BY ANNETTE MOSKOFIAN
LONDON—Armenia has faced many challenges since its independence and being a landlocked country surrounded by hostile neighbors with few natural resources has tried to survive. Survival has been the aim of this tiny fragile state and pursuit of its security has been a priority. It has survived economically through international aids, through investments made by Armenians living in Diaspora and through marginal foreign investment. Through privatization of its state owned industries most of its assets were either sold or given away to Russian owned companies in return for much needed gas and fuel. “These concessions have in part resulted in Russian dominance in the economic sector, overdependence on Russia for Armenia’s energy needs, and the perpetuation of Armenian submissiveness to Russian interest”(McGinnity 2010).
To protect its borders from Turkey and Azerbaijan and concerned for Nagorno Karabakh’s security, Russia has been a valuable ally. Armenia has relied on Russian military assistance and allowed the placement of a Russian base in Gyumri. The most notable bilateral defense agreement between Russia and Armenia is the membership of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) by which Moscow committed to the defense of Armenia in case of an attack. Armenia regards these measures as key elements of its national security.
Russia has provided this assistance because Armenia is geopolitically important. Armenia is its only ally in the region, as Georgia and Azerbaijan are looking more to the West. It is also strategically important for Russia to have a presence and dominance in an area rich in oil and gas, traditionally part of its imperial control. Russia also wants to contain its old adversary Turkey from becoming a regional power and control expansion of US influence in the region. Loss of Armenia as an ally would lead to Russia’s loss of influence in the region. Armenia plays a significant role in achieving these objectives as it is the only country in the region that has strong ties with Russia.
There is mutual interest for both Armenia and Russia to have a strategic alliance but Armenia is the weaker partner in this potentially mutually beneficial partnership. There is a dichotomy on views about this alliance. Some believe that Armenia has no choice in the matter, insisting that it’s the only way to guarantee its security, while the opposing view believes it threatens the sovereignty of the country. To counter balance this unhealthy dependence Armenia adopted a “complimentary” or “multivector” foreign policy, to create more alliances and multilateral cooperation with Iran, EU, US and even NATO that are important for enhancing its security and survival.
Since the end of the 90’s Armenia has pursued a closer association with the EU. Through the EU-Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (1999) and in negotiations on free trade agreements with several Eastern Partnership (EaP), European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreements (DCFTA) it has secured funding from the EU (around 157 million euros from 2011-2013). The EU has become Armenia’s largest trading partner accounting for around 30% of its total trade. Its relations with the EU would have promoted Armenia’s transition to a full-fledged democracy, aiding economic growth, poverty reduction, strengthening democratic structures, and good governance. In a poll carried out in 2005, 72% of the population showed a desire to join the EU, hoping that this might give them an opportunity for improving their standard of living. Armenia’s chosen path was a logical move which was part of the trend of other Eastern European countries, giving it a chance to break away from the post-Soviet empire. This was not necessarily contradictory with the strong military ties with Russia. However, Russia has tried to bully Armenia in joining the Eurasian Economic Community, a brainchild of Putin to raise its prestige in the world and reassert its influence and sustain a leading role in post-soviet countries. Armenia chose to have an observer status instead without wanting to offend Russia and had shown a preference to deepen its political and economic relations with the EU. The EU had made it clear that membership in the Eurasian Customs Union was incompatible with the DCFTA and the EU Association Agreement. Armenia’s efforts toward closer EU relations were not well received by the Kremlin as it started blackmailing Armenia and used tactics such as an increase in gas prices by 18%. What went on behind closed doors when President Sarkisian and Putin met at the beginning of this week is not clear. However the dramatic announcement that shortly followed this meeting made it clear that Armenia had decided to join the Eurasian Union: a union still with few members and no substantial activity as opposed to the EU with its long history.
It would have been to Armenia’s benefit if it had kept its security alliance with Russia and had developed its economy by choosing a path to the EU. The EU would have also aided the democratization process of the country. But instead without any public referendum or a discussion in the National Assembly, Sarkisian made a political u-turn and made a very important decision that will have long term consequences.
There is a tendency for Armenian government to consistently make concessions to Russia. Armenia could have leveraged its strategic importance to gain a stronger and more independent stance. However, the interests of the pro-Russian elite do not allow the country to see true independence and implement policies that will serve the interest of the nation on the long run. Instead it has become a colony of Russia under its hegemonic domination. Carrying forward a more balanced multilateral foreign policy would have been advantageous for Armenia but this decision has shattered any hope of that.
