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WILL MERKEL VISIT ARMENIA?
HAKOB BADALYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments24052.html
Published: 11:22:10 - 03/11/2011
The German Ambassador to Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt made an
interesting comment on the reshuffle of Armenia. "I think this process
is connected with the statements of the President of Armenia, that
the next elections will be organized better than the 2008 ones. In
recent meetings with the EU representatives, he promised to ensure free
elections and continue the fight against corruption, to organize the
customs system taking account of the criticism of the European Union
in the context of the EU Association Agreement," said the Ambassador.
Usually, ambassadors do not comment on domestic affairs of the
countries they are appointed to. They can hold speeches, give
assessments only in terms of democratic and civic norms and social
developments. But an ambassador commenting plainly on a domestic
process is quite rare and perhaps also bizarre.
Ambassador Schmidt must know this unwritten rule of diplomatic
practice. However, the German Ambassador seems to have his own
diplomatic rules which have been expressed in an interesting way
recently.
In particular, the ambassador is very actively observing the home
political situation. He attends the rallies of the opposition, standing
behind the rostrum beside the ANC leadership. Quite recently he made an
assessment of Ter-Petrosyan's government, which the Congress disliked,
though the Ambassador used to go to the rallies and talk to the ANC
leaders and they seemed to like it.
He has recently delivered an interesting speech to the Armenian
people where he compared the unification of Germany and 20 years
of independence of Armenia wishing the Armenian people "creative
obstinacy" which is important for the Karabakh and Armenian-Turkish
issues.
Hans-Jochen Schmidt's interest stands for the interest of Germany,
perhaps the increasing interest because Berlin was not so much
interested in the Armenian home political life before. Just a few
German foundations were active in the creation of the civil society
of Armenia, which used to work with the non-governmental sector,
media and opposition.
Now, the interest of official Berlin is growing. This is logical,
consdiering German leading economic and political role in the European
Union, which forces it to be active in geopolitical processes as well.
These processes are directly related to the South Caucasus.
Germany understands very well that as a South Caucasian state, Armenia
has a strategic, military-political key potential. Unfortunately,
this potential is perceived in Armenia worse than anywhere else in
the world. Since independence, Armenia has been following the path
of losing this potential, rather than its generation and use.
Now, a period has started when it is clear that the continuation of
this process and its waste can bring about serious issues of balance
in the South Caucasian region. Apparently, this is the reason of
the growing interest of international political centers towards the
domestic affairs of Armenia.
HAKOB BADALYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments24052.html
Published: 11:22:10 - 03/11/2011
The German Ambassador to Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt made an
interesting comment on the reshuffle of Armenia. "I think this process
is connected with the statements of the President of Armenia, that
the next elections will be organized better than the 2008 ones. In
recent meetings with the EU representatives, he promised to ensure free
elections and continue the fight against corruption, to organize the
customs system taking account of the criticism of the European Union
in the context of the EU Association Agreement," said the Ambassador.
Usually, ambassadors do not comment on domestic affairs of the
countries they are appointed to. They can hold speeches, give
assessments only in terms of democratic and civic norms and social
developments. But an ambassador commenting plainly on a domestic
process is quite rare and perhaps also bizarre.
Ambassador Schmidt must know this unwritten rule of diplomatic
practice. However, the German Ambassador seems to have his own
diplomatic rules which have been expressed in an interesting way
recently.
In particular, the ambassador is very actively observing the home
political situation. He attends the rallies of the opposition, standing
behind the rostrum beside the ANC leadership. Quite recently he made an
assessment of Ter-Petrosyan's government, which the Congress disliked,
though the Ambassador used to go to the rallies and talk to the ANC
leaders and they seemed to like it.
He has recently delivered an interesting speech to the Armenian
people where he compared the unification of Germany and 20 years
of independence of Armenia wishing the Armenian people "creative
obstinacy" which is important for the Karabakh and Armenian-Turkish
issues.
Hans-Jochen Schmidt's interest stands for the interest of Germany,
perhaps the increasing interest because Berlin was not so much
interested in the Armenian home political life before. Just a few
German foundations were active in the creation of the civil society
of Armenia, which used to work with the non-governmental sector,
media and opposition.
Now, the interest of official Berlin is growing. This is logical,
consdiering German leading economic and political role in the European
Union, which forces it to be active in geopolitical processes as well.
These processes are directly related to the South Caucasus.
Germany understands very well that as a South Caucasian state, Armenia
has a strategic, military-political key potential. Unfortunately,
this potential is perceived in Armenia worse than anywhere else in
the world. Since independence, Armenia has been following the path
of losing this potential, rather than its generation and use.
Now, a period has started when it is clear that the continuation of
this process and its waste can bring about serious issues of balance
in the South Caucasian region. Apparently, this is the reason of
the growing interest of international political centers towards the
domestic affairs of Armenia.