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ARMENIA TURNS TO THE EAST
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Oct 1 2013
1 October 2013 - 1:37pm
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The foreign policy of Armenia has been turned exclusively to the
West in recent years. Among the five states of Central Asia, Armenia
has embassies only in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, in the
Benelux, Armenia has embassies both in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In the context of providing a more balanced policy between the West
and the East, the statement by President Serge Sargsyan addressed the
leaders of the CSTO on supporting Armenia in the question of becoming
an observer in the SCO is interesting. The status of an observer in
the SCO will enable Armenia to develop economic relations with an
organization which is focused on economic cooperation. Potentially
Armenia is interested not only in the Russian market, but also the
Chinese. Yerevan is unlikely to be a member of the SCO someday,
but the status of an observer in the organization brings it toward
the East. The step would be accepted positively by China and Iran,
which has the status of an observer.
Analyzing the results of the Sochi summit in the CSTO, some experts
draw the conclusion that Armenia stays aside from the discussion of
improvement of the Tajik-Afghan border. The conclusions can be called
hasty. The experts believe that relations with the CSTO and the CIS
are important only from the point of view of the Armenian-Russian
relations. It is not so. When the NATO forces will be withdrawn
from Afghanistan, the threat for Central Asia will grow and it will
influence Armenia.
First of all, the South Caucasus and Central Asia are two
geopolitically connected regions. If radical Islam penetrates to the
countries of Central Asia, there is a danger of its penetration to the
region of the South Caucasus. Along with terrorism, it requires many
various parameters. including the fact that Afghan militants can come
to the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Secondly, all countries
of Central Asia have Armenian Diasporas. In Uzbekistan the Diaspora
is large, in Kyrgyzstan it is small, but it doesn't mean the problem
of security of the Armenians is not acute for Yerevan. The situation
which would be similar to the situation over Syrian compatriots should
be prevented. The CSTO has political, military, economic opportunities
for this, which could be used by Armenia and its allies someday.
Some Armenian media report that the sending of troops to Central Asia
by Armenia is absolutely impossible. However, Armenia sent its troops
to Afghanistan and Iraq. It can send them to the region of Central
Asia, if it is necessary because security interests of the countries
have much more common with interests of Yerevan than interests of
Afghanistan and Iraq.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/45758.html
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Oct 1 2013
1 October 2013 - 1:37pm
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The foreign policy of Armenia has been turned exclusively to the
West in recent years. Among the five states of Central Asia, Armenia
has embassies only in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, in the
Benelux, Armenia has embassies both in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In the context of providing a more balanced policy between the West
and the East, the statement by President Serge Sargsyan addressed the
leaders of the CSTO on supporting Armenia in the question of becoming
an observer in the SCO is interesting. The status of an observer in
the SCO will enable Armenia to develop economic relations with an
organization which is focused on economic cooperation. Potentially
Armenia is interested not only in the Russian market, but also the
Chinese. Yerevan is unlikely to be a member of the SCO someday,
but the status of an observer in the organization brings it toward
the East. The step would be accepted positively by China and Iran,
which has the status of an observer.
Analyzing the results of the Sochi summit in the CSTO, some experts
draw the conclusion that Armenia stays aside from the discussion of
improvement of the Tajik-Afghan border. The conclusions can be called
hasty. The experts believe that relations with the CSTO and the CIS
are important only from the point of view of the Armenian-Russian
relations. It is not so. When the NATO forces will be withdrawn
from Afghanistan, the threat for Central Asia will grow and it will
influence Armenia.
First of all, the South Caucasus and Central Asia are two
geopolitically connected regions. If radical Islam penetrates to the
countries of Central Asia, there is a danger of its penetration to the
region of the South Caucasus. Along with terrorism, it requires many
various parameters. including the fact that Afghan militants can come
to the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Secondly, all countries
of Central Asia have Armenian Diasporas. In Uzbekistan the Diaspora
is large, in Kyrgyzstan it is small, but it doesn't mean the problem
of security of the Armenians is not acute for Yerevan. The situation
which would be similar to the situation over Syrian compatriots should
be prevented. The CSTO has political, military, economic opportunities
for this, which could be used by Armenia and its allies someday.
Some Armenian media report that the sending of troops to Central Asia
by Armenia is absolutely impossible. However, Armenia sent its troops
to Afghanistan and Iraq. It can send them to the region of Central
Asia, if it is necessary because security interests of the countries
have much more common with interests of Yerevan than interests of
Afghanistan and Iraq.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/articles/politics/45758.html