“Zhoghovurd” reports on Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s strong criticism of criminal proceedings launched in Armenia against former senior Armenian officials. “This is the first case of overt discord in Russian-Armenian relations since the recent ‘velvet revolution’ in Armenia,” writes the paper. “One can make some presumptions based on this reaction by Russia. One can presume that this is Russia’s response to [Prime Minister Nikol] Pashinian’s statement at a July 20 news conference that he does not believe that Russia will allow the resumption of war [in Nagorno-Karabakh.] They did not like those remarks in Russia and are now trying to respond in this way.”
“Lavrov’s statement can be construed as Russia’s diplomatic expression of no confidence in Armenia’s new government,” writes Lragir.am. “They may be thinking in Moscow that if the new government has not honored its pledge not to prosecute former officials it may also eventually not honor its pledge not to change Armenia’s foreign policy orientation.” The online publication goes on to denounce Lavrov’s statement as interference in Armenia’s internal affairs. It speculates that Moscow also may “have something to hide” about its alleged involvement in the 2008 post-election unrest in Armenia.
“Past” says critics of former President Robert Kocharian’s arrest and prosecution are wrong to demand that the new authorities also investigate the falsification of the results of another presidential election that was held in 1996. The paper says that what happened in 1996 cannot be equated to the bloody events of March 2008, which left ten people dead.
(Tigran Avetisian)