“The concerns of the U.S. Ambassador designate to Armenia, Richard Mills, about Armenia are also shared in Armenia,” opines the human rights activist Artur Sakunts.
According to his observation, the Ambassador designate, expressing the U.S. Foreign Policy Ministry’s estimations, stated that Armenia is leading a behavior reverse to the universal international norms, which is in line with Russia’s political line.
Note that during the hearings at the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate, the American diplomat recently announced that America is frustrated by a number of recent decisions of Armenia. As said by the nominee, Washington is not particularly excited with the foreign policy course of official Yerevan.
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“Mr. Mills gives an overall assessment that the decisions implemented by Armenia’s authorities after 3 September 2013 are of concern to them, but these decisions are also of concern to us. As an example, he illustrates Serzh Sargsyan’s decision to join the Customs Union, and Armenia’s vote in the UN on self-determination of Crimea.
Ambassador’s nominee states the fact that Armenia has been given in service with the Russian policy. Nevertheless, Armenia’s issue does not end with it, it is not said, go and work out your own salvation, if you choose Russia, go and live with Russia. The Ambassador believes that Armenia’s such behavior is due to Armenia’s isolation from many programs in the region for a long time. For instance, the Baku – Tbilisi – Ceyhan communication,” noted Mr. Sakunts.
According to his interpretation, the West, particularly the United States, too, realized that Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union is also by the fault of international organizations that contributed to deepening of Armenia’s isolation. “They feel their own commitment to the situation in the region. Now, they will try practicing a more active policy to reduce Russia’s influence against Armenia. The American government’s foreign policy impulses is the improvement of the Armenian-Turkish relations, the increase of the level of these relationships is one of the key directions of American policy, which will have a great impact on the peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region and disarmament, in terms of casting a doubt on the presence of the Russian base.”
Referring to the section on improvements of Armenian – Turkish relations in the statement made by Mills that the United States will continue to emphasize the importance of proceeding with final approval of Armenian-Turkish Protocols, and continues to press at the highest levels for Turkish ratification of the Protocols, Mr. Sakunts said that the pressure should not be perceived as Kremlin exerts pressure on its partners. “It is about mutual commitments, implementation of commitments assumed in the framework of partnership relations. The Turkish side has assumed certain obligations, a commitment to improve the Armenian – Turkish relations.”
By human right activist’s interpretation, non-partnership behavior of Turkey’s foreign policy during the events in the Middle East speaks to the fact that Turkey has also problems with the USA. “The United States will put the implementation of this commitment before Turkey, particularly in view of improvement of the Armenian-Turkish relations without preconditions.” Mr. Sakunts believes that the emphasis of the U.S. foreign policy has been changed. They have set a task to raise Armenia’s role in the development of relations with the neighboring countries.
Arpine SIMONYAN