Armenia is a colony of Russia because we have NO CHOICE! At least Russian protection helps us survive. Do you think any European nation will come to our aid in the event of war or another extermination attempt? Europe and the US have never been reliable allies to Armenia, and never will be!
Agree
Panos is right. The Russians might not be the best of friends but they are the only friends we have.
Nice in theory, but what the EU only wants one thing from Armenia–an oil pipeline through it. Then when that happens, the Russian bear will leave and a new genocide happens!
so youre saying Azerbaijan is going to want to put an oil pipeline through Armenia? that’s funny.
This reads like a freshman college essay, what is the point of this regurgitation of factual information masqueraded as an opinion piece? If your only argument for aligning with the EU over Russia are European pipe-dreams of “democratization” then I am glad you are in no position to make the actual decisions. These sort of weak commentaries do not serve Asbarez well.
Putin threatened to break Armenia over Sarkissian’s head if he did not change his mind…..
by 4 consecutive fraudulent elections we broke Armenia over our own heads. This nation can not be this small, with this many problems and with this much incompetence.
Russia will not let Armenia to cary multilateral foreign policy.
The idea of actually joining the EU is a fantasy.
Existing trade with Eurasian Customs Union countries is roughly 3.5x that of trade with the EU,
meaning to merely MATCH a 5% increase in trade with the ECU, trade with the EU would need to increase by ~17.5%.
The EU already includes many recent entrants, from Bulgaria to Croatia, and countries like Serbia are also on the waiting list,
as well as the EU’s ongoing free trade agreement with Turkey, so it is not as if Armenia will have some unique exploitable niche…
Unless being the most isolated and with most expensive transport links is supposed to be some advantage for it within a EU trade region.
As is the government’s policy, there is no reason that cooperation with the EU cannot continue in other spheres,
and indeed aiming to be the most EU-integrated member of the Eurasian Customs Union could very well be a good niche for Armenia to aim for,
in addition, Armenia can push for more expansive trade agreements between the Eurasian Customs Union as a whole and the EU,
as well as pushing for further cooperation between the ECU and Iran, which Armenia is in the optimal position to exploit.
A pipeline thru Armenia and post-Saakashvili Georgia allows Iranian gas to be sold on the domestic Russian market, displacing domestic gas which can be freely sold to the EU or China.
I agree 100% with everything you stated, and I’d like to add that it is very obvious that the EU push for Armenia was a geostrategic and political move by Brussels, and Brussels are not interested in seriously developing Armenia’s economy or Europe’s economic ties with Armenia in any meaningful way. Therefore, the EU will categorically prohibit signing a free trade agreement with Armenia in order to “punish” Armenia.
I’m all for developing trade, but I question how beneficial free trade with Europe would be for Armenia. The EU can afford to subsidize it’s farmers, and manufacturing costs are as cheap in the newly acquired EU vassals in Eastern Europe than in Armenia. I fear that free trade may end up crushing Armenia’s small manufacturing businesses as well as its small farmers. Just my opinion though, I’m not an economic expert.
The bottom line of this writer exposes a biased choice of becoming a EU colony, instead of a Russian one. Armenian national interest are better served with the Russian alliance. The EU is too distant and can never provide the national security conditions for an Armenian nation state. Neither can the USA . Armenia,s decision to opt for the customs unions was based on solid objectives of national security and independence. If the writer feels that Armenia,s condition is that of a colony, and the choice is between being under the aegis of one or another power , than the option of closer relations with Russia becomes even more compelling.
Armenians are feeling the heat now for having a puppet government, that is the cost when people are only onlookers and majority doesn’t care what happens in the country, that is the cost of mortgaging your land to other countries. I agree they should have kept the tension for better of people, but the problem is that strings are not attached to people hands but foreign powers, balanced multilateral foreign policy was anounced dead when they stormed with machine-guns into house of people and massacared the only hopes of democracy in the nation who could have lead the nation for people’s sake, and what the people did, just like sheep they looked on in amazment for a moment and then shortly after that they carried on daily matters just like nothing happened, how you say in Armenian, inch mer glxin beren halala
The problem is not so much that Armenia abandoned the EU to join Russia, the problem is the inept Armenian government stooges of Russia are not acting in the best interest of Armenia in dealing with Russia.
