Armenia - the sole country Russia still has in the South Caucasus region

PanARMENIAN.Net - What measures exactly should be taken, no one knows, that is why it all comes to notes of protest, which, by no means, can have any influence on the xenophobic "Russians" or moreover on the criminals. That's true, we can't even achieve anything more than protest, and the matter is not in the weight difference, simply that's the way it is accepted in the whole world. As for the present disorders, no one can do anything against them, even President Putin. But one should not forget that the Russians' attitude towards "the foreigners" has always been, mildly speaking, negative and at present this attitude of negativism has become more noticeable. By the way, a new, more stringent migration law acts in favor of the above mentioned phenomenon, and in fact allows the police to act more freely.

Taking into account President Putin's words, according to which there are no unsolvable problems between Armenia and Russia, all these matter related to the murders of the Armenians in Russia look rather strange. Maybe in big politics and business it indeed works this way, especially when Armenia is the sole country Russia still has in the South Caucasus region. That is why Russia prefers not to put any pressure on Armenia, but neither does it press down on Azerbaijan in the matter of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict regulation. As is well known, Baku has different convictions. After Heydar Aliyev's death his advisers every now and then blame the Russian Federation for supporting Armenia, but that's their problem.

Recently in the development of the Armenian-Russian relations there are some paradoxical phenomena to be observed; Armenia displays a kind of coolness towards Moscow one of the reasons of which are the above mentioned murders, Russia in its turn displays a strong will to stay in the region by all means. Most likely the ambitious and in fact the unreal project of the oil refinery construction at the Iranian border is dictated by the above mentioned changes in the Armenian-Russian relations. The project itself could be very handy for Armenia, if not only the conditions related to the construction, exploitation and to the delivery of the final product to the consumer. Lack of communication already puts the matter of the project realization under question. And when some Armenian politicians say that the project is very handy for Armenia, they are obviously being in the wrong; it is not at all handy for us, and there are several reasons for that. First of all, why refine Iranian oil in Megri, if it is much less expensive to do not immediately near the birthplace. Secondly, the Armenian ecology will suffer an irreparable damage. And third, like any political project refinery will not bring any economic profits. In economics there is the concept of "storage capacity". It means that for example the glass cannot be filled with one liter water; it will pour out, so it's the same in this very case; $3 billion won't work for the refinery construction in Megri, the sum is too big for Armenia. Kars-Akhalkalaki-Baku railroad construction is a project having political significance too, but still it will bring profit to all the sides. Is the Russian proposal meant to balance the economic situation in the region? If it is true, then it would be easier and less expensive to simply extend the diameter of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline.