AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL ANALYST: BLAME FOR ARMENIA’S ABSENCE IN MAJOR INT’L FORUMS LIES WITH COUNTRY’S AUTHORITIES
A. Hasanov
Today
1167.html
Feb 9 2010
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with Azerbaijani political analyst Arif Yunusov.
How would you comment on Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman’s upcoming
visit to Azerbaijan?
I welcome Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman’s visit to Azerbaijan as well
as growing Azerbaijani-Israeli cooperation. Given presence of certain
problems in the Turkish-Israeli relations, the relations between
Azerbaijan and Israel can contribute to improve relations between
Ankara and Tel Aviv.
One of the U.S.-based Armenian Web sites accused Israel of complicity
in "genocide" of Armenians of 1915, and previously pastor of St.
Sarkis Church in Yerevan Priest Step Karapetyan stated that the
conflict between the Armenian and Greek clergy, recurring in Jerusalem,
was provoked by the Israeli authorities. How you can explain all of
these explicit examples of highly negative attitude of world Armenians
towards Israel?
The position of the State of Israel implies steps based on the
understanding that it is surrounded by Muslim countries. In this
connection, it is relevant to note that relations with Azerbaijan and
Turkey are far more important for Israel than relations with Armenia.
Moreover, based on a purely pragmatic approach to this issue,
relations with Armenia gives absolutely nothing to Israel, because
Armenia does not play any major geopolitical or geo-economic role in
our region. Israel develops relations with Azerbaijan based on its own
national interests. Representatives of the world Armenians understand
this and it makes them respond in the form of those examples that
you have specified.
Who is to be blamed for the fact that Armenia is not invited to various
major international forums and that it is not interesting to anyone
as a partner with which bilateral relations can be developed?
Armenia has no role in the regional projects that already exist, it
has no influence on the geo-economic situation in South Caucasus, and
the level of its existing economic problems is well known. Therefore,
it is not surprising that the country is not invited to such major
forums such as the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The blame for this lies with the Armenian authorities whose policy has
led to the fact that this country is not associated with an independent
state. Naturally, in these circumstances one should not wonder at the
lack of invitations for this de facto not independent state to any
international forum and the reluctance to build relationship with it.
Is there a risk of power change in Armenia in the near future? Can
Armenia’s position on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict change in case of change of power in this country?
I do not think that Armenia’s incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan
will be replaced before the end of his presidency. As for Armenia’s
position with a different president, it all depends on who will be
the new head of the Armenian State: the representative of the current
Armenian authorities and opposition representative, for example,
Levon Ter-Petrosyan. In general, I doubt very much that Armenia’s
position on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will change in the near future.