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IRAN EXPECTS SERIOUS POLITICS FROM ARMENIA
The first meeting of Serzh Sargsyan attending the inauguration of
the Iranian president had his first meeting with the president of
Iran Hassan Rowhani. The official press release on the meeting is
written in a warm tone, which one cannot say about the practical
Armenian-Iranian relations during both the tenure of Serzh Sargsyan
and especially the past few months or weeks.
Serzh Sargsyan's relations with Iran were so problematic that in
the beginning the ex-president Robert Kocharyan committed to the
Armenian-Iranian relations who visited Iran after a short while from
the end of his term and met with the Iranian foreign minister and
President Ahmadinejad.
President Sargsyan was able to "settle down" in the Iran-Armenian
relations only after a while. Indeed, the overlap of Serzh Sargsyan's
presidency with severe Western sanctions against Iran had a role. In
this case, Armenia was able to benefit from the circumstance of present
and former presidents and practice a culture that was appropriate of
state policy.
Official Yerevan refrained from active relations with Iran. Instead,
Robert Kocharyan assumed responsibility in this important area. Hence,
Armenia was able to keep the balance in the intricate triangle
West-Russia-Iran. There were systemic motives, of course, because in
case of complication the government that was hardly recovering from
1 March 2008 would be highly vulnerable and face difficult issues. In
other words, along with state necessity, the common systemic interest
played a role too.
The Iranian-Armenian relationship has been shattered recently.
Everything began with the rise in the Russian gas price that triggered
considerations of alternative Iranian gas. The Armenian government, in
the face of the minister of energy Armen Movsisyan stated that Iranian
gas is not an alternative to the Russian gas. The Iranian ambassador
stated the opposite thing. The minister of energy Movsisyan questioned
the awareness of the ambassador. It is already equal to a diplomatic
scandal. There was no exchange of notes by the foreign ministries
but the facts were enough to see problems in the Armenian-Iranian
relations. The Iranian side expressed its dissatisfaction more vividly.
The result of the Iranian presidential election led to a new state of
things. The victory of reformer Rowhani was unexpected. The West had a
relatively positive attitude. Armenia made a tangible gesture to Iran.
The National Assembly enacted tax preferences for the construction
of the big water power plant on the Iran-Armenia border. Hence,
official Yerevan tried to alleviate Iran's dissatisfaction with lack
of initiatives and vigor of Yerevan towards Iran. The newly-elected
president Rowhani said in his answer to Serzh Sargsyan's congratulation
that he expects more pro-active relations.
Attending the swearing-in of the new president of Iran, Serzh Sargsyan
tried to display his positive disposition. The official press release
of the president's administration states, "Presidents Serzh Sargsyan
and Hasan Rouhani recalled warmly the meetings held in their capacity
as the Secretaries of National Security of their respective countries."
At the same time, the West met the inauguration of the Iranian
president with tougher sanctions. The U.S. Congress passed a bill
to cut Iran's oil exports and toughen sanctions related to financial
transactions.
This conjuncture does not benefit Armenia but the West might be trying
to hint to the new president of Iran that Tehran is expected to take
some steps, otherwise the West is persistent in its steps and knows
what to do.
Hence, official Tehran must prove that the new government is based
on the philosophy of reforms. Furthermore, Iran can do it through
Armenia. In other words, it is clear that the new president of Iran
cannot make a revolution of international tolerance in Iran. It
must maintain some constant stereotypes. Perhaps, one of these is
the call to destroy the state of Israel. In reality, however, the
new president of Iran must have the common sense to understand that
such calls are populism that is deprived of any prospect. Perhaps,
it is a question whether those calls are popular among the Iranian
youth where young people have fresh views on the world.
Nevertheless, overly friendly gestures to the West are also clearly
unrealistic. In this regard, Iran may preserve toughness to the West
at the level of statements, at the same time seeking for practical
terms via Armenia. Iran and the West have common far-reaching strategic
interests, while Armenia is a potential platform for their maturing.
However, this requires that the Armenian government go down to
politics. For the time being, one can see only the shreds because
apparently the general philosophy is to seize the moment and
conjuncture and sail with the wind. And even if all the four sides
of the universe cheer and praise, it will be for a very short period
of time.
Only those have a lasting and credible movement who do not catch the
wind but create the wind and weather, each to the extent of their
capability. In this regard, the foreign policy of Armenia looks like a
quest for a more or less warm blanket to hide underneath rather than
attempts to reinforce its place and role. And such attempts require
reliable premises in one's own country. Without them the foreign
policy is highly relative.
Hakob Badalyan 12:36 06/08/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30633
The first meeting of Serzh Sargsyan attending the inauguration of
the Iranian president had his first meeting with the president of
Iran Hassan Rowhani. The official press release on the meeting is
written in a warm tone, which one cannot say about the practical
Armenian-Iranian relations during both the tenure of Serzh Sargsyan
and especially the past few months or weeks.
Serzh Sargsyan's relations with Iran were so problematic that in
the beginning the ex-president Robert Kocharyan committed to the
Armenian-Iranian relations who visited Iran after a short while from
the end of his term and met with the Iranian foreign minister and
President Ahmadinejad.
President Sargsyan was able to "settle down" in the Iran-Armenian
relations only after a while. Indeed, the overlap of Serzh Sargsyan's
presidency with severe Western sanctions against Iran had a role. In
this case, Armenia was able to benefit from the circumstance of present
and former presidents and practice a culture that was appropriate of
state policy.
Official Yerevan refrained from active relations with Iran. Instead,
Robert Kocharyan assumed responsibility in this important area. Hence,
Armenia was able to keep the balance in the intricate triangle
West-Russia-Iran. There were systemic motives, of course, because in
case of complication the government that was hardly recovering from
1 March 2008 would be highly vulnerable and face difficult issues. In
other words, along with state necessity, the common systemic interest
played a role too.
The Iranian-Armenian relationship has been shattered recently.
Everything began with the rise in the Russian gas price that triggered
considerations of alternative Iranian gas. The Armenian government, in
the face of the minister of energy Armen Movsisyan stated that Iranian
gas is not an alternative to the Russian gas. The Iranian ambassador
stated the opposite thing. The minister of energy Movsisyan questioned
the awareness of the ambassador. It is already equal to a diplomatic
scandal. There was no exchange of notes by the foreign ministries
but the facts were enough to see problems in the Armenian-Iranian
relations. The Iranian side expressed its dissatisfaction more vividly.
The result of the Iranian presidential election led to a new state of
things. The victory of reformer Rowhani was unexpected. The West had a
relatively positive attitude. Armenia made a tangible gesture to Iran.
The National Assembly enacted tax preferences for the construction
of the big water power plant on the Iran-Armenia border. Hence,
official Yerevan tried to alleviate Iran's dissatisfaction with lack
of initiatives and vigor of Yerevan towards Iran. The newly-elected
president Rowhani said in his answer to Serzh Sargsyan's congratulation
that he expects more pro-active relations.
Attending the swearing-in of the new president of Iran, Serzh Sargsyan
tried to display his positive disposition. The official press release
of the president's administration states, "Presidents Serzh Sargsyan
and Hasan Rouhani recalled warmly the meetings held in their capacity
as the Secretaries of National Security of their respective countries."
At the same time, the West met the inauguration of the Iranian
president with tougher sanctions. The U.S. Congress passed a bill
to cut Iran's oil exports and toughen sanctions related to financial
transactions.
This conjuncture does not benefit Armenia but the West might be trying
to hint to the new president of Iran that Tehran is expected to take
some steps, otherwise the West is persistent in its steps and knows
what to do.
Hence, official Tehran must prove that the new government is based
on the philosophy of reforms. Furthermore, Iran can do it through
Armenia. In other words, it is clear that the new president of Iran
cannot make a revolution of international tolerance in Iran. It
must maintain some constant stereotypes. Perhaps, one of these is
the call to destroy the state of Israel. In reality, however, the
new president of Iran must have the common sense to understand that
such calls are populism that is deprived of any prospect. Perhaps,
it is a question whether those calls are popular among the Iranian
youth where young people have fresh views on the world.
Nevertheless, overly friendly gestures to the West are also clearly
unrealistic. In this regard, Iran may preserve toughness to the West
at the level of statements, at the same time seeking for practical
terms via Armenia. Iran and the West have common far-reaching strategic
interests, while Armenia is a potential platform for their maturing.
However, this requires that the Armenian government go down to
politics. For the time being, one can see only the shreds because
apparently the general philosophy is to seize the moment and
conjuncture and sail with the wind. And even if all the four sides
of the universe cheer and praise, it will be for a very short period
of time.
Only those have a lasting and credible movement who do not catch the
wind but create the wind and weather, each to the extent of their
capability. In this regard, the foreign policy of Armenia looks like a
quest for a more or less warm blanket to hide underneath rather than
attempts to reinforce its place and role. And such attempts require
reliable premises in one's own country. Without them the foreign
policy is highly relative.
Hakob Badalyan 12:36 06/08/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30633