Armenian speaker rejects talk of split with Moscow

Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Alen Simonyan has stated that Armenia has no intention of severing ties with Russia, rejecting comparisons of bilateral relations to a “divorce.”

Speaking on May 12 during a campaign event for the ruling Civil Contract party in Yerevan’s Shengavit district, Simonyan dismissed suggestions that Armenia is seeking to distance itself from Moscow, Caliber.Az reports, referencing Armenian media.

“We are not needed by them? Then why are they so alarmed? We are not needed, but wherever they go, they say: ‘There are more Armenians living in Russia than in Armenia itself,’ ‘Armenia would not exist as a state without Russia.’ So if we are so unnecessary to you, then what are we even discussing now?” he said.

Simonyan emphasised that relations between the two countries should be handled through standard political dialogue rather than emotional rhetoric.

“This is politics: they will express their point of view, we will express ours, and then we will sit down and discuss everything. They will propose something, we will propose something. This is politics, not a marriage and divorce. We are not going to demand alimony and divide the children. We are generally against such conversations.”

By Tamilla Hasanova