Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR)
Date: 08 Sep 2005

Armenians choose independent path
Delegates at a conference on Armenia’s future voted for an independent
development, rather than placing too much reliance on Russia or Europe.
By Ara Tadevosian in Yerevan (CRS No. 303, 08-Sep-05)
Armenians meeting to discuss their country’s future have rejected the idea
that they should place all their hopes in Europe — and, more surprisingly,
Russia.
The 500 delegates at the unique conference held in Yerevan came from all
walks of life – teachers, students, small business owners, manual workers
and the unemployed – concluded Armenia should instead pursue its own path,
increasing economic activity and productivity, fighting corruption, and
ensuring the 2008 presidential election is free and fair.
“I think it isn’t right to go with one country,” said college student Gevorg
Stepanian. “You have to be more cunning and be able to manoeuvre in a number
of directions.”
The event was part of “Armenia 2020” — a campaign led by several prominent
figures from the Armenian diaspora, including businessman Ruben Vardanian,
who is president of the Russian Troika-Dialog group of companies, and Nubar
Afeyan, general director of the American group Flagship Ventures.
The results may come as a surprise to some western observers who think of
Armenia as primarily pro-Russian in orientation. However, organisers said
the results of the Yerevan gathering, held at the capital’s main stadium,
mirrored those at similar events in Idzhevan and Ekhagnadzor, where the idea
forging stronger links with Russia was also rejected.
As one participant said, “Because of its geopolitical situation, Russia will
always be interested in a weak Armenia and will keep us in slave-like
dependence.”
“Historically, Russia has betrayed Armenia repeatedly and that likelihood
exists today too,” said another.
A third person added, “Do you know of any other nation, other than the
Armenians, who have such a strange attachment to Russia? I think not – this
is just another example of our national irrationalism.”
Full integration into Europe also received the thumbs down from many of the
delegates, with that option getting only 120 votes compared with 136 for
preserving the Russian alliance and 210 in favour of a dynamic independent
path, the so-called Singapore model which organisers dubbed “Dare to Excel”.
Those unconvinced of Armenia’s need to integrate more fully with Europe gave
various reasons, with one person expressing fears the country would be
forced to change its constitution, and another saying, “We’re Armenians, and
Europe is not our home.”
A third participant put this view more pithily,”Europe is an old woman in
civilised make-up. There’s no need for us to fall for her charms.”
Sociologist Lilit Arutyunian said the conference showed that the
government’s talk of integration with Europe had been ineffective.
“It’s been 10 years now that the government has been talking almost daily
about its enthusiasm for European integration,” said Arutyunian. “But these
are just empty words. The government, intentionally or unintentionally,
places no emphasis on the fact that the principal European value is human
life, which now as before is worth little in our country.”
Many participants said Armenia’s relations with neighbours like Georgia and
historical enemy Turkey was more important than European integration. This
despite the fact that Turkey, with which Armenia has no diplomatic
relations, was not included in any of the possible development options
offered by the organisers.
“Today the question of Turkey’s entry into the Europe Union is being
discussed. But do we want to enter the European Union with Turkey? Just
imagine, the Armenian border opens and three million Turks rush in. What
would happen then?” asked one participant.
But another took a different view, said, “We must strive to normalise
relations with Turkey, as this will be extremely useful to us on the path of
independent development.”
Armenian relations with Azerbaijan, which are still hostile because of the
unresolved dispute over Nagorny Karabakh, remain too sensitive an issue for
conference participants even to discuss them as part of a picture of
shifting regional alliances.
The country’s other near neighbour Georgia, however, was viewed as a partner
by many participants. Rather than Europe, one person suggested that Armenia
focus on Georgia in order to gain access to that country’s ports. The two
have been trying to forge closer ties, and this summer tens of thousands of
Armenians took holidays in Georgia’s Black Sea resorts for the first time in
many years.
While the conference organisers admitted the current Armenian government was
unlikely to pay attention to many of the findings, the strong emphasis
placed on fair elections and the war on corruption may yet be reflected in
future voting patterns.
Even in the best-case scenario, Armenia has a long way to go to meet the
aspirations articulated by conference participants. According to Artashes
Kazakhetsian, manager of the Armenia 2020 project, if the ideas behind the
Singapore model were implemented in full, the country would take the next 15
years to attain the same level of development that another former Soviet
republic, Estonia, is at today.
Ara Tadevosian is the director of Mediamax, an independent news agency in
Yerevan.