Sept 8 (Reuters) – Russia on Friday summoned the Armenian ambassador for a “harsh” protest about a list of what it termed “unfriendly steps”, the latest sign of strain between Moscow and the small ex-Soviet republic in a region Russia considers its back yard.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry listed these as Yerevan’s decisions to sign up to the International Criminal Court and to host a military exercise with the United States, as well as a visit to Ukraine by the Armenian prime minister’s wife to deliver humanitarian aid.
The ministry said a “harsh representation” had been made to the ambassador, Vagharshak Harutyunyan, also complaining of “offensive statements” allegedly made by Alen Simonyan, chair of the Armenian National Assembly, about ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Armenia, which hosts a Russian military base and relies almost entirely on Russia for its defence supplies, has complained bitterly in recent months that Russian peacekeepers have failed to end an Azerbaijani blockade of supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan.
It has also openly questioned whether to remain in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russia-led military alliance of six former Soviet republics.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview published on Sunday that Armenia’s policy of relying solely on Russia to guarantee its security was a strategic mistake.
He said Moscow, distracted by its war with Ukraine, had been unable to deliver and was winding down its role in the South Caucasus.
Moscow responded by insisting that it intended to remain the principal guarantor of security in the Caucasus, which also includes Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other on Thursday of moving troops close to their joint border as tensions over the future of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave rose.
A foreign policy adviser to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told Reuters his country was ready to allow Red Cross aid from Armenia into Nagorno-Karabakh if Red Crescent aid from Azerbaijan was let in at the same time.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant in March for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine.
The Kremlin has dismissed the idea that Russia’s actions in Ukraine could be war crimes and noted that Russia does not recognise the court.
Reporting by Reuters; writing by Kevin Liffey; editing by William Maclean and Mark Heinrich
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