Previous people handling Armenian affairs were ineffective – Georgi Asatryan

Speaking with Alpha News, Georgi Asatryan, Research Fellow at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics and Expert for the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), commented on the negotiation process between the US and Russia, the situation in the Middle East, and the news that Sergey Kiriyenko will now be handling Armenian affairs in the Kremlin.

“This is a complex, multi-level negotiation process. Trump’s statements are often contradictory—one day he says one thing, the next day another. He is trying to exert pressure on different sides. So far, he has not been very successful. The process is complex but not without prospects. The process is highly secretive, we do not know exactly what is happening there. And, perhaps, this is also good. I believe it will not be possible to reach any serious agreements in the near future, but the very beginning of the process is positive. In any case, Russia has strong positions both on the battlefield and in diplomatic negotiations. Another important factor is how Trump will handle not entirely rational and reasonable actions of the Kiev regime. This is also very important, because there is already an understanding that the European elites, globalists, the liberal globalist network, are greatly interfering with this negotiation process,” Asatryan said.

Addressing the potential impact of Middle Eastern conflicts on the South Caucasus, the expert noted that Iran’s defeat could disrupt the regional balance of power.

“It seems to me that Iran’s defeat would not be beneficial to the balance of power in the South Caucasus. With the defeat of Iran, this balance of power will be disrupted. This balance of power—though fragile—would be disrupted in favor of those forces that are pursuing anti-Iranian policies, which are generally involved in alliances that oppose Iran,” he said.

Discussing Armenia’s domestic political climate, Asatryan pointed to serious internal societal issues.
“Armenia has a complicated political situation, it has a ‘broken society’. All societies have an identity factor, and Armenia’s identity factors included things like the church, the Genocide issue, and Karabakh. As I can see now, all three of these identity factors have either ceased to exist or have been severely weakened,” Asatryan said.

Commenting on reports that Sergey Kiriyenko, the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration, will be handling Armenian affairs in the Kremlin, Asatryan assessed this positively.

“As far as I understand, there has been no official confirmation from the Kremlin. But if there is some truth in this, and Sergey Kiriyenko will be dealing with Armenia in the Kremlin, in the presidential administration, I would assess this positively. First, because he is an experienced person with an extensive background. That is, he has very successful projects when he skillfully and effectively built positive relations for both countries. This may mean that there is an understanding that the previous people handling Armenian affairs were not as effective as desired, so there is a need for some changes, some refreshment. I think if this is true, and this information is accurate, it will be positive for both Russia and the countries of the region. Sergey Kiriyenko, in my opinion, is a very professional and thoughtful person,” Asatryan concluded.