Yerevan`s hopes for maintaining its previous relations with Moscow  while continuing its current policies empty - Russian MP

ArmInfo.Yerevan's hopes for maintaining its previous relations with Moscow while continuing its current policies are empty. This opinion was expressed by Konstantin Zatulin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots, on the sidelines of the Primakov Readings expert forum held yesterday.

"I am surprised by the so-called hopes of the Armenian authorities  that, despite everything they are doing and intending to do, we  should not respond or react to it in any way. I think these hopes are  empty." And the true creators of today's problems in Russian-Armenian  relations are, of course, the Armenian authorities, who are openly  planning to fraternize with our geopolitical adversaries.

With those who have declared their goal to be Russia's strategic  defeat. Meanwhile, in the interests of reassuring their own  population, they spin fairy tales about how Russia shouldn't even be  concerned about this. The fact that it is being betrayed, essentially  abandoned, shouldn't bother it. I would like to see any other  country, including Armenia, respond to such a challenge in such a  way," Zatulin said.

"As for the current situation in Armenia, it is predetermined by the  fact that the elections were essentially usurped during the June 7  vote. And before that, we repeatedly stated that even before election  day, there were grounds to consider these elections illegitimate.  Repression has been unleashed, it continues, and it is intensifying.  Threats, bans, and arrests of opposition members are increasing.  There is pressure on the Armenian Church, secular interference in  Church affairs by secular authorities, in other words, a violation of  principles considered generally accepted in the civilized world.

All of this characterizes the current prime minister's policies. Of  course, these are Armenia's internal affairs. But outsiders have the  right to comment on Armenia's internal affairs as well-as the  European Union and the United States do, for example, and so do we.  And I want to note that ties between Russia and Armenia will develop  and continue, especially with those who strive for them. But this  doesn't mean we should admit that the recent elections were truly  elections. There is a difference between de jure and de facto. And I  think Mr. Pashinyan understands this well. And, in trying to downplay  this fact, he pretends not to care," Konstantin Zatulin concluded.