VARDAN OSKANIAN: ARMENIA IS OBLIGED TO CARRY ON COMPLEMENTARY POLICY

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. No fundamental changes have been
made in Armenia’s foreign policy since independence: balanced policy
was carried on formerly, while the accents were changed after the 1998
power shift and Armenia passed to the complementary policy. Vardan
Oskanian, the RA Foreign Minister, stated this on December 25, in his
interview to the Shant TV company.

The Minister considers that the geopolitical situation does not give
Armenia a possibility to choose between many variants of conducting
foreign policy, and the limitations are so many that any one who will
assume RA President’s, Foreign Minister’s post, "involuntarily will be
obliged to approach" the policy conducted at present. According to V.
Oskanian, Armenia can continue conducting complementary policy as long
as the international situation gives a possibility to carry it on.
Armenia also has to conduct such a policy for objective reasons
connected with its neighbor countries. According to the Minister, the
complementarianism is the result of today’s geopolitical situation, but
it would be wrong if for changing that situation Armenia makes such
sacrifices, which will endanger the general national interests. "Here
we should be able to find a right balance of our national interests and
wishes we have. They are: to have normal relations with all our
neighbors when settling the Nagorno Karabakh problem," V. Oskanian said.

He also mentioned that at present Armenia has direct problems with two
out of four its neighbors, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Armenia has
"excellent bilateral relations" with Georgia and Iran, but these
countries have problems "with important countries, which are Armenia’s
friends, and rather a hard situation is formed for Armenia."

V. Oskanian mentioned that Armenia should be guided by several
fundamental principles to efficiently conduct the complementary policy.
First, the national interest is inseparable: there is no narrow
national interest in one direction, there is one great general national
interest. Second, Armenia should "measure the results of its foreign
policy not in the short-term, but in the long-term respect." Finally,
when pursuing its own interests in the region Armenia should show
delicacy to the interests of countries of much importance for it,
Russia, the United States, EU, and its immediate neighbor countries.
"To show delicacy does not mean to be under their subordination," V.
Oskanian assured.