«Потеря» Украины добавляет непреодолимое препятствие к жизнеспособности Евразийского союза, а также ставит под серьезный вопрос привлекательность Таможенного союза. Об этом в беседе с корреспондентом Новости Армении – NEWS.am заявил директор Центра региональных исследований, аналитик Ричард Киракосян, коснувшись наличия определенных вопросов между странами-участницами ТС на пути создания Евразийского экономического союза.

http://news.am/rus/news/207894.html

In an exclusive analysis for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Azerbaijani Service (Radio Azadlyg), RSC Director Richard Giragosian assessed the implications for Armenian foreign policy from the next Armenian government. 

Entitled, “The Next Armenian Government: The Outlook for Nagorno Karabakh,” Giragosian noted that “as the new (Armenian) government is widely expected to focus more on domestic economic issues than on foreign policy options, and as the ministers of defense and foreign affairs are most likely to return to their previous posts, there is little indication of any real or sudden shift in policy,” adding that “for the more fundamental elements of Armenian foreign policy, the twin pillars of Nagorno Karabakh and Turkey remain largely unchanged.”

He further noted, however, that while “there are few signs of any real change,” as “Armenia’s strategic partnership with Russia remains unchallenged, the real danger for Armenia now is from a deepening of dependence on Russia.  And this danger is only exacerbated by Armenia’s vulnerability from being hostage to Russian policies elsewhere, such as its aggression against Ukraine, for the most prominent example.  In this way, Armenia is in danger of becoming a “captive nation” isolated on the “wrong side of history” and imprisoned behind what seem to be Russian President Putin’s desire to reconstruct a new “iron curtain.” 

www.azadliq.org/content/article/25333943.html

In the fourth in a series of RSC commentaries regularly published on the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Armenian Service website blog, RSC Director Richard Giragosian presented a unique analysis of Armenian politics entitled, “Armenia’s Game of Thrones.”

English-language: www.armenialiberty.org/content/blog/25333731.html

Armenian-language version: www.azatutyun.am/content/blog/25335116.html

In an extended, two-part interview with the “168 Zham” newspaper, Richard Giragosian, the director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC), expressed disappointment with the recently released set of proposed changes to the Armenian constitution.  Giragosian described the move as “a lost opportunity in democracy-building efforts” and added that he did not think that “the proposed reforms would ensure the separation of powers and accountability mechanisms.”

Giragosian further pointed out several serious deficiencies and discrepancies, including the failure to address the presidential authority to appoint regional governors and most judges, which he defined as “a lost opportunity in terms of ensuring proper checks and balances between government bodies.”  Commenting on the proposal for adopting a parliamentary form of government, he added that he “did not think such a move would have a positive impact on the country’s democracy in light of the inadequacy of the parliament as an institution and its failure to curb the excesses of the incestuous relationship between business and politics.”

http://168.am/2014/04/12/352586.html

In an interview for the Tbilisi-based “Investor.ge” publication, RSC Director Richard Giragosian assessed the “potential impact of the Ukrainian crisis onArmenia’s decision to follow Russia into its Customs Union instead of signing an Association Agreement with the European Union.”