The possibility of official Yerevan’s diplomatic advantage
A few days ago, Serzh Sargsyan, under his working visit to the U.S., took part in a “reference-free” discussion held by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he made an extensive statement and answered the questions of the participants. His speech addresses a number of remarkable assessments. Speaking of the widespread allegations to be a stage for geopolitical competition in the South Caucasus, he specifically noted that since its sources of independence, Armenia when dealing with any state or a structure has been guided not by the ideology of “against” but “in favor of”, and being a CSTO founding member, Armenia has conducted a fruitful cooperation with NATO.
“Becoming an EaEU member, we have provided a new stimulus to the Armenia-EU political and economic integration, reaffirming our thesis that the combination of relations with the European Union and Eurasian partners are completely possible. To the point, in recent times, this idea has begun to materialize and often voiced by our European partners. Having continuous strengthening strategic cooperation with Russia, we have excellent relations with almost all western countries.” S. Sargsyan explained that Armenia is trying to “build bridges between the Eurasian Economic Union and our other partners.”
S. Sargsyan stressed that Armenia does not have enemy states, moreover, hostile nations, Azerbaijan is no exception too, and Armenian sees no alternative to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “Of course, this problem is to serve the internal political interests of the Azerbaijani authorities. First, the Azerbaijani administration has the task to justify its own regime, the enormous resources aimed at the military spheres and the country’s extreme human rights situation. In addition, under the falling of oil prices and the depreciation of the Azerbaijani manat, the country’s social problems are further aggravated, and the easiest explanation for the created situation for the Azerbaijani leadership is the existence of the enemy.
I think that the estimations found in the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on September 9 speaks for itself that over the last ten years Azerbaijan is the country that experienced the greatest decline in democracy in the Eurasian region. Incidentally, the European Parliament, as well as ODIHR have refused to send even observers to Azerbaijan for the upcoming November parliamentary elections, believing that there are no preconditions for conducting free and fair elections.” He also added that he would like for Azerbaijan to be not the country with the biggest fall in democracy in the Eurasian region but a country with a rise and in this case, it would be possible to find the key to the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Panorama.am presented the transcript of Q&A following Serzh Sargsyan’s speech at the “Carnegie” Fund. In response to the question on Russia’s economic situation and Armenia’s economic prospects, S. Sargsyan noted that Armenia’s adopted policy enables to develop economic relations as with the Eurasian Economic Union so as with the European Union. “Today, we use preferential trade regime with the EU. We have preferential trade regimes with many countries and, of course, use the opportunities provided by the Eurasian Economic Union “. He particularly mentioned that exactly four months after being in the membership of the EaEU, Armenia signed an important document with the US in the sphere of trade. “We, being a member of the EaEU, continue benefiting from the favorable trading conditions, and already, I think, in just 7-10 days, we will be launching negotiations on a new legal document with the EU. These cannot just be random occurrences.”
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Azerbaijani “blackmail” in action
Recently, a remarkable statement was voiced from official Baku. In the interview with Sputnik Agency, Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov announced at the UN General Assembly in New York that Azerbaijan does not rule out the possibility of joining the Eurasian Economic Union. “Never say never,” Mammadyarov said, adding that his country was focused on “building bilateral relationship” with Eurasian bloc countries. Ilham Aliyev’s boycotting at the UN General Assembly and then alluding about the possibilities of joining the EaEU at the Foreign Minister’s level, indeed, was an attempt by official Baku to impose a “blackmail” over international community, aiming to remind about the need for pro-Azerbaijani solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. And not only. Having tense relations with the West, today, Azerbaijani authorities are trying to find a “comfort” in Moscow’s lap. While the Baku aspirations are not left unreacted and unanswered. From the moment that the OSCE/ODIHR cancelled its observation mission to the upcoming November 1 parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokesman Alexander Lukashevich, for example, announced that the Russian delegation to the OSCE will raise the issue of the ODIHR practice. As we can see, the Russian authorities are not slow to “back up” Azerbaijan, which you would not say when reacting to the Azerbaijani aggression on the borders of Armenia. Our country’s accession to the EaEU to some extent was successful to present the civilized world a more effective vision for Armenia as excluding the “either-or”, with the ideology of “in favor of” and be guided by the policy of non-countervailing.
But the matter is that if the West accepted this position, our citizens inside our country did not understand the benefit of the EaEU membership, starting from economy up to the security. The border situation in the last two years since the cease-fire is tense more than ever and the Russian-Azerbaijani impressive relations already question the level of the Armenian-Russian strategic relations. Azerbaijan does not rule out the possibility of joining the Eurasian Economic Union, but this does not mean that Azerbaijan will become a member of this structure. It is clear to everyone who the main recipient of this announcement is. Baku does not hide its aspirations reaching an agreement with Russia on Karabakh.
With the messages addressed to Russia and the West, Baku will continue reminding the world with the help of military revenge blackmail and demand a solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh, at times reminding that “if the negotiations do not lead to the withdrawal of the armed forces of Armenia from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Baku will have to use force to liberate its lands,” as said by the foreign minister of Azerbaijan at the UN General Assembly. Azerbaijan’s step by step isolation from the West, today, of course, has created a favorable situation for Armenia. However, with the establishment of real democracy in Armenia, and actual combating corruption rather than long-breath speeches, Armenia and Artsakh need to reinforce the advantage over the Aliyev regime.
Emma GABRIELYAN,
“Aravot” daily
