Armenia’s first President skeptical

Armenia’s first President, Levon Ter-Petrosian, has stated that after recognizing breakaway Georgian regions as independent states Russia’s influence has started decreasing rather than increasing in the region.

At an opposition meeting on October 17, the ex-President insisted that Russia is now completely concerned with rehabilitating its political image and it is therefore unlikely that it could play an active role in mediating the Karabakh issue. He predicts that Russia’s position will further decline in the region, with unpredictable geopolitical consequences. The ex-President predicts that eventually Azerbaijan will withdraw from the CIS and Russia will pull its military bases out of Armenia.

Ter-Petrosian stated that Karabakh is not a priority subject for the superpowers, which are primarily engaged in combating terrorism worldwide.