KIEV (RFE/RL)—Ukraine’s ambassador to Armenia recalled to Kiev “for consultations” last week following official Yerevan’s controversial remarks on the Crimean referendum will return next week to continue his work, according to an embassy official.
“Ukraine does not intend to sever diplomatic relations with Armenia or lower their level,” Counselor Igor Roman said on Thursday.
The embassy representative added that Ukraine’s ambassador will return to Yerevan regardless of Armenia’s vote on the draft resolution on Crimea, which was to take place at the UN General Assembly later that day.
A Foreign Ministry source told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) on Wednesday that Armenia was going to abstain during the vote on the document that declares Crimea’s March 16 referendum invalid.
Last week, Ukraine withdrew its ambassador to Yerevan after Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian effectively endorsed the referendum in Crimea in a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The phone talk reportedly initiated by the Armenian side took place a day after Moscow and leaders of the separatist Ukrainian region signed agreements on the strategic peninsula’s becoming part of Russia in a move strongly condemned by the West.
The Armenian government was said to have sought to minimize the fallout from its controversial decision to welcome Crimea’s secession from Ukraine afterwards. German Ambassador to Armenia Reiner Morell told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) earlier this week that he got the understanding from his communication with Armenian officials that what Sarkisian actually discussed in his telephone conversation with Putin was Yerevan’s approach towards the right of peoples to self-determination in general.
US and EU are well aware of Armenia’s geopolitical location. Armenia surrounded with sea of Islamist Turkic and Tatar nations, where Jihadism toward Armenia is part of their national doctrine!
Good choice Ukraine. I hope Armenia won’t disappoint you any more. I hope Russia will leave you alone as well and that everything will be normal again.
They’ve probably realized that it’s due to the fact that we have a totally spineless leader who is willing to spit on the opinions and concerns of his own people and instead bow down and take orders from his Russian owner who’s constantly tugging at his leash.
Good that Ukraine can see that much, at least. Even despite Armenia’s vote against them, they’re at least smart enough not to make any rash decisions and alienate those who have nothing to do with their conflict whatsoever. If only we would be smart enough to do the same.
Absolutely agree.
Without Russia there will be NO Armenia
The West can’t help Armenia even if he wants to without endangering it’s relations with the muslim world, it’s economy is based on those countries, that is why it’s more practical to depend on Russia which can help more and has more Geopolitical interest than the West.
On March 14, 2008, Ukraine voted for the Azeri Turk drafted UN Resolution 62/243 demanding “immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all the occupied territories” while the United States, Russia, and France, among others voted against it.
Armenia did not recall her Ambassador from Ukraine at that time. I think it’s time to recall Armenian Ambassador from the Nazi-occupied Kyyiv now!!
Hundreds of Ukrainian ultra nationalists fought against Armenians on the Azeri Turk side during the Artsakh Liberation War.
Ukrainian government in Kiev pressured Crimean Parliament after it recognized Armenian Genocide on May 19, 2005. Turkey and Azerbaijan demanded that Crimea retracts its designation of April 24th as the Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day. Azeri Sultan even made an official trip to Kiev on June 17, 2005, while Turkey used its Crimean Tartar Turks to influence the second vote on the resolution scheduled on June 22, 2005 – 60th anniversary of Nazi Germany attack on Soviet Union. They failed again, and Crimea remains one of the few countries who recognize Armenian Genocide despite all the pressure from Ukraine, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
Correction – June 22, 2005, was 64 years after the invasion on June 22, 1941.