PRO-WEST SPIRITS RAISING IN ARMENIA, ARMENIAN EXPERT CONSIDERS

PanARMENIAN.Net - "According to recent surveys of the public opinion Armenians are losing belief in the advantages of special relations with Moscow. The poll carried out in October by Vox Populi organization showed that 72% of Yerevan residents would prefer to see Armenia as a member of wider Europe rather than the member of the Commonwealth of Independent States", independent expert E. Danielian writes on Eurasianet.org. He notes the warming in the Armenian-American relations: "President Bush signed a new declaration on the establishment of normal trade relations with Armenia. This can be viewed as the improvement of relationships between Armenia and the US." The author brings in the statement of ARF Dashnaktsutyun member Vahan Hovhanissian, who said that "the anti-Russian spirits are raising in the Armenian society and there do exist objective reasons for it." Among these reasons E. Danielian mentiones of "unfavorable for Armenia economic bargain on paying off the debts and the closing of the Russia-Georgian border last year." During that period, he continues, Armenian politicians and media were strictly criticizing Russia's policy. "The changes of spirits in the society mean that such viewpoints are not considered in Armenia as those of marginal importance", the expert resumes.