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TUVALU-ARMENIA: TWO COUNTRIES' DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS ANGER AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
05.04.12 | 14:04
Permanent representatives of Armenia and Tuvalu signing the joint
statement in UN
On March 16 Armenia established diplomatic relations with Tuvalu -
a Polynesian island in the Pacific Ocean with 26 square kilometers
physical land and population of less than 13,000. However, despite
its modest size this country is a UN member with a right to vote.
Tuvalu is part of the Commonwealth of Nations and has a British
monarch as its ruler.
Before the establishment of Armenia-Tuvalu diplomatic relations the
only connection between the two countries was registered in 2007 during
the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly when the resolution on
"The Situation in Azerbaijan's occupied territories" providing for
"immediate, total and unconditional withdrawal of all Armenian forces
from all of Azerbaijani Republic's occupied territories" was adopted.
The Baku-submitted resolution was approved by 39 votes (including
Tuvalu) and 100 abstentions.
It would seem that the relations between Armenia and Tuvalu were
initially negative as Tuvalu supported Azerbaijan's resolution.
However, the events that followed the 2007 resolution have brought
significant changes.
After the Russian-Georgian war in August, 2008, Moscow unilaterally
recognized Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's independence, Tbilisi
responded by tearing the diplomatic ties with Moscow and declared
the conflict zones as occupied territories.
Following Russia's example several other countries recognized
Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's independence, and Tuvalu was among them.
That's the reason this February Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili
severed its diplomatic ties with Tuvalu and signed a decree terminating
the protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between
Georgia and Tuvalu.
A month later Armenia and Tuvalu established diplomatic relations:
Georgia took the news with extreme displeasure.
Russian Regnum news agency reported: "...the establishment of
diplomatic relations between Armenia and Tuvalu will hardly contribute
to further development of Armenian-Georgian relations."
Even more than Georgia the news outraged Azerbaijan, where it
was perceived in the highlight of UN-member Tuvalu's prospective
recognition of Nagorno Karabakh's independence.
Ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party member, MP Aydin Mirzazade called
diplomatic relations between Armenia and Tuvalu "ridiculous".
He says that Tuvalu is an island that's eager to recognize any state -
even a non-existing one - for very little money.
"Apparently Tuvalu's budget is replenished by such shady political
ventures. That state openly stated the recognition of unrecognized
regimes of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and now Armenia is trying to
take the same road," he said.
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
05.04.12 | 14:04
Permanent representatives of Armenia and Tuvalu signing the joint
statement in UN
On March 16 Armenia established diplomatic relations with Tuvalu -
a Polynesian island in the Pacific Ocean with 26 square kilometers
physical land and population of less than 13,000. However, despite
its modest size this country is a UN member with a right to vote.
Tuvalu is part of the Commonwealth of Nations and has a British
monarch as its ruler.
Before the establishment of Armenia-Tuvalu diplomatic relations the
only connection between the two countries was registered in 2007 during
the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly when the resolution on
"The Situation in Azerbaijan's occupied territories" providing for
"immediate, total and unconditional withdrawal of all Armenian forces
from all of Azerbaijani Republic's occupied territories" was adopted.
The Baku-submitted resolution was approved by 39 votes (including
Tuvalu) and 100 abstentions.
It would seem that the relations between Armenia and Tuvalu were
initially negative as Tuvalu supported Azerbaijan's resolution.
However, the events that followed the 2007 resolution have brought
significant changes.
After the Russian-Georgian war in August, 2008, Moscow unilaterally
recognized Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's independence, Tbilisi
responded by tearing the diplomatic ties with Moscow and declared
the conflict zones as occupied territories.
Following Russia's example several other countries recognized
Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's independence, and Tuvalu was among them.
That's the reason this February Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili
severed its diplomatic ties with Tuvalu and signed a decree terminating
the protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between
Georgia and Tuvalu.
A month later Armenia and Tuvalu established diplomatic relations:
Georgia took the news with extreme displeasure.
Russian Regnum news agency reported: "...the establishment of
diplomatic relations between Armenia and Tuvalu will hardly contribute
to further development of Armenian-Georgian relations."
Even more than Georgia the news outraged Azerbaijan, where it
was perceived in the highlight of UN-member Tuvalu's prospective
recognition of Nagorno Karabakh's independence.
Ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party member, MP Aydin Mirzazade called
diplomatic relations between Armenia and Tuvalu "ridiculous".
He says that Tuvalu is an island that's eager to recognize any state -
even a non-existing one - for very little money.
"Apparently Tuvalu's budget is replenished by such shady political
ventures. That state openly stated the recognition of unrecognized
regimes of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and now Armenia is trying to
take the same road," he said.