Pan Armenian News
ARMENIA POPULATION FOR JOINING NATO
02.07.2005 04:32
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ If the sociological survey held by the Armenian Center for
Strategic and International Research a year ago showed the majority of the
population of Armenia have a negative attitude to Armenia’s accession to the
NATO, the situation has changed now, Center experts stated in the course of
a news conference. The latest survey of 40 experts and 1500 respondents
throughout Armenia showed that 35% of them were for accession to the NATO,
while 33.4% were against. As the Center experts noted, it is not surprising
that experts are for accession to the NATO, however the change of the
opinion of the population is really noteworthy. 60% of survey participants
consider that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the main factor of influence
upon Armenia from the outside. The factor of «illegitimate authorities»
occupies the second place. According to an analysis done by expert Stepan
Safaryan, if the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and regional
conflict on the whole was considered urgent within the context of paving way
for oil routes, now when the issue of the routes is solved, resolution of
conflicts is considered «within the context of reduction of Russia’s
influence.» «If these conflicts are settled, the so-called «big game» will
finish resulting in expelling one of the competing forces from the region,»
Safaryan remarked. Besides, in experts’ words, the US conveys resolution of
the Karabakh conflict to the EU, including it in the Europeanization
context. «Europe agenda already provides for bases for conveying the
conflict to the Europeanization context, as well as transferring it from the
management phase to the phase of resolution.» Answering the question which
country has most influence in Transcaucasian country, the majority of
respondents says the US is the unique leader in Azerbaijan and especially
Georgia, while Russia is that in Armenia. «The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline that overpasses Armenia will result in strengthening the
Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan union and isolation of Armenia,» 65% of experts
and 48% of the population consider. The most common answer to the question
why Armenia’s accession to the NATO is expedient is that saying the NATO is
the most efficient security structure. Expediency for Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia to be part of the same security structure is an answer occupies
the second place.