Russia summons Armenia’s envoy over ‘unfriendly moves’

“Armenian Ambassador to Moscow Vagharshak Harutiunyan was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry and received a stern remonstration,” the statement said.

“Additionally, he was handed a protest note pointing out the unacceptability of offensive remarks by Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Alen Robertovich Simonyan against Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova and the Russian foreign policy agency in general made on September 6,” the ministry added.

The diplomatic agency noted the emergence “of certain doubts in the practicality of allied ties within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and with Russia on a bilateral basis among the Republic of Armenia’s official circles and political elite,” as well as in the feasibility of the set of trilateral agreements between Moscow, Yerevan and Baku on the Azerbaijani-Armenian normalization.

“Against this background, over recent days, the Armenian leadership has made a series of unfriendly steps, including launching the ratification process of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Anna Vachikovna Hakobyan, the prime minister’s spouse, visiting Kiev and delivering humanitarian aid to the Nazi Kiev regime, and holding joint military drills with the US on Armenian soil,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.

The diplomatic agency expressed concerns over the detention of pro-Russian blogger Mikael Badalyan and Radio Sputnik Armenia observer Ashot Gevorkyan on September 7.

“Additionally, concerns were conveyed over the detention of blogger M. Badalyan and Radio Sputnik Armenia observer A. Gevorkyan in Armenia on September 7,” the ministry said.

The foreign policy agency also pointed out that Moscow firmly proceeds from the premise that Russia and Armenia are allies and their agreements on fostering and bolstering relations will be fully implemented to benefit both countries. “This, among other things, concerns organizing drills on the CSTO track and, in the future, sending the organization’s observation mission to the republic to facilitate a settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the ministry added.

“The Russian side will continue making all necessary efforts toward this end,” the agency concluded.