VISIT OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO MOSCOW WAS A FAILURE, ARMENIAN POLITICIAN SHAHNAZARIAN THINKS

PanARMENIAN.Net - 20.10.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. The recent visit of the Armenian President Kocharian to Moscow has failed, the chairman of the Armenian 21st Century party thinks.

According to him during the visit Kocharian failed to reach concessions from the Russian officials regarding the issue of conversion of interstate debt of Armenia to Russia. "Moreover, right after Kocharian's return to Yerevan the Russian Prime Minister Kasyanov yet another time demanded to pay back all the debts," Armenian politician said.

"During the visit to Moscow Kocharian was "given a diplomatic slap in the face". Otherwise how can we characterise the statement by the Secretary of the Russian Security Cuncil about the forthcoming in November official visit of the Russian President Putin to Baku, which was made during Kocharian's visit to Moscow," Shahnazarian tald. According to him Russia, as well as other states, considers Armenia as "unserious state."

Shahnazarian also announced that today Armenia pursues not a balanced but a "reflective" foreign policy.

From 1994 to 1995 David Shahnazarian was the chief of the Head department of the National Security of Armenia. In 1998 he was a presidential candidate, but had lost the elections. --0--