A government who has the best interests of the nation in its sights would not blindly tag along with whatever Russia orders. instead they would turn it to their advantage and in turn request the benefits that must come for ditching the EU. What benefits did Armenia get? Raising the gas prices and supplying our enemies with more weapons? And for you “Russia is the best” dupes, I don’t give a damn what “secrets” are going on behind the scenes, the pitiful state the country is in can be seen in plain sight.
Russia is no friend of Armenia. You are a fool if you believe that. Russia acts in its own interests, and the chance “benefit” Armenia gets are the left over bones.
……………Any country which makes an alliance with a super power is a weaker partner, Armenia after joining EU will be forced to join NATO, and this Russia can’t afford to happen. Armenian’s were betrayed in every occasion from the west, EU could not even have all members recognize the Armenian Genocide, nevertheless US and it’s allies, whyle shamelessly they expect every time more from a weak country like Armenia. The strong should help the weak and it seems when it comes to Armenia and Armenians it is other way round
The question of sovereignty in this debate is often misunderstood. Armenia will cede sovereignty in both cases. In the case of the EU, it will cede some sovereignty to Brussels and Berlin. In the case of the CU, it will not cede any more sovereignty than it already has. The EU is not the largest trading partner of Armenia. That would be Russia. What is this poll you speak of? I have never heard of it. Of course Armenia’s intentions to join the EU were not well received by the Kremlin. Would you like it if you gave your little brother everything and he still liked the neighbor better? If you want Armenia to be completely independent, then it cannot join any single organization. I would definitely like that to be the case, but seeing as how we are landlocked without significant resources that is impossible. Final question: Will the EU give Armenia military and energy aid to the extent Russia has? Where do you think European nations get there gas from? From a military standpoint, without Russia we are done. No EU nation has any military capacity large enough to deflect a Turkish attack. What I have understood from this debate is that you guys want everything Russia is giving for free to remain, but at the same time you hate the Russians for giving those things to you.
Well said.
All Armenians who live in Europe think that it was te best that Armenia choose Russia and not European Union. The European Union is now a fascist System. The Europeans want get rit of it.
What an absurd comment. The EU is in no way a ‘fascist’ system, perhaps you should read up on the term. Such a political and possible economic alliance with the EU would have far more reaching long-term advantages compared to the short-shortsightedness of this Russo-Armenian alliance.
Short sightedness est. 1700. Where was the EU then again?
You are the one making assumptions based on the lies floating around about made-up “economic advantages” of being in EU.
EU is mostly socialism/fascism. If Armenia joins the EU, it will be used and abused. There would be more wars and bloodshed…as is the case when you have a central bank that creates as much money as it wants to pay for wars. This is the same method USA uses to fight so many useless wars.
Read the book Road to Serfdom. There is the short version of it available that you can read in an hour and your eyes and mind might open up.
As an Armenian, I want Armenia to be more like Switzerland.
Dear Mrs Mokofian, what you wrote is right.
Then, go and rely to the US, where Doug Frantz, «the notorious Genocide denier and former Los Angeles Times managing editor who lost his job when he blocked the publication of an article about the Armenian Genocide penned by journalist Mark Arax has been appointed the new spokesperson of the US State Department»
Or go and rely to EU, where the main aims are the right of homosexual minorities and muslim believers, and no more money to offer to anyone.
Sometime drinking a bitter medecine having bad collateral effects on the leaver or kidneys is better than dieing.
Primum vivere, deinde philosophari.
God bless Armenia!
Political analysis can’t get any more simple minded that this. Armenia is culturally, genetically and geographically a Eurasian nation. Armenia’s natural place is in the Moscow-led Eurasian Union.
By the way does Armenia has a border with the EU? Mindless EU supporters here need to talk to Greeks, Bulgarians, Spaniards, Italians and Romanians about the joys of EU membership. The EU is a sinking ship. The only thing EU membership will do for Armenia is to make her economically dependent on Turkey; increase the numbers of homosexuals and third world migrants in the country; and replace Armenia’s homegrown oligarchs with even nastier ones based in New York, London, Istanbul and Tel Aviv.
It’s an article but I tend to disagree. The only superpower we can rely on for our security is Russia. History bears witness to that.
