US elections and faded hopes

Azg/Arm
5 Nov 04

Harut Sassounian, publisher of The California Currier comments with
pain on the US elections: “Kerry’s presidency could greatly support
the Armenian Cause. We should feel proud for supporting the side that
was more beneficial for the Cause. This is not the end, life goes on
and our struggle carries on”.

Sassounian does not think that George Bush’s re-election will have a
negative turn-up for American-Armenian relations. “I think the
relations will remain the same. Politicians don’t have personal
revenge. Just the contrary, Bush’s victorious supporters can even make
a friendly gesture”, Sassounian said.

Co-chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party Yervand Azatian informed
in a phone talk with Azg Daily that not all Armenians voted for
Kerry. Those whoput first the Armenian Cause voted for Kerry but there
were also Armenians who voted for Bush out of economic and ideological
views, Azatian said.

Yervand Azatian thinks that the political parties propping Kerry up
will not face difficulties in their later activity as America is a
democratic country. “There are no worries from this point of view but
on the other hand, Bush will carry on his policy in the Caucasus and
Armenia will even more get isolated as a result”, Azatian said adding
that the US is perusing its goals in Azerbaijan as regards the oil and
Georgia is viewed as potential NATO member. “In America’s Caucasian
policy Armenia is more weightless”, Azatian said.

Arpi Vardanian, regional president of the Armenian Assembly of America
in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, also noted that not all Armenians
voted for John Kerry. “I don’t think that Armenian-American relations
will undergoserious changes as this is Bush’s second term. We have to
keep on working as we did for the good of Armenian and American
nations”, Vardanian said.

Another source preferring to remain unknown informed from Washington
that Bush ‘s re-election will by no means influence Armenian-American
relations. “Armenians who voted for Kerry like myself were led by the
hope that Armenian-American relations will get even tighter with Kerry
as a president. But there were minuses in Kerry’s calculations as
well. For instance, he was planning to hand over America’s Eurasian
and Caucasian policy lynchpins to its allies. Turkey is playing that
role in our region. This means Kerry was going to implement regional
policy with the hands of Turkey”, the source informed and added that
Kerry’s pro-Armenian activity of the past still made them turn to him.

“Bush’s stance differs. He builds direct relations with foreign
countries, i.e. his policy is bilateral. If Armenia is ready to come
closer to USA then the latter is ready to maintain closer
cooperation. All depends on Armeniaâ=80=99s pose. Will Armenia send a
group to Iraq? If Yes, USA will consider Armenia a normal state. If
not, Armenia will be viewed as a non-important country”, the source
informed.

By Tatoul Hakobian