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  • Why US foreign policy matters abroad

    The Keene Sentinel, NH
    Nov 4 2012


    Why US foreign policy matters abroad

    by Victoria Dementieva



    Most U.S. citizens might not be so interested in the politics of other
    countries, but in my country of Azerbaijan and many others around the
    world people are watching with interest who will be elected to the
    White House for the next four years. It is not a secret that the U.S.
    is a powerful state to which most countries listen and respect.

    The U.S. is also a mediator in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh
    conflict. It is a disputed mountainous section of land in Azerbaijan
    of 1,700 square miles that lies along its border with Armenia.
    Populated by Azerbaijanis and ethnic Armenians, Nagorno-Karabakh was a
    part of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic under Soviet Union
    rule. In 1988, Karabakh Armenians began demonstrating in favor of
    unifying instead with the Armenian republic. That's when clashes
    between Armenians and Azerbaijanis living in the region started.


    During the fighting, in which between 20,000 and 30,000 people are
    estimated to have died, the ethnic Armenians gained control of the
    region. Many Azerbaijani people had to flee the area. The Armenians
    also pushed to occupy Azerbaijani territory outside Karabakh, creating
    a buffer zone linking Karabakh and Armenia. As a result, 20 percent of
    Azerbaijan is occupied territory.

    With the break-up of the Soviet Union in late 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh
    declared itself an independent state, further escalating the conflict
    into a full-scale war. The independence of the area has not been
    recognized by any state in the world. A cease-fire was signed in 1994.
    Since then, the United States, Russia and France have lead the
    negotiation process for a permanent agreement. Through its leadership
    role in the negotiation, the U.S. balances out the influence of
    Russia, which retains great dominance in the South Caucasus region and
    for its own self-interest is not actively working change the current
    situation.

    That's just one example of why the kind of foreign policy the U.S.
    will pursue over the next 4 years - if it will remain the same or,
    taking into account some quite tough statements by candidate Mitt
    Romney, be dramatically changed - is of keen interest to me and many
    people living outside the U.S.

    No one expects great changes in U.S. foreign policy towards the South
    Caucasus, but the U.S. election can build momentum to push the peace
    negotiation forward because no matter the winner, the election is
    expected to bring fresh interest in U.S. foreign policy.

    National Public Radio editor Ron Elving predicts that if Barack Obama
    is re-elected, there might renewed focus on foreign policy: `Usually,
    if a candidate is elected for a second term, he is more active in the
    foreign policy issues.'

    And if Obama's reelected, his appointment of the next Secretary of
    State will also be important, Elving adds. `It may be a person who is
    closely familiar with foreign policy issues, for example John Kerry.
    He knows the region very well. This can have a positive influence on
    the process.'

    And after some tough statements on Russia during Mitt Romney's
    campaign, he's also expected to focus on that part of the world if
    he's elected.

    `Mitt Romney is concerned over the Russian factor, therefore, I think
    that he will be more active in the post-Soviet countries and support
    the issues on disputed territories more actively,' Politico Managing
    Editor Bill Nichols said.

    Elving agrees: `He will be more active in cooperation with those
    countries. It will give opportunities for maneuvering, reaching
    agreement and solving the conflicts.'

    Unfortunately after more than 20 years, there is a lack of progress in
    negotiation on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The negotiation is in a
    stalemate. That means the outcome of the U.S. presidential race could
    have an important role in helping to push the process forward.

    Victoria Dementieva of Baku, Azerbaijan is journalist visiting The
    Keene Sentinel during the lead-up to the presidential election through
    the Washington-based Foreign Press Center and International Center for
    Journalists (ICFJ), which was co-founded by former Sentinel publisher
    James D. Ewing. Dementieva is a correspondent for the international
    politics department of APA (Azeri Press) news agency, where she writes
    about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Azerbaijan's foreign policy.

    http://www.sentinelsource.com/opinion/columnists/guest/why-us-foreign-policy-matters-abroad-by-victoria-dementieva/article_5e289d2b-8f61-59d0-bd3e-c54e284f4a6c.html




    From: A. Papazian
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