The expansion of the Russian consular presence in the
post-Soviet territory, in particular, is the line that Russia is pursuing now.
Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin said this on Sputnik Armenia,
commenting on the preparatory work being done in the run-up to the opening of
the Russian consulate general in Kapan.
“I visit Syunik quite often; I love that province. This
time, my visit was not a usual one, considering the tragic situation that has
developed on account of the displacement of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
We perceive their pain as our own, as the ties between us are close and
long-standing. Thus, Russia has always perceived the difficulties facing the
Armenian people as something of its own,” the diplomat noted.
As the ambassador said, Nikol Pashinyan laid the blame for
the depopulation of Artsakh on the Russian peacekeepers and the U.N. Looking at
the economic relations between the two countries will be enough: the annual
trade turnover between Armenia and Russia reached $5 billion last year and is
growing rather rapidly this year. It has already exceeded $4 billion during the
first eight months of the year.
According to Kopirkin, the authors of the conflicting
statements about the relations between Armenia and Russia should provide
explanations in order not to give rise to misunderstanding. The diplomat says
this is an issue of major importance to our countries and peoples. Therefore,
we need clarity.
“For Russia, the South Caucasus is part of its spacious
house, as a lot depends on it and this is a region of vital importance to us.
Of course, Russia has its own interests and is going to advance them. I am
fully convinced that one of the major interests of Russia is that peace reigns
in the region so that the situation does not escalate here, and favorable
conditions are created for a stable and economically productive life,”
Kopirkin concluded.
