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Armenia’s Acting PM to stick to policy of cooperation with Russia, says expert

A senior research fellow at the Center for Caucasus Studies believes there will be no shifts in Armenian-Azeri ties either

MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. Yerevan will continue its policy of cooperation with Russia along with the development of collaboration within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) after Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan won the snap parliamentary election that were held in Armenia on December 9, Nikolay Silaev, senior research fellow at the Center for Caucasus Studies and senior research fellow at the Laboratory of International Trends Analysis at MGIMO University, told a TASS correspondent on Monday.

According to the expert, the course that Pashinyan has taken in relations with Russia is already determined, and there probably will not be any significant changes after the election. "There will be no shifts in Armenian-Azeri ties either; should the parties fulfill an agreement on permanent telephone contacts, it would be a great success," he stated.

When it comes to Armenia’s relations with the post-Soviet security bloc, CSTO, there are two trends, Silaev added. "On the one hand, Armenia has no alternative cooperation in the area of security, but, on the other hand, those political forces and some supporters of Pashinyan, who called for the revision of relations with Russia during the election, had created the relevant political sentiment, which would have an impact." "There will be 'sparks' now and then," the expert stressed citing the story regarding former CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov "but there won’t be significant changes."

Silaev noted that Armenia will continue to be a member country of the Eurasian Economic Union. "This is a crucial, if not a key source for Armenia’s economic growth, so I don’t think that anyone will destroy this basis for further economic development," he emphasized.

Also, the expert said that the low turnout (less than 50%) indicates a decline in a revolutionary euphoria that brought Pashinyan to power.

"Of course, following the election outcomes Pashinyan feels much more confident as far as the domestic policy goes, meaning that he can begin the reforms he planned but could not implement without a parliamentary majority," Silaev pointed out.

On December 9, snap elections to the Armenian parliament were held With all votes counted,

the bloc led by acting PM Nikol Pashinyan, My Step, won 70.43% of the vote with Sargsyan’s 'We' bloc having received 2% of the vote.