If we did not have Turkey and A zerbaijan as neighbors, if we did not survive a Genocide that is still denied by Turkey who perpetrated it we could join EU. What has EU and the USA done to force Turkey to recognize the Genocide and compensate the victims? to stop the blocade? Nothing. Turkey is an alley of the USA and a member of NATO how could we abandon Russia to join the friend of our enemy? when the friend of our enemy does nothing to solve our problems! What has Europe done to armenians in a century ? only betrail . Russia at least saved 10 per cent of our ancestors land.Russia and Asia are the only allies we can rely on, EU and USA are with Turkey and through Israel with Azerbaijan. Let us not be emotional, our love to europe cost us our almost disappereance from the face of Earth. They always betrayed us. Enough is enough, they are not even Christians as once our gtrand fathers beleived ingenously.
Dear readers I am flattered that you all have reacted so diversely to my article. Just to remind you that history had indeed taught us not to fully rely on any power. I tried to convey several points:
1- Armenia needs to ally with Russia for security
2- we should not underestimate our strategic value in the region hence use it to negotiate better terms without bring bullied into making decisions and not be colonised by any power
3- the above comments from the readers proves that this topic needs to be analysed by the public and in the parliament. This is a controversial subject and needs discussion
4- I want to see a more independent Armenia and the only way is to build an Armenia on more solid basis
Economically strong and a country run on democratic fair values. Non of the other members of Eurasia are model democracies. What will we gain from joining them?
Dear Annette do you really beleive any of the EU countries is democratic!? We Armenians of Europe know well they are not it is just marketing. EU is collapsing we as EU Armenians are happy to have Armenia out of EU.
Dear Annette,
You want to see a more independent Armenia. Great. If Russia pulls out of Armenia you won’t even see an Armenia.
Do you also like to see Artsakh under Armenian control or handed back to Azeris. This can be arranged in 24 hours by the real power brokers in the caucasus – Russia. Remember the Georgian war 2008? Why would you upset the only superpower that is supplying you BILLIONS of dollars worth of weapons at discount prices or for free? Why would you upset the only superpower that is in the process of establishing a real large scale military industrial complex in your country? Why would you upset the only country which is still giving you gas at a greatly discounted price, and still we’re complaining. Which European power would do this for Armenia? You cannot expect all this support from Russia and then tell them they can go to hell, we want Europe because we think we are more European. Russia is a growing power and a nuclear heavy-weight. They can survive without Armenia. Unfortunately, the opposite isn’t true. We must all realize this and build our strategic geopolitical goals around this fact. Thank God our president is very intelligent and knows how to play those Europeans when necessary instead of letting them play us, just like they have done in the past.
Of course Armenia should not underestimate its strategic value but the problem is that Russia, more than our own leaders it seems, knows that the US, Europe and NATO would sell us out instantly if we ever “joined” them.
Russia might be “bad”, but I am convinced that the West is worse. Just look at what they’re up to right now, getting talibans into power in Syria. How sick isn’t that?
Never trust a westerner!
PS. Armenia needs more children and nuclear weapons in order to become more independent.
1/2. “Armenia needs to ally with Russia for security” vs “not underestimate out strategic value… negotiate better terms” i.e. “Russia also wants to contain…Turkey from becoming a regional power and control expansion of US influence in the region. Loss of Armenia as an ally would lead to Russia’s loss of influence in the region.”
Exactly what negotiation is there between those?
Armenia can negotiate against Russia by threatening to… aid Turkey in becoming a regional power? Negotiations only happen when there are realistic options otherwise is called by a different term.
4. “None of the other members of Eurasia are model democracies. What will we gain from joining them?”
So… Join a Customs Union (EU) that includes Turkey? The EU is “democratic”, so joining an customs union with Turkey who is still blockading Armenia and criminalizing discussion of genocide is the “democratic” choice? The same Turkey who has a territorial dispute with EU member Greece and routinely buzzes populated Greek islands with armed fighter jets with no response from the EU and continuing accession negotiations? (funny it seems both sides don’t even agree on what geographic “EU expansion” is even being discussed) The same EU that backs the organ-trafficking mafia Albanian Kosovo state yet refuses to recognize the Karabakh referendum which had the same legal justification as the referendum separating Azerbaijan from the USSR?
