Armenian Party Criticizes Russian Policies On Azerbaijan, Turkey

YEREVAN -- Two leaders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation party (Dashnaktsutyun) have criticized Russian policy toward Turkey and Azerbaijan, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.

Vahan Hovannisian, a senior Dashnaktsutyun lawyer, said that Russian policy toward the South Caucasus is "dangerous" for Armenia. Hovannisian did not elaborate on his statement.

Another Dashnaktsutyun leader, Hrayr Karapetian, who heads the parliament's defense and security committee, said Russia's deepening military cooperation with Turkey and Azerbaijan runs counter to its military alliance with Armenia.

Karapetian said a 2010 plan for joint military exercises signed by Azerbaijani and Russian defense ministers is "at the least, strange and unacceptable to us."

He noted that Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, but Azerbaijan is not.

Karapetian added that this policy could worsen the situation in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Karapetian also noted that Russia seeks closer defense links with Turkey, "a country that still threatens Armenia's security."

Official Yerevan has not publicly echoed the concerns of Dashnaktsutyun, which was a junior partner in Armenia's governing coalition until April.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian and other leaders regularly praise the current state of Russian-Armenian relations.