Russian language status matter is out of question, says senior MP

YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian-Russian relations agenda should be maximally free from artificial questions, chairman of the parliamentary foreign relations committee Armen Ashotyan told a press conference on July 22, commenting on the recent suggestion of a Russian official on granting an official status to their language in Armenia.

“From this point of view Armenia has adopted a very clear policy since independence regarding the language-policy. This policy hasn’t changed and won’t change, this is clear”, Ashotyan said.

According to him, there is a tendency in Russia whereby it is engaged in a somewhat language policy with some of its former USSR compatriots in terms of maintaining contacts.

“There is no similar issue in Armenia even under the Council of Europe’s Language Charter. There are no legal and political reasons to comment on this issue from this perspective as well. The issue over an official, constitutional status is out of question”, he said.

Ashotyan says he was also following the Azeri and Ukrainian press coverage over the discussions on the matter in the media.

“The Azerbaijani media was trying to present our stance as an anti-Russian expression, while the Ukrainian press was using this case from a bit other perspective, like the Armenians got out with their head held high and gave the correct response to the Russians. The Armenian political thought must be guided by its own interests”, he said.

Earlier in July, Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) suggested Armenia to grant the Russian language an official status in order to solve the driver license problem, whereby the Armenian licenses will be considered valid in Russia.

The Armenian parliament’s speaker, Ara Babloyan, and Armen Ashotyan, who were present at the meeting with Volodin, opposed the latter’s idea.