Fact is, Armenia has been trying such a strategy as outlined in the article. What was the result? Clearly the response from EU (Feuel, et al) didn’t reflect any fruits of “negotiating better terms between competing interest centers”, they instantly dropped any further immediate interest in association agreements with Armenia, after Armenia made the choice the EU forced them to in stark terms: EU DFCTA or Eurasian Customs Union. For all the real historical accomplishment in terms of democratic values in many areas, the EU as a center of power-interest is not at all democratic and this is clear on so many levels, organizationally, politically, strategically (allying with GCC countries, Israel, Uzbekistan,). The author wants to hold Russian or Kazakh democratic ‘lack’ as the thing to avoid for Armenia, yet the same or much worse is wholly acceptable in EU or US eyes. Fact is, having close economic and security ties with Russia/Eurasia OR EU Customs Union is not particularly tied to “democracy”, Finland had close security and economic ties with the Soviet Union after all, yet maintained social democracy. Accomodating to a weak EU order which panders to Turkish nationalism is simply not justifiable by invocations of “true democracy”, and advocates of “true democracy” would not attempt to link the two.
Um, looking to the EU? The same EU that hasn’t punished Hungary for Safarov’s extradition? That hasn’t cut ties with Azerbaijan for his hero’s welcome in Baku? This so-called democratic and humanitarian European Union!?
This article seems to say that the reason Armenia isn’t approaching the EU is Russian opposition and hindrance, and that the remedy for that is – approaching the EU?
Armenia doesn’t “obey” Russia for fun. The only way Armenia can become independent is 1) more children 2) nuclear weapons
Until that happens Armenia will continue to be Russia’s puppet. Whether we like it or not..!!
“Dear Annette do you really beleive any of the EU countries is democratic!? We Armenians of Europe know well they are not it is just marketing.”
EXACTLY!
Annette jan, kuyr jan… I know you have noble intentions and golden dreams for Armenia and its future, but please we live in the real world, please close those fairy tale books about western democracy, and come to terms with history and real lessons it teaches. Please start smelling the roses. The very reason that Armenia exists at all today is due to the fact that Russia’s national interests coincides with the interests of the Armenian nation, And this has been the case since 1828. We survived through genocide, our forefathers gave their lives for the European democratic values” you are so concerned about, we sacrificed 90% of our homeland relying on our European brothers and sisters and our shared values. Annette jan, they sowed the high democratic ideas and nothing grew out of it. Europe is in moral and economic bankruptcy and decay; they have discredited and divorced from their Christian heritage and traditions, turned into a consumers, people with no values and or character. Democracy without morals and fate is a Sodom and Gomorrah. Europe is crumbling from within and is in decay. West with America and Europe has failed us over and over and sold us and our rights to the highest bidder more than once. (Remember the treaty of Severs and the choking of one day old Cilician republic in 1920s).
Russia’s Duma / government has officially accepted and condoned the Genocide, they are by far been the greatest patrons of Armenia for the last 2 centuries and more. Yes, they did not do this for our “beautiful Armenian eyes” as people say, and that’s where our good fortune is. Our national interests do coincide. Whatever known and unknown ailments the Russians have and what they have done to us that was not fully in our nation’s favor, THEY STILL REMAIN THE LESSER OF ALL EVILS.
Hayk jan axper jan, I know you have noble intentions also, but while you are so rosy person why you don’t look the matter from the other end, we have lived under muslem rules in last 9 centuries in mainland Armenia and last 600 yeras in Lesser Armenia(cilicia) , we had some rough time but we survived on most of our ancestrial lands, until 1800,s when Imperial Russia decides to intrude into Caucaus on his way to their dreamed up Southern warm waters, Armenians seeing the holy cross again bear by newcomer Paruskis forgetting all betrayals and sellouts by another Christian Empire the Byzantines they hastened to welcome them in new neghbhorhood anatanagonizing all our muslem neighbhores and rulers, I honestely believe that is when problem started
Parsik Jan , axper jan, I guess being a “rosy person” will allow me to consider the matter at hand from “another end” or from all possible ends for that matter…
