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US REVISING APPROACHES TO REGION - ARMENIAN ANALYST ON ASSISTANT SECRETARY'S VISIT PLAN
17:28 * 17.02.15
The United States is essentially changing its policies in the
South Caucasus region, an Armenian analyst has said, commenting on
Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland's scheduled trip to
Yerevan and Baku.
"Nuland's visit coincides with a period that essentially changes the
situation in both the region and international politics. This first
of all has to do with the Russia-West relations, with the United
States revising its policies in Europe and the Eurasia region,"
Ruben Mehrabyan told Tert.am.
Asked whether the US official, who last year visited Ukraine amid
the heated turmoil in Euromaidan to offer support and aid to the
protesting activists, may be interested in the domestic political
developments in Armenia (given that the opposition is conducting a
rally in Yerevan on February 20, the day of her visits, the expert
ruled out such a possibility.
"Not in the least," Mehrabyan said. "I have no doubt that there
will be rumors on the internal political development, but I wouldn't
absolutely connect the rally with that," he replied.
With respect to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's decision to
recall the Armenia-Turkey protocols, the president noted that the
international community has seen during the past six years which of
the state is really responsible for the last closed border in Europe.
"I think so. At least experts and the press have repeatedly commented
on the issue. This opinion was shaped against the cooling of US-Turkey
relations. I think that at least the United States understands Armenia
well. But we should not feel satisfied because Europe's only closed
border remains closed. Moreover, Turkey's policy is helping Russia
to pursue its strategy."
Since Armenian-Turkish rapprochement in different periods and at
different levels was a response to signals by the United States and
international community, have not they given up the idea?
"Yes, during the post-Soviet period the United States has exerted
serious efforts at Armenia-Turkey rapprochement. However, it does not
concern the Armenian-Turkish protocols. Let us remember that it was
Moscow that announced Abdulla Gul's invitation. And although I myself
am supportive of Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, I have from the very
beginning been against the protocols for the simple reason that they
would not be effective. I have on several occasions cited a number
of reasons. I think it was a trap set by Russia, and, regrettably,
the West fell into it.
"And, in fact, this is a stage that has reached its logical completion
and failed. And now Armenian-Turkish relations are worse than they
were before the protocols were signed. I think that recalling the
protocols affords an opportunity for a new process in the context
of new reality and reformulating a number of all-informant issues on
the agenda. I do not think they are impossible to settle."
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2015/02/17/ruben-mehrabyan/1592529
17:28 * 17.02.15
The United States is essentially changing its policies in the
South Caucasus region, an Armenian analyst has said, commenting on
Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland's scheduled trip to
Yerevan and Baku.
"Nuland's visit coincides with a period that essentially changes the
situation in both the region and international politics. This first
of all has to do with the Russia-West relations, with the United
States revising its policies in Europe and the Eurasia region,"
Ruben Mehrabyan told Tert.am.
Asked whether the US official, who last year visited Ukraine amid
the heated turmoil in Euromaidan to offer support and aid to the
protesting activists, may be interested in the domestic political
developments in Armenia (given that the opposition is conducting a
rally in Yerevan on February 20, the day of her visits, the expert
ruled out such a possibility.
"Not in the least," Mehrabyan said. "I have no doubt that there
will be rumors on the internal political development, but I wouldn't
absolutely connect the rally with that," he replied.
With respect to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's decision to
recall the Armenia-Turkey protocols, the president noted that the
international community has seen during the past six years which of
the state is really responsible for the last closed border in Europe.
"I think so. At least experts and the press have repeatedly commented
on the issue. This opinion was shaped against the cooling of US-Turkey
relations. I think that at least the United States understands Armenia
well. But we should not feel satisfied because Europe's only closed
border remains closed. Moreover, Turkey's policy is helping Russia
to pursue its strategy."
Since Armenian-Turkish rapprochement in different periods and at
different levels was a response to signals by the United States and
international community, have not they given up the idea?
"Yes, during the post-Soviet period the United States has exerted
serious efforts at Armenia-Turkey rapprochement. However, it does not
concern the Armenian-Turkish protocols. Let us remember that it was
Moscow that announced Abdulla Gul's invitation. And although I myself
am supportive of Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, I have from the very
beginning been against the protocols for the simple reason that they
would not be effective. I have on several occasions cited a number
of reasons. I think it was a trap set by Russia, and, regrettably,
the West fell into it.
"And, in fact, this is a stage that has reached its logical completion
and failed. And now Armenian-Turkish relations are worse than they
were before the protocols were signed. I think that recalling the
protocols affords an opportunity for a new process in the context
of new reality and reformulating a number of all-informant issues on
the agenda. I do not think they are impossible to settle."
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2015/02/17/ruben-mehrabyan/1592529