“Aravot” says that despite its military victory in the 2008 war in South Ossetia, Russia “lost Georgia as an ally and a friendly country.” The paper is certain that “this situation will not last forever for the simple reason that Russia will not stay in this region forever.” “Many consider this unlikely,” it says in an editorial. “But the collapse of the Soviet Union seemed just as unlikely.”
Lragir.am praises the Armenian leadership for threatening counteroffensive military operations against Azerbaijan, sending troops to NATO exercises in Georgia and stepping up diplomatic contacts with Western and other non-Russian powers in the course of last month. “July showed that taking a more or less tough position and pursuing one’s own interests creates a totally different situation,” writes the online publication. “First and foremost, it removes the factor of the Armenian side’s predictability in the Karabakh conflict, which allowed Azerbaijan to advance its military diplomacy and demands and at the same time bring Russia into the realm of its demands. This does not mean of course that Azerbaijan may abandon its policy. With Armenia adopting a new policy, every gunshot fired by Azerbaijan will damage not only Azerbaijan but also Russia.”
1in.am comments on opposition threats to stage street protests in Yerevan if President Serzh Sarkisian becomes prime minister after serving out his second and final presidential term in office in April 2018. The publication is skeptical about those threats, saying that opposition leaders could only solve “petty partisan issues” with their tough talk addressed to Sarkisian.
(Tigran Avetisian)
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