Now, the “survival” you are talking about under Muslim rulers was nothing but classic slavery. Armenian Christians were systematically subjected to mass deportations, forced conversions to Islam, were at best 3rd class citizens, their property and person was not protected. They were bought and sold like a livestock. Let few amiras and khojas / merchants living in big cities not full anyone about the “ rosy” life reality of Ottoman Armenians. A medieval French traveler passing through western Armenia under the Turkish rule observed that every Armenian he saw was missing an ear, nose or a tongue; they were prohibited from riding on horses or carry any sort of armaments… The entire eastern Armenia was emptied by Shah Abbas forced deportations of early 1600’s. Yes, precisely, one of your many Muslim rulers ( in this case a PARSIK) that you are so found of. This was the reality of the Armenia and Armenian nation long before the appearance of Russians in our area. According to the historian Leo , When the Russians took over the Eastern Armenia from Persia there was only 20-25000 Christian Armenians left in those lands (including Karabakh area) and it was through Russia’s efforts that some 40-50000 Armenian families repatriated from Iran and as much from Bayazet area of the Ottoman empire and repopulated the eastern Armenia. Parsik jan, aper jan, in my earlier comment I acknowledged that Russians were guided by the interests of their own nation, no doubt about it and were not on any noble mission to help a desperate Armenians. It’s just our national interests coincided for once. Besides the Armenians, the other non-Muslim subject nations of the Ottoman Empire like the Greeks, Assyrians and so one were also cleansed and wiped out by the Turks, the Russian card was not a factor in their case. There was a clear Pan- Turkic plan to unite the Turkic nations from China to Europe and all non-Turkic nations had to be eliminated and end of the discussion. The Russian factor and limited national revolutionary liberation movements were used as an excuse to justify the genocide, as a pretext. I clearly acknowledged in my earlier statement that The Russians were not, and are not angels by no means, they clearly are guided by their own interests, many times did not hesitate to take advantage of and manipulate the our interests etc. At the same time, and to be fair, let’s not forget the Role the Western and American missionaries have played in the whole national liberation movement in Western Armenia with the clear direction of the nations they represented. At the end, why is it so hard to acknowledge the place and the role of Russia in the all aspects of the Armenian’s reality today, from military, armament, technology, finances, to energy, culture and economy, to the liberation of Karabakh and its survival? Now, these are facts, our history, our neighbors, we like it or not, and this is our neighborhood that we live in…
Armen jan, I see you know your history, but you are missing my main point that I was trying to make, in history including present times their are crucial and pivotal moments that will destine the faith of a nation in next coming centuries, we have suffered a lot before from these personal and self-interested decisions in the name of our nation during last 2000 years made by our kings, ishkhans, meliks and katolikoses, and nowdays by these neo-ishkhans the oligharks without consent of their own people, but times has changed drastically now, in the new era of information where capital is being transfered through wires by digits(Marx should wake up to see this) and the world powers are losing their absolute hegemonic leverages to rule the world , there is no sense for us to stick to one particular block to be safe from other block, our national interests at the moment is provisioned by independant foreign policy and more democratic government, and don’t tell me that old story that Turkey will dare to attack us tommorow to wipe us all out, ofcourse we have propblem with Azerbaijan, if we and them Azeris could muster some will to solve this problem, we will be on right track to become more independant and prosperous. Karabakh conflict was masterminded farsightedly by Russians back in 1923 when they planted Armenian inclave whitin Azerbaijan and the heatspot was reignited by them Russians again in 1988 by forcful evacuation of Getashen Armenian people by Red Army ordered directly from Moscow to prevent Soviet system’s collapse in vain, and the sad thing is that still our leaders are playing again on new Russian oligarkh’s hands even today seeing all the sufferings and losses we endured during last century
Parsik jan, axper jan… the noble truths your lamenting have been sown before and nothing grew out of it… Dear brother, you are very right about how Russia and its imperialism has manufactured the karabakh, Javakh and Nakichevan puzzles, to divide and conquer , to increase its role in the area etc… YES, YES and YES . You are very right and we all know it very well, the part we differ is that despite knowing this we also know that Russia remains the lesser of all evils. We just know that our appeal is limited for the west, and this has been manifested by their luck of interest to strengthen and help Armenia. They did provide humanitarian aid and still due, and for that we Armenians always have been and are eternally grateful to them. But , fundamental, serious and well organized attention, assistance and approach was needed to help to Armenia be strong and to forgo Russian influence and medaling in its domestic and foreign affairs. The west repeatedly failed to do so. Let’s put the old history aside and concentrate on the modern times, specifically the last 22 years of Armenia’s independence. What has the west do to end the blockade of Azerbaijan and Turkey? About the human rights of the Javaks Armenians, about guiding a NATO member Turkey to recognize and condone the 1915 genocide, about stopping Turkeys meddling and helping Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, the West did not do much to change the situation, to help Armenia to be so strong that it can be able to send Russians packing. I would agree with you 100%, and every Armenian with me, after all there is nothing more desirable than freedom and democratic governance, a country where human rights are respected, the corruption of oligarchs is stopped…so on and so forth…
