Vladimir Jarikhin , Deputy director of institute of Commonwealth Countries talked exclusively to Eurasia Diary. 

Eurasia Diary: Vladimir Leonidovich Jarikhin, how can you comment the fact of Ukraine’s preparation for exit from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)?

V. Jarikhin: The Georgian history teaches us that sharp political step is become forgotten quickly enough while inconveniences caused by that political step are continued for a long time. Russia is absolutely the biggest and the most influential CIS country, however it’s not the only one. Ukraine aims to create the problems for Russia but it’ll worsen relationships with Azerbaijan, Central Asia and even Belarus whose close relations with Ukraine are undoubted.  Therefore, Ukraine will punish itself. This is the first issue.

Secondly, yet again Georgia’s experience is important. The fact is that CIS counties allowed Georgia to leave CIS contract but stay in all multilateral contract between CIS countries. Thereby, they didn’t enter into a contract about visa-free area, mutual recognition of diplomas and seniority again.
Commonwealth of Independent States is civilized divorce that eased the existence of post-soviet countries after our break up. Ukraine had to enter into a contract with each country after exit form CIS which is a long story and ratification each time. Moreover, political value of exit from CIS is diminutive because CIS is no longer political organization. It’s not CSTO or Eurasian Economic Space but an organization on territorial basis.
The last political action of CIS was the peacemaking forces’ introduction to Abkhazia in 1994. There were no any political actions or statements on current political events in CIS on summits since 1994. Leaders just exchange information with each other, that’s why political step itself will become forgotten quickly but problems for Ukraine will be more than enough.

It’s also concerns the introduction of visa with Russia. It’s like punish yourself in as much as Russian and Ukraine have incomparable flows of people. People go from Russia to see relatives whilst Ukrainians in vast numbers go for work. Thus, the difference is one to ten or even one to twenty. They’ll punish themselves and nothing else will happen.
All these bright political moves were made to not execute Minsk agreement.

Eurasia Diary: Mr. Djarikin how you appraise a large amount of conflicts’ hotbeds in CIS?

V. Jarikhin: Problems in CIS is less than it could be but they need to be solved in spite of difficulties. On the other hand, when they reproach us and not solving the problems on the CIS territory then let them show how they solve the Cyprus problem and problem between Kosovo and Serbia. It’s not an easy deal, to solve these problems.
The problems are: religion discrepancy, refugees’ existence and boundaries separation existence. Sometimes, politicians seem willing to agree however, people are not ready for that.
When I became a politician from nuclear physicist all of a sudden, I decided to sort out who is right and who is wrong in this story.  After I managed this, then I understand that politics is not a nuclear physic, that each coin has two sides.

The external position can only be providing mediation but not an attempt to take someone’s position. Seems like all becomes subside on Cyprus however, they keep negotiating. Greeks complain to return their home back by saying that their three generations grew there. In this case how is it possible to solve this problem?

Maybe conflicts solutions are somewhere in time so it can’t be accelerated.

Eurasia Diary: How you see the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

V. Jarikhin: When politics are seems to be ready for compromises, people can’t accept they because they are used to live separately. At first they make a war then kind of armistice. Nonetheless, people resist each other, contacts break and eventually alienation grows.
It’s impossible to kill this problem but it still need to be solved. Let’s bring presidents together, let them talk, quarrel, break up and then talk again. Are there any other alternatives? For instance, let’s take into consideration the  military alternative then assuredly, Azerbaijan is stronger compared to Armenia.
Let’s talk Turkey, neither Azerbaijan nor Armenia are ready for compromises. Maybe they’ll be ready in length of time. Other compromises can’t be suggested because any action of each side will end in win of one side but not in compromise.
Moreover, note that Minsk group objectively can have an advantage towards Armenians because their Diasporas are the biggest in the USA, France and Russia. Nonetheless, Minsk’s principles are in the middle.

Eurasian Diary: How do you evaluate Moscow and Minsk’ negotiations on gas?

V. Jarikhin: Where else Belarus can take gas? If we look at the map, Belarus has no harbor so gas can’t pass by Russia.

Assuredly, countries have to haggle to squeeze the minimum price for energy due to the fact that when county have no energy can exist by minimal price on energy. Otherwise, Belarusian industry’s profitability will go to zero. Naturally, Minsk always will important for them.

Eurasia Diary: You are an expert on election technologies as well. What can you say about Trump and Clinton’s electioneering?

V. Jarikhin: What US candidates say during electioneering- is spit on and forgets. However, what they are planning to do after the victory on election is determined by different factors. Russia can make friendship with Hillary Clinton if it will be profitable for the people who bring her to power and can quarrel with Trump. Describe Trump almost as a Putin’s agent is ridiculous. He is not Putin’s agent; he is a talented real estate speculator.

Eurasia Diary: What do you think about Putin’s politics?

V. Jarikhin: To find more adjusted pro-western person in Russia as Putin, in the beginning of his career, was almost impossible. He grew up in Germany. He is absolutely adjusted pro-western person.

He is not anti-western, he is disappointed in Europe. Russia don’t leave form western community, it struggles for worthy place in western community. Russia wants to have the same authority as Great Britain or France however; Europe offers Russia authority that Estonia has. I don’t want to offend Estonia but Estonia indeed doesn’t’ go beyond of its own state. Russia, like any big country, has some territory around. For instance, France doesn’t ask for permission to send parachutists to Chad because it’s their own area of responsibility and Russia aims to the same.

Condoleezza Rice and Hillary said that Russia hasn’t to go beyond of its own state but Russia must go beyond of its own state. The USA manages to do that because they are surrounded only by Mexico and Canada. Whereas, we are surrounded by different countries with various mentality, interests and moods so we can’t just lock in our borders. The problem isn’t that we reject western world, western civilization and interests of western world’s Christianity. We just want to have our deserving place in the world.
Everything began from how West interpret the collapse of the Soviet Union. They think that we lost in Cold War. Nonetheless, we didn’t lose, we were not losers. We won the Communist ideology that was imposed on us from Western Europe. We did it! We are winners, not losers. Furthermore, if we are losers, from their perspective, then, how they make pretensions toward us?