Decision on SCR will be part of the worldview of Pashinyan’s circle: Vladimir Kireev

Political analyst Vladimir Kireev commented to Alpha News on the possible termination by the Armenian authorities of Russia’s concession to manage the South Caucasus Railway (SCR).

“From the outset, Russia’s decision was not aimed at making a profit. It was a contribution to the logistics of its partner, to develop the partner’s economy, to maintain the stability of the Republic of Armenia, to invest in future economic development, so that Russia’s partner would be able to provide for itself economically. It was not an effort to extract profit from the Armenian railway. It may have been an attempt to develop Armenia’s railway with a view to the longer-term development of a broader transport network in the region and to connect Russia to it,” the expert believes.

In Kireev’s view, the current approach of official Yerevan stems from its chosen course of rapprochement with Europe.

“Naturally, this is not simply a one-off situation. It is the result of the long-term evolution of the Republic of Armenia, of its foreign policy evolution. The decision is being taken on the basis of a strategic choice to reorient Armenia toward integration with Western structures, namely NATO and the European Union, and to abandon, in general, the integration projects offered by Russia, to abandon integration projects in the post-Soviet space with post-Soviet countries.

So the decision is not accidental. It was prepared for a long time, and it is part of the overall worldview of Pashinyan’s circle. It was also assumed in advance that it would provoke irritation and rejection on Russia’s part, and some political decisions,” the political analyst stressed.

Alpha News’ interlocutor believes Russia may respond to what he calls Armenia’s unfriendly gesture over the SCR in order to compensate for its costs.

“Russia will act through sanctions and pressure via international organizations, and will file lawsuits in international courts. It will impose sanctions on Armenian enterprises, and not only abandon bilateral trade but also press its partners to stop cooperating with the Republic of Armenia and to seize its property to compensate Russia’s losses,” Vladimir Kireev concluded.