Do you really think that the West with all its influence could not have easily achieved solutions to the above listed issues with Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, with the Karabakh problem, had they been serious about it? Had they been serious about Armenia? They have failed us and left us at the mercy of Russian Imperialism, open to its manipulation. Armenia just had no choice. The fact is Russia encourages corrupt and as such weak leaders that can be manipulated at home , weak economy that is dependent on Russia’s assistance, hostile neighbors that not only threaten but in the case of Azerbaijan bombard Armenia’s borders on the daily bases… You know and we all know and agree on the rest… Armenia was left dependent on the Russia’s mercy and has no realistic hope of breaking away from it… Going against Russian influence and control will mean self-destruction for the Armenians more than they have already been… Atomic power , the gas supply, the rail road, the bread, the armaments and technology, the soldiers guarding Armenia’s external borders all are provided , secured and in the hands of the Russians. The fate of Karabakh and its people are in the hands of the Russians… Do you think we as a people, as romantic as we are and have been, with colossal loses of 90% of our homeland in 1915, can really afford to believe and hope that the west is going to protect and help us built democracy? The same west that is selling itself to the caviar and gas diplomacy in the EU parliament and capitals, as we speak???… Come on have mercy on our people and some respect for its wisdom… We just cannot risk everything and be so adventures… they all sold us out in 1920s and won’t hesitate to do it again… and you know it.
IMPOSSIBLE !.
There have never been any plans,
neither with God nor the Other One,
for Armenia to Join the EU.
Armenias path is backed by Russia – China and Iran,
as according to the Word of God in the Bible.
Arn.Sweden.
Had it not been for Ivan coming down to the Caucasus some two hundred years ago, we Armenians, especially the Russophobes amongst us, would still be making donkey saddles or selling rugs somewhere in eastern provinces of Turkey or northern Iran.
The nation-state of Armenia exists today simply because of the Russian factor in regional politics. No Russia in the south Caucasus means no Armenia in the south Caucasus.
While Armenia’s military is its tactical advantage, Armenia’s strategic alliance with Russia is its strategic advantage. Armenians must stop wasting their time in an anti-Armenian vipers nest like Washington. Armenians must be a constant presence within the walls of the Kremlin.
God bless Mother Russia. God bless Mother Armenia. God help protect Russo-Armenian relations from enemies both foreign and domestic.
Harut jan you are so right . I agree with you 100%. There wont be Armenia witout Russia. God bless friendship of Armenian and Russian peoples. The rest is BS.
which one is better path to prosperity for our next generations?, I really don’t know anymore Harutik, riding on a locally fed and bred jackass on my own ancestrial land free of fees, or riding in foreign-made Nivas burning imported gas on the land mortgaged to others.
Parsik jan , Tsavet tanem… there has to be a “next generation” left in Armenia for it to enjoy prosperity, democracy etc… Most things and imperfections you site are true and valid, but unfortunately there are other factors that are equally or more valid, more pressing that need to be acknowledged and taken into consideration in the bigger picture. Wishful thinking, the promise of democracy in the horizon, down the line in the future is too risky of a dream for Armenia to dream at this time. Read our history, how we all got excited and were encouraged by the European big ideals of freedom and democracy in 1915 and how we lost it all. How the same nations who used us during the first world war for their propaganda , turned blind eye and abandoned us, turned away and pretended not to hear our cries for help…
The fact is it is easy to sit here in the west with its less than perfect, selective and questionable sense of democracy and dream fairy tale dreams for a country that is located in a really challenging neighborhood. A country, that is in between a rock and hard place. Charity starts at home; let’s talk about Western sense of fairness and human rights, its shameful manipulation of the issue of the Armenian genocide, And its complacency in the whole human rights and denial of the genocide.
The home you are living also has a mortgage; the US government is today surviving on the barrowed money, has a Chinese mortgage… (Mostly from communist China???). Be a hero, Try addressing and talking about that for the change. Talk about how our democratic government , the champion of the human rights government is helping to deny the Armenian genocide and is denying justice to the whole Armenian nation and humanity for that matter.
The European parliamentarians and US oil barons, hawks are selling themselves to the Azerbaijani oil wealth, possibility of new oil contracts, and its oil and caviar diplomacy like a chip street hookers… What are you talking about aper jan?
to hell with eu, gangsta maffia organization! eu extradited safarov! we never forget never forgive!!!!!!