If Russia wants consolidation of the post-Soviet area, it should seriously have a fit of generosity, Director of the Economy Institute under Russian Academy of Science, Ruslan Grinberg, said at today's televised bridge Yerevan-Moscow.
He said that for the last twenty years the countries of the post-Soviet area, including Armenia, have been cooperating with Russia according to the principle of maximal economic benefit and minimal political duties. But this order may change after formation of the Customs Union. "As for the Russian Federation, it has a big brother syndrome, saying that, of course, the post-Soviet countries are independent, but I am the head cook and bottle washer", - he said. He also added that the country which wants to become an integration center, should be ready to pay for that. "The USA is often blamed for giving grants to developing countries. But if we watch it from the integration point of view, it is a right step, and Russian Federation lags behind that", - he emphasized. He also added that for consolidation of the post-Soviet area, Russia should offer an international economic policy within the frames of EuAsEC.
For his part, Director of the Caucasus Institute, Aleksandr Iskandaryan, said that Russia is like a security umbrella for Armenia in the military and political as well as economic and energy sense. He also added that Russia needs Armenia as much as Armenia needs Russia. "So, Russia has to understand that if it decided to become an influential country in the South Caucasus, it should spend certain sums", - he concluded.