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OVERSEAS PATRIOTS AND FOREIGN POLICY OF ARMENIA
news.az
http://www.news.az/articles/politics/51008
Dec 16 2011
Azerbaijan
The powerful Armenian Diaspora has built substantial influence over
the foreign policy of homeland Armenia during the 20 years of the
country's independence.
Fearing to alienate the Diaspora activists who are important foreign
political support and economic aid generator, as well as, investment
provider for Armenia, the official Yerevan always refrains from taking
any stance contradicting the position of this overseas community. Even
though the Diaspora declares itself as an active promoter of Armenian
interest worldwide, the policy priorities of Diaspora activists do
not always coincide with the interests of homeland Armenia.
Conflict between the Diaspora's behavior and homeland's interests is
clearly reflected in the political processes around two vital issues
for the country: Nagorno Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan and genocide
allegation against Turkey. Being more conflict-prone than the homeland,
the Diaspora pushes the official Yerevan to demonstrate uncompromised
posture towards Azerbaijan and Turkey which seriously handicaps
development of Armenia through economic and political isolation of
the country.
Clash of interests: Homeland interests versus Diaspora interests
War against Azerbaijan in Nagorno Karabakh and genocide allegations
against Turkey caused the deterioration of relation with these two
important neighbors of Armenia closing the country's entire eastern
and western border. This aggressive policy cut the county's important
export/import routes; put the heavy burden of unresolved military
conflict on Armenia; left it out all regional projects which could
foster economic grows in the country consequently creating economically
ravaged Armenia with lowest per capita GDP among Caucasus nations
and leading the country into the demographic catastrophe.
However, as a landlocked country, instead of war and confrontation,
Armenia needs good relations with its neighbors, regional cooperation
and stability for sustainable development. Therefore Armenia's national
interests demand peace and cooperation with neigbours which can only
be achieved by being open to dialogue and abandoning uncompromised
position.
However, the Diaspora has its own interests in Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and genocide allegation which does not necessarily conform
to the interests of Armenian state. The Diaspora uses the issues
such as the cause of "liberating lost lands" and the campaign about
genocide allegation as the cornerstone elements of identity to keep
the Diaspora together and prevent its assimilation within the host
countries. Thus, the Diaspora is very reluctant to any compromise in
these issues and dedicates itself to upholding these claims with all
possible means. Moreover, since the most of the Diaspora activists live
in the rich countries such as the US, France and enjoy much higher
living conditions than the fellow Armenians living in the homeland,
they do not carry the burden of war and confrontation as ordinary
Armenians living in Gyumri or Khankendi do.
As they are removed from the realities of war suffering homeland,
they are basically engaged in a sort of virtual conflict: they live
their conflicts through the internet, email and television without
direct physical affliction, risks or accountability. Not suffering
from the absence of peace conditions, the Diaspora has less incentive
to compromise to achieve a peace and cooperation than the Armenian
citizens themselves and it uses everything at its disposal to pressure
official Yerevan to avoid compromise as well.
Armenia Diaspora's as a conflict promoter
Having strong motivation, as well as, leverages to influence the
decision making in Armenia the Diaspora always acts as an active
promoter of confrontation with Azerbaijan and Turkey and has opposed
any effort to achieve peace and cooperation with them. The Diaspora
enthusiastically supported Yerevan to launch a full-scale war against
Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1991, provided it with financial
support and remittances, recruited guerrillas among Armenians living
abroad to fight in Karabakh. Since the ceasefire accord of 1994 the
Diaspora has been the one of those groups who actively resisted any
compromise in the settlement process of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Particularly in 1997-98, through media campaign, the Diaspora played
active role in ousting President Levon Ter Petrossian who did not share
the Diaspora's maximalist position on Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.
Armenian Diaspora was also the ardent advocate of bringing genocide
and territorial claims against Turkey to the top of the Yerevan's
political agenda and recently, it acted as the most zealous opponent
of the rapprochement process between Armenia and Turkey. In a move
to advocate the position of Armenia with regard to rapprochement,
President Sargsyan toured the world's largest Armenian communities,
visiting Beirut, Paris, New York, Los Angeles in 2009 with sought to
sell the protocols as necessary for Armenia's survival and growth.
In many communities, the president got a very chilly welcome and
Sargsyan's visit to Paris, Los Angeles and Beirut even led to public
unrest causing large demonstrations against rapprochement process.
Such a harsh resistance by the Diaspora was one of the important
reasons that seriously hampered the rapprochement process - the
process that could bring the confrontation with Turkey to an end and
break isolation of Armenia.
Of course the obstacles for the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and improved Armenian-Turkish relationship are not limited
to the hard-line position of Diaspora. However without such a posture
demonstrated by the Diaspora it would be easier for Armenia to abandon
its aggressive and uncompromised policy towards Azerbaijan and Turkey
to achieve peace and cooperation in its neighborhood and facilitate the
country's sustainable development. So, no matter the claims that they
are defending national interest of Armenia, in reality, the activity
of the "overseas patriots" sets extremely costly and unachievable,
at the same time unlawful goals before the state which jeopardizes the
future of Armenian statehood through economic and political isolation,
and demographic degradation.
