PRIORITY IN ARMENIAN FOREIGN POLICY: THE US OR IRAN?
By Hatem Cabbarli

Today’s Zaman
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May 15 2008
Turkey

Due to the irredentist policy it has maintained since independence,
Armenia has had serious disagreements and problems with all its
neighbors except Iran; these problems are for the most part still
prevalent.

Armenia is currently unable to use the northern border for
transportation because it invaded part of Azerbaijan, and unable to use
the western border because it still insists upon refusing to recognize
Turkey’s territorial integrity, relying on the so-called Armenian
genocide discourse. Even though it seeks to resolve the problem in
relation to the northern border via transportation through Georgia,
at this point it is still unable to use the route effectively because
of current problems in the region. In this regard, its relations
with Iran become very important. Even if Armenia’s geopolitical
weakness determines the relations between the parties, there are
also important political factors at play. Iran has remained ignorant
vis-a-vis Armenia’s invasion of Azeri territories, despite the latter’s
predominantly Shiite population; it also extended support to Armenia in
relation to the southern Azerbaijan question. In the event of an Azeri
victory in this war, 30 million Azeri Turks in the region would have
been eager to become independent or seek integration with northern
Azerbaijan. Moreover, Iran has also sought to circumvent Turkey’s
influence in the region and undermine bilateral relations between
Turkey and Azerbaijan by maintaining good relations with Armenia. The
same goal was shared by Armenia in its policy vis-a-vis Turkey.

Rapprochement between Iran and Armenian has also been criticized
by the US because of its escalating tensions with Iran. Actually,
the US has never been so clear and determined in its opposition
to the good relations between Armenia and Iran. Even though the US
currently asks Turkey to limit its relations with Iran, its silence
in response to rapprochement between Iran and Armenia should be
noted. Is it because of the impact of lobbying activities by the
Armenian diaspora in the US? If so, this means that US national
interests are subject to the initiative of the Armenian lobbies —
which is irreconcilable with state dignity and seriousness. Is it
possible to speak of Christian/American solidarity in favor of Armenia,
which seeks to expand its territories in predominantly Muslim regions?

Even though Armenia has declared a strategic alliance with Russia,
the amount of aid granted it by the US is far greater than the aid
forwarded by Russia. Armenia receives the most American financial
aid after Israel; the US still grants large amounts of aid to this
country. In addition, the US views Nagorno-Karabakh as a separate
unit; based on this decision, the American administration transmitted
financial aid for the Karabakh Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh directly
instead of the Azeri administration.

The US does not act based on ethical considerations when it requests
permission to set up military bases in Azerbaijan, while it remains
silent vis-a-vis the improving bilateral relations between Armenia
and Iran. The US is not uneasy with the cooperation between Christian
Armenia and Muslim/Shiite Iran, while it is disgruntled by attempts
to maintain relations between Muslim countries, including Azerbaijan,
Iran and Turkey. It goes even further, requesting to set up bases in
Azerbaijan and relying on its military units stationed in Turkey in
its operations against Iran.

The US has intensified its pressure on Azerbaijan to secure approval
for a military base while it never considers making a similar request
of Armenia, which receives large sums of financial aids from the
American institutions every year and maintains good relations with
Russia and Iran. Armenia sometimes returns American requests despite
the large amount of financial aid. During the discussions as to whether
it was possible to station NATO troops in Armenia when a crisis had
erupted between the US and Iran in relation to the uranium enrichment,
Armenian Defense Minister Serj Sarkisyan underlined such a possibility
was out of question even in theoretical basis.

A new visa control procedure

Beginning Dec. 16, 2002, the US decided to apply the visa regime
envisaged for the citizens of states supporting and sponsoring
international terrorism to Armenian citizens as well. Armenia became
the 21st state (and the first Christian state) subjected to this
regime. The visa controls under this regime were made in relation to
all Armenian citizens over age 16 that live in or will later arrive in
the US. This decision, made after Sept. 11, has in general included
Muslim countries, including Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria and
Pakistan. During the discussions over the introduction of this regime
and inclusion of Armenian citizens in its scope, David Shahnazaryan,
who served as the Armenian intelligence chief in the administration
of the first head of state, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, made a sensational
statement wherein he noted that Afghan terrorists entered the US
holding Armenian passports. Undoubtedly, this was the major reason
for the US to include Armenian citizens in the visa regime.

According to new reports by Armenian news agency Panarmenian and
others, the US administration lifted this tough via regime for
Armenian citizens following pressure from the Armenian government
and the Armenian diaspora effective, effective Dec. 18, 2002. The US
administration ceasing to apply this visa regime vis-a-vis Armenian
citizens only two days after its introduction reveals how important
and influential the Armenian diaspora is.

Parallel to these developments, the US has never pressured Armenia,
despite some Armenian corporations selling nuclear technology to
Iran. In response to improvements in bilateral economic relations,
Iran seeks to construct an oil refinery plant in Armenia. The US, which
expressed its displeasure and uneasiness with a natural gas agreement
between Iran and Turkey, has made no statement in relation this
project, which will obviously make Iran very influential in the region.

Finally, the US noticed Armenia’s true face. The US State Department
expressed its concerns over the frequent official visits held
between Armenia and Iran. Furthermore, the US described Armenia as
a terrorism-sponsoring state, adding that the country had a corrupt
banking system that contributed to money-laundering activities
to finance terrorist acts. Following this statement, Armenian
Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan unexpectedly pledged to improve
relations with Iran, further noting that the national security
council secretary would hold official visits to Iran to meet with
the Iranian president and other official figures. It is likely the US
will not remain silent this time as well vis-a-vis this development,
and act reasonably to pick its supporters and enemies. The US may
at least suspend financial aid for Armenia and extend the aid to
Nagorno-Karabakh through Azerbaijan. It may even consider repealing
section 907 supplemental to the Bill on Supporting Independence,
which prohibits financial aid to Azerbaijan.

The actions of the Armenian administration should demonstrate that
the country’s foreign policy priorities don’t rely on the US, which
supplies it with financial aid; its priorities instead include Russia,
which has almost colonized this country, and Iran, which uses Armenia
against Azerbaijan, instead of the US. The US should consider this
Armenian stance in its relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey and
consider also the strategic alliance between Russia and Armenia when
devising a policy vis-a-vis this country. At the very least, it should
base its policy vis-a-vis Turkey and Armenia on a more ethical ground.

* Hatem Cabbarlı is the deputy director at the Azerbaijani National
Assembly’s Analytical Information Department.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress