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ARMENIA-IRAN MISUNDERSTANDING?
HAKOB BADALYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments26147.html
Published: 10:59:33 - 11/05/2012
The Armenian foreign minister Eduard Nalbandyan attending the
meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in the Egyptian resort of Sharm
El Sheikh met with the Iranian foreign minister Salehi and invited
him to Armenia.
This meeting and invitation is interesting because on April 30 Edward
Nalbandyan visited Iran. In other words, the political interaction
is becoming intensive, which is interesting.
Radio RFE/RL informed that the Iranian mass media mentioned that
during the meeting the Iranian foreign minister Salehi said the two
countries must work in a friendly atmosphere to avoid misunderstanding.
What happened between Armenia and Iran that made the Iranian side
speak about avoiding misunderstanding and cooperation? Most probably,
there was a case when Armenia acted without mutual agreement with
Iran or violated an earlier agreement. Perhaps this is the reason
why after the meeting of April 30 Eduard Nalbandyan needed another
meeting with his Iranian counterpart.
And the invitation to visit Armenia hints at one thing. Most probably,
Edward Nalbandyan met with Salehi in Egypt and tried to relieve certain
doubts of Iran. However Nalbandyan~Rs relief was not sufficient for
Tehran and Iran expects to get explanation and assurance from Serzh
Sargsyan, the president. Therefore, it was necessary to invite the
Iranian foreign minister to Armenia.
The most essential thing is what the Armenian-Iranian possible
misunderstanding was about.
Is it related to the domestic developments in Armenia or is it
related to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict? Certainly Iran is
interested in Armenia~Rs domestic life, maybe not directly and openly
but still. Nevertheless, it would hardly be interested in the result
of the parliamentary election. At the same time, the result itself
is not interesting but the logic of the process may interest Tehran
because the parliamentary election of 2012 is a step towards the West.
Hence, Iran may be sensitive about it and have certain concerns and
needs to relieve them.
For instance, it is not ruled out that before the election Edward
Nalbandyan had visited Iran and assured their government that Robert
Kocharyan who is the most preferable partner of Iran in Armenia would
have considerable representation in government. However, in the result
of the election the forces representing Kocharyan had a very modest
result compared with the RPA.
As to the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict, there have
been no public steps here though on May 11 the visit of co-chairs
is expected. It is not ruled out that their visit will be concerned,
and the issues that will be discussed. In addition, it is not ruled
out that the visit of the co-chairs will be related to Iran~Rs nuclear
program rather than Karabakh.
The point is that the Minsk Group co-chairs France, U.S. and Russia are
leading nuclear states, while the Minsk Group format has gone beyond
the format of settlement of the Karabakh conflict and transformed
into a small club of discussion of regional and geopolitical issues.
In any case, no Armenian-Iranian misunderstanding proceeds from the
interests of Armenia, despite the matter of misunderstanding. In
other words, misunderstanding means wily behavior or in other words,
one of the parties let the other down.
Most probably, in this case it was Armenia, if Iran~Rs foreign minister
highlights the necessity to work together and avoid misunderstanding.
In the meantime, clear disagreement between Armenia and Iran is better
than misunderstanding because it implies lack of confidence. And
if Armenia and Iran stop trusting each other, it will be a serious
political and psychological loss, even though the Armenian government
is trusted by the West.
Armenia cannot afford to gain the confidence of the West at the
expense of the confidence of Iran.
From: A. Papazian
HAKOB BADALYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments26147.html
Published: 10:59:33 - 11/05/2012
The Armenian foreign minister Eduard Nalbandyan attending the
meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in the Egyptian resort of Sharm
El Sheikh met with the Iranian foreign minister Salehi and invited
him to Armenia.
This meeting and invitation is interesting because on April 30 Edward
Nalbandyan visited Iran. In other words, the political interaction
is becoming intensive, which is interesting.
Radio RFE/RL informed that the Iranian mass media mentioned that
during the meeting the Iranian foreign minister Salehi said the two
countries must work in a friendly atmosphere to avoid misunderstanding.
What happened between Armenia and Iran that made the Iranian side
speak about avoiding misunderstanding and cooperation? Most probably,
there was a case when Armenia acted without mutual agreement with
Iran or violated an earlier agreement. Perhaps this is the reason
why after the meeting of April 30 Eduard Nalbandyan needed another
meeting with his Iranian counterpart.
And the invitation to visit Armenia hints at one thing. Most probably,
Edward Nalbandyan met with Salehi in Egypt and tried to relieve certain
doubts of Iran. However Nalbandyan~Rs relief was not sufficient for
Tehran and Iran expects to get explanation and assurance from Serzh
Sargsyan, the president. Therefore, it was necessary to invite the
Iranian foreign minister to Armenia.
The most essential thing is what the Armenian-Iranian possible
misunderstanding was about.
Is it related to the domestic developments in Armenia or is it
related to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict? Certainly Iran is
interested in Armenia~Rs domestic life, maybe not directly and openly
but still. Nevertheless, it would hardly be interested in the result
of the parliamentary election. At the same time, the result itself
is not interesting but the logic of the process may interest Tehran
because the parliamentary election of 2012 is a step towards the West.
Hence, Iran may be sensitive about it and have certain concerns and
needs to relieve them.
For instance, it is not ruled out that before the election Edward
Nalbandyan had visited Iran and assured their government that Robert
Kocharyan who is the most preferable partner of Iran in Armenia would
have considerable representation in government. However, in the result
of the election the forces representing Kocharyan had a very modest
result compared with the RPA.
As to the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict, there have
been no public steps here though on May 11 the visit of co-chairs
is expected. It is not ruled out that their visit will be concerned,
and the issues that will be discussed. In addition, it is not ruled
out that the visit of the co-chairs will be related to Iran~Rs nuclear
program rather than Karabakh.
The point is that the Minsk Group co-chairs France, U.S. and Russia are
leading nuclear states, while the Minsk Group format has gone beyond
the format of settlement of the Karabakh conflict and transformed
into a small club of discussion of regional and geopolitical issues.
In any case, no Armenian-Iranian misunderstanding proceeds from the
interests of Armenia, despite the matter of misunderstanding. In
other words, misunderstanding means wily behavior or in other words,
one of the parties let the other down.
Most probably, in this case it was Armenia, if Iran~Rs foreign minister
highlights the necessity to work together and avoid misunderstanding.
In the meantime, clear disagreement between Armenia and Iran is better
than misunderstanding because it implies lack of confidence. And
if Armenia and Iran stop trusting each other, it will be a serious
political and psychological loss, even though the Armenian government
is trusted by the West.
Armenia cannot afford to gain the confidence of the West at the
expense of the confidence of Iran.
From: A. Papazian