Experts discuss policy of "Gazprom" in Southern Caucasus

In Tbilisi, activists held civil hearing on the topic "'Gazprom' as a Moscow's lever of pressure on Southern Caucasus". The event was held on March 26. The public hearing was attended by about 30 people, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports.

Political analyst Tornike Sharashenidze, a programme manager for international relations of the School of Law and Politics of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), has started his report by comparison of the Soviet policy and the policy of modern Russia.

According to Tornike Sharashenidze, 'Gazprom' is used as a lever of pressure on the CIS countries, including Armenia.

"The example of Armenia is very eloquent. This is an example of what expects the country, which has no alternative, but Russia, and which does not have enough resources to effectively resist the pressure from outside," said Tornike Sharashenidze.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russian influence in the region of Southern Caucasus has not only continued, but also become much more aggressive, and the energy component plays an extremely important role in it. This opinion has been expressed by Ruben Megrabyan, an associate expert from the Armenian Institute of International Relations and Security.

According to him, the Russia's strategy is not to actually contribute to the stabilization of the situation in neighbouring countries, but in to maintain the controlled instability and exclusive control of that instability.

And there, the energy lever, or "arms", plays a key role.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.