PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenia possesses enough power not to allow Azerbaijan
into World Trade Organization

Azerbaijan hopes that the world community will impose certain
sanctions on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, excluding the possibility
that the very sanctions may be imposed on him.
04.07.2007 GMT+04:00

Armenia has been integrated into the World Trade Organization for
three years only, so it is very untimely to make any conclusions about
the Organization’s influence on the country’s economy. However on the
international level today Armenia possesses enough efficient
instruments to influence on Azerbaijan’s fortune. As it is known,
Azerbaijan has already submitted its application to be integrated into
the Organization. According to WTO Charter for a country to be allowed
to the Organization, absolute majority is needed, i.e. all the member
countries must be `for’.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A single `against’ may cause the issue’s removal
from the agenda. A vivid example of the above mentioned truth is the
recent exacerbation in the Russian-Georgian relations, which led to
Georgia’s rejection to vote for Russia’s integration into WTO. Armenia
has the power to act the same way, and possesses the decisive word for
Azerbaijan not to be allowed into WTO. The RA Minister of Foreign
Affairs Vartan Oskanyan said, `We will certainly have our
say. One-sided limitations, which Azerbaijan imposes on Armenia within
the frames of international organizations, are not acceptable and I
guess WTO must touch upon this issue by all means’. In this certain
case with Azerbaijan, many things will simply depend on what pressure
the USA and Russia will display on Armenia. Perhaps it will be
possible to agree upon the exchange of veto from the Armenian
party. In this case big political games are to be expected, though
Armenia, on the whole, may insist on its own decision. Yet, many
things once again depend on the great powers.

By the way when the issue of Armenia’s integration into the
Organization was on the agenda, no measures were taken by Turkey to
impede this process, though Ankara may hardly ever be suspected in
having any secret love for Armenia. However things are different with
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan hopes that the world community will impose
certain sanctions on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, excluding the
possibility that the very sanctions may be imposed on him. Baku has
recently had troubles with Mass Media and President Aliyev has had
large experience in closing down some of them. Maybe the freedom of
speech and other values propagated by Europe are not much paid
attention to in Baku, but it is an undeniable fact that the Council of
Europe thinks otherwise. But the most serious thing Baku may face is
the veto on membership in WTO, which is an organization called to
develop country’s economy. However as it is known, economy and
politics are closely interconnected, and to become a member of the
Organization, a country must undertake a number of obligations,
including legislative and institutional reforms. Within the frames of
WTO the reforms mainly refer to almost all the spheres and aspects of
country’s economy. But the question is, whether or not Baku is willing
to have the reforms which may run the risk of losing the money
incoming from oil.

Aliyev, who is trying to create the image of prospering Azerbaijan,
seems to forget that he doesn’t live in the USSR any more and the
slogan `Azerbaijan is taking bigger strides’ simply won’t work any
more. There is no economy, it only exists in written. Even if the WTO
member countries vote for Azerbaijan’s integration into the
Organization, it is not a matter of future but an unattainable
dream. Talks between Armenian and WTO were carried on for about 9
years, and there were no guarantees for approval, in spite of the fact
that there were no particular reasons for rejection either. Yet Ilham
Aliyev needs WTO, the Organization will first of all bring money as
well as political profits, so the only moral is; before threatening
with war it is better to think twice what it may cost.

«PanARMENIAN.Net» analytical department