AFTER NPP, PIPELINE AND RAILWAYS
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 18:04:38 – 07/10/2011
“We respect and understand the desire to ensure regional alternative
energy sources and we expect careful attention to the security and
stability in the region. But these projects must be realized in
the way to ensure security, peace and not the war. Everyone wants
the implementation of European programs, and in this issue it is
important to cooperate in the region to keep the stability, not to
create sources for new ways of war, God forbid”. Said Serzh Sargsyan
during his today’s meeting with Nicolas Sarkozy. The same thing he
said at the summit of the Eastern Partnership.
What programs enrich certain countries encouraging them to war? What
did the European countries offer to Armenia that we refused and what
we offered in exchange? We have to guess all this through fragmentized
information.
One thing is clear – France, most likely, will launch the construction
of a new NPP in Armenia. Possibly, a deal on the purchase of the
Armenian NPP by France will be made. Anyway, there are hints that
both Sarkozy and Sargsyan expressed wish for the involvement of French
companies in the Armenian infrastructures.
France is a world leader on NPP construction, and its experience is
used by many countries. But it is a leader also in laying of railways,
so, we must expect Paris’s interest in the Armenian railways too.
In the nearest future, we need to expect flow of European capital into
Armenia. The Ambassador of Poland to Armenia Zdislaw Rachinski in his
interview to news.am said that the European capital feels uncomfortable
in Armenia because of well-known problems. European organizations
have been trying for many years to stimulate investments in Armenia,
including, the economic management sphere, but in vain.
Possibly, a decision to “stimulate” reforms through a “fight” has been
taken – flow of aggressive European capital can promote the change
of business and investments culture in Armenia more effectively than
many internal reforms.
Anyway, only a new pipeline can “encourage a country to a new war”,
and Serzh Sargsyan, perhaps, meant right this. What a new rout does
Europe suggest for Armenia to oppose it? Does Armenia propose a new
pipeline through its territory? Actually, the point is about the pipe,
which is to bypass Russia.
Sarkozy already arrived in Baku where he is going to make an offer to
Ilham Aliyev. Along with the exploitation of the oilfield, evidently,
they will talk about the pipe itself. Much depends on what Azerbaijan
will think about this idea. Aliyev too faces a big choice but he
will have to make that choice once. Moreover, literally, on these
days, Russia, the U.S. and France made a tough statement on the
unacceptability of a military solution to the conflict, and Serzh
Sargsyan noted with “satisfaction” that new programs are aimed at
long-term stability in the region.