given to Russia, but
as yet no significant movement can be seen in those enterprises. Why?
[Dryukov] It is absolutely wrong. I do not agree with this
viewpoint, as work is being done in these enterprises and they
are successful. Their results are not always noticed by us, because
investments will be from the budget and today it is planned to include
these issues in the 2005 budget. As for the Razdan power plant,
here everything is normal, it is operating according to its schedule.
“We cannot propagandize hatred”
[Correspondent] It is known that after the Beslan events the situation
of the Caucasus peoples, including Armenians, has become difficult
in Russia. What is your attitude to this problem?
[Dryukov] This is a very complicated problem. On the one hand such
a psychological response is clear, but on the other hand it is not
a determinant for other nations living in Russia, because we are a
multi-national state and simply we cannot propagandize hatred. Yes,
there are such cases, we are fighting them and do not accept them,
because if we go this way Russia will not exist.
[Correspondent] You said in your speech that some negative instances
do not promote the deepening of Armenian-Russian relations. You also
added that Armenia’s relations with Russia should not be opposed to
its relations with the West. Will you explain what those instances
are that thwart Armenian-Russian relations? It may be concluded from
your speech that it is not America.
[Dryukov] You are quite right (he smiles). For instance, an Armenian
is beaten in Russia and so on, certainly these are very unpleasant
instances and leave their impact.