Azad Garibov, Consultant at the Center for Strategic Studies.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
news.az
http://www.news.az/articles/politics/51008
Dec 16 2011
Azerbaijan
The powerful Armenian Diaspora has built substantial influence over
the foreign policy of homeland Armenia during the 20 years of the
country's independence.
Fearing to alienate the Diaspora activists who are important foreign
political support and economic aid generator, as well as, investment
provider for Armenia, the official Yerevan always refrains from taking
any stance contradicting the position of this overseas community. Even
though the Diaspora declares itself as an active promoter of Armenian
interest worldwide, the policy priorities of Diaspora activists do
not always coincide with the interests of homeland Armenia.
Conflict between the Diaspora's behavior and homeland's interests is
clearly reflected in the political processes around two vital issues
for the country: Nagorno Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan and genocide
allegation against Turkey. Being more conflict-prone than the homeland,
the Diaspora pushes the official Yerevan to demonstrate uncompromised
posture towards Azerbaijan and Turkey which seriously handicaps
development of Armenia through economic and political isolation of
the country.
Clash of interests: Homeland interests versus Diaspora interests
War against Azerbaijan in Nagorno Karabakh and genocide allegations
against Turkey caused the deterioration of relation with these two
important neighbors of Armenia closing the country's entire eastern
and western border. This aggressive policy cut the county's important
export/import routes; put the heavy burden of unresolved military
conflict on Armenia; left it out all regional projects which could
foster economic grows in the country consequently creating economically
ravaged Armenia with lowest per capita GDP among Caucasus nations
and leading the country into the demographic catastrophe.
However, as a landlocked country, instead of war and confrontation,
Armenia needs good relations with its neighbors, regional cooperation
and stability for sustainable development. Therefore Armenia's national
interests demand peace and cooperation with neigbours which can only
be achieved by being open to dialogue and abandoning uncompromised
position.
However, the Diaspora has its own interests in Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and genocide allegation which does not necessarily conform
to the interests of Armenian state. The Diaspora uses the issues
such as the cause of "liberating lost lands" and the campaign about
genocide allegation as the cornerstone elements of identity to keep
the Diaspora together and prevent its assimilation within the host
countries. Thus, the Diaspora is very reluctant to any compromise in
these issues and dedicates itself to upholding these claims with all
possible means. Moreover, since the most of the Diaspora activists live
in the rich countries such as the US, France and enjoy much higher
living conditions than the fellow Armenians living in the homeland,
they do not carry the burden of war and confrontation as ordinary
Armenians living in Gyumri or Khankendi do.
As they are removed from the realities of war suffering homeland,
they are basically engaged in a sort of virtual conflict: they live
their conflicts through the internet, email and television without
direct physical affliction, risks or accountability. Not suffering
from the absence of peace conditions, the Diaspora has less incentive
to compromise to achieve a peace and cooperation than the Armenian
citizens themselves and it uses everything at its disposal to pressure
official Yerevan to avoid compromise as well.
Armenia Diaspora's as a conflict promoter
Having strong motivation, as well as, leverages to influence the
decision making in Armenia the Diaspora always acts as an active
promoter of confrontation with Azerbaijan and Turkey and has opposed
any effort to achieve peace and cooperation with them. The Diaspora
enthusiastically supported Yerevan to launch a full-scale war against
Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh in 1991, provided it with financial
support and remittances, recruited guerrillas among Armenians living
abroad to fight in Karabakh. Since the ceasefire accord of 1994 the
Diaspora has been the one of those groups who actively resisted any
compromise in the settlement process of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Particularly in 1997-98, through media campaign, the Diaspora played
active role in ousting President Levon Ter Petrossian who did not share
the Diaspora's maximalist position on Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.
Armenian Diaspora was also the ardent advocate of bringing genocide
and territorial claims against Turkey to the top of the Yerevan's
political agenda and recently, it acted as the most zealous opponent
of the rapprochement process between Armenia and Turkey. In a move
to advocate the position of Armenia with regard to rapprochement,
President Sargsyan toured the world's largest Armenian communities,
visiting Beirut, Paris, New York, Los Angeles in 2009 with sought to
sell the protocols as necessary for Armenia's survival and growth.
In many communities, the president got a very chilly welcome and
Sargsyan's visit to Paris, Los Angeles and Beirut even led to public
unrest causing large demonstrations against rapprochement process.
Such a harsh resistance by the Diaspora was one of the important
reasons that seriously hampered the rapprochement process - the
process that could bring the confrontation with Turkey to an end and
break isolation of Armenia.
Of course the obstacles for the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and improved Armenian-Turkish relationship are not limited
to the hard-line position of Diaspora. However without such a posture
demonstrated by the Diaspora it would be easier for Armenia to abandon
its aggressive and uncompromised policy towards Azerbaijan and Turkey
to achieve peace and cooperation in its neighborhood and facilitate the
country's sustainable development. So, no matter the claims that they
are defending national interest of Armenia, in reality, the activity
of the "overseas patriots" sets extremely costly and unachievable,
at the same time unlawful goals before the state which jeopardizes the
future of Armenian statehood through economic and political isolation,
and demographic degradation.
Azad Garibov, Consultant at the Center for Strategic Studies.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress