Expert: West willing to turn Armenia into shooting range

Armenian professor, Doctor of Political Science, energy security expert Vahe Davtyan has said that Brussels showed only candy paper rather than candy to Armenia because serious issues can not be resolved in Armenia through the money allocated by Europe and the US during four years.

“Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are up for sale. The infrastructure can not be developed through 270 million euros ($292 million) and $65 million. In other words, Europe’s economic interest in Armenia is zero,” Davtyan told the Armenian media, Caliber.Az reports.

“As for energy security, the Western countries do not have nuclear reactors or experience to use them. There are two such countries - Russia and China. Armenia will be turned into a shooting range because countries that have no experience offer us modular installations. They want to apply the experience of Lithuania, but this is nonsense,” he noted.

The expert said that of course, there is distrust of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, because there are no fools in Europe, and they understand well that Armenia cannot completely follow the anti-Russian path.

“Europe understands well that Armenia is dependent on Russia and, by leaving the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Armenia will find itself in economic collapse, create a socio-political crisis, and none of their plans can be realised,” the professor said.

Davtyan noted that Europe also understands well that the Armenian government is manoeuvring only to maintain its power.

“It will be a significant step for Europe if Armenia announces its withdrawal from the EAEU and the withdrawal of the 102nd Russian military base. However, the Armenian authorities do not have such plans. In other words, it is necessary to take into account the economic and political components. Indeed, the West does not believe Pashinyan’s crocodile tears. The West understands that Pashinyan is to a certain extent an anti-Russian politician,” the expert said.

“Moreover, I don’t think that the Armenian government to be able to commit an all-out adventure against Russia. The government can do this only at the information level. Europe understands this well. If we leave the EAEU, we will lose the huge EAEU market without getting the European market in return, because it requires a long standardisation process,” he added.