Alexander Iskandaryan: "Karabakh is not South Ossetia"

- How are Russia's actions in Georgia assessed in Armenia?

- As regards population, I think they assess the situation differently (I base on my limited experience, no sociological polls have been held so far). Russian televisions (ORT and RTR), CNN and Euronews are available in Armenia, thus Armenian people can familiarize with both kinds of propaganda. Armenian channels provided information, that was true enough, thus it was possible to develop a clear idea on the events.

Georgia is near Armenia, most have relatives there, as it was a season of vacations, there are many refugees and transit passengers-Georgians. Thus, there are sufficient pro-Russian and pro-Georgian opinions, depending on personal inclinations. As for the public area and, especially, political elite, everything is made cautiously here. No one will take the risk of spoiling Armenian-Georgian or Armenian-Russian relations, regardless of the views.

- Why do you think Javakheti, where Armenian population of Georgia live, was not attacked from the air during the bombing of the whole territory of Georgia by Russia, though there is one of the biggest military base there?

- Because, there is no big bases there, this is a myth. Russians did not leave anything while withdrawing the base. There is not even a serious military unit, just a guard division. Large bases (Gori and Senaki) were destroyed. Air attacks were carried not merely on the whole territory of Georgia but on definite objects. There was an obvious logics of destruction of an infrastructure of the Georgian army in these attacks. There is no such infrastructure in Javakheti, therefore, it was not the task of the Russian servicemen.

- Is it expected that following Russia's recent actions in Georgia, Armenian population of Javakheti will strengthen pressure on official Tbilisi in the issue of independence?

- I do not think it is, though most depends on what Tbilisi will be like in another half of the year. I would repeat that relations with Tbilisi are important for Yerevan and no one would want to spoil them if there are no such special causes. But something extraordinary should happen for Javakheti to do it without considering Yerevan's interests.

- Is there a risk that the script in Georgia will repeat in Azerbaijan in case official Baku decides to release the occupied Nagorno Karabakh?

- No, I do not think that it is possible. Moreover, I never treated such scripts seriously before war. The rhetorics "we will become richer, buy arms, train and liberate our lands" is effective in the internal games, but has little to do with the war. It has different aims.

Moreover, Karabakh is not South Ossetia. War was of low possibility before events in South Ossetia and seems impossible today.

/Day.Az/