US MOVE TO CUT AID TO ARMENIA UNLIKELY TO HAVE NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS – ECONOMIST
10:29 * 05.02.15
The Obama administration’s decision to reduce its annual aid to
Armenia to a record low is not likely to have economic implications,
an Armenian economist has said, considering the move too symbolic to
require any consideration.
“The aid is supplied also to many post-Soviet and developing
countries which demonstrate a political will to establish democracy,
implement reforms and so on,” Tatul Manasaryan told Tert.am, ruling
out pessimistic scenarios.
Instead, the economist called for viewing the issue in a comparative
perspective. “The second platform is that the dynamically changing
world sees also priorities changing, so naturally, humanitarian aid
is now much more important – objectively and subjectively – due to
the developments in Ukraine,” he said, pointing out to the country’s
priority-based approach.
The economist said he isn’t inclined to attribute all that to Armenia’s
membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), noting that the United
States has been traditionally maintaining high-level relations with
the country.
“Its manifestation is not only that aid – which I find important but
not decisive – but also the rhythmic consistent development in all
spheres of relations,” he explained.
Recalling the one-time tensions in the Iran-West relations, the
economist noted that Armenia had never before been viewed as an ally
of the Islamic Republic or faced any restriction at all.
“In this respect, the United States and the West have the appropriate
understanding, which means they do not link the relations with Armenia
to third countries. These are direct relations,” he said, adding that
the same also applies to Armenia’s EEU membership.
“The important thing is that Armenia will continue developing its
relations with third countries. I think the United States’ approach is
a quite positively evaluated phenomenon. After all, we ourselves choose
the path to development, the possible ways and the friend countries. I
find that the United States has an adequate and commensurate approach
to all those fundamental issues,” Manaseryan noted.
Warning against any attempt of protests against what he called a
good-will gesture by a foreign country, the economist said he finds
that the issue would really deserve attention in case Azerbaijan were
to receive more funding.