FOREIGN POLICY: NKR HAS 7 PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES AROUND WORLD AND IS BECOMING PART OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
17:43 09/03/2015 >> POLITICS
Thanks to its own diplomatic efforts and Armenian Diaspora, Nagorno
Karabakh Republic is gradually becoming a part of the International
Community, the article posted on the website Foreignpolicy.ru reads.
Despite its non-recognized status, Nagorno Karabakh Republic maintains
all the attributes of a state, set by the 1933 Montevideo Convention –
permanent population, certain territory, its own government, ability
to step into relations with other states. The last point is a subject
of large discussions; however, it is applicable for NKR, too, if it
is about the ability to form diplomatic relations rather than actually
forming them, the article reads.
The author notes that Nagorno Karabakh Republic carries out its own
foreign policy. The Foreign Ministry of the country deals with the
implementation of foreign policy. Since September 1991, the leadership
of Nagorno Karabakh Republic has been holding bilateral negotiations
with the high officials of other countries and international
organizations that have visited the country. Applications to
international organizations have been accepted. NKR has made use
of mediation efforts of neighboring Iran. NKR took part in the
negotiations in the framework of OSCE Minsk Group till 1997. NKR is
also included into the negotiation process on the level of bilateral
meetings with the permanent Co-Chairs of Minsk Group who visit
Stepanakert alongside with Yerevan and Baku. OSCE also conducts a
dialogue with Stepanakert, de facto recognizing its ability to get
into diplomatic relations.
“NKR has its permanent representations in Armenia, Russia, the US,
France, Lebanon, Australia, Germany. These representations function
as embassies. Alongside with the political function, the permanent
representations contribute to attracting investments into NKR economy,
contacts with the Armenian Diaspora, realization of humanitarian
programs in Nagorno Karabakh. There are only certain de jure
non-recognized and partially recognized states under the patronage
of this or that great power that maintain that sort of diplomatic
network. Yet NKR, without any influential international heavyweight
lobbyist, conducts more active foreign policy than Kosovo, Northern
Cyprus, Southern Ossetia and Abkhazia that are under patronage of
such countries as the US, Turkey and Russia correspondingly,” the
article reads.
It is noted that the Armenian Diaspora represented through such
organizations as the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA),
Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), Co-ordination Council of Armenian
organizations of France, etc., are an important diplomatic resource
for NKR. The lobbying of NKR interests in this or that country is
conducted through these organizations. Thanks to the Armenian Diaspora
and despite its non-recognized status, NKR has 7 representations in
the world today, including Russia, the US and France, countries that
are UN Security Council permanent members, as well as OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairs.
Remarkably, the largest and most influential Armenian communities
are concentrated in those 3 countries. The permanent representation
of NKR in the US was established in Washington in 1997 with the
support of AAA. The representation is registered by the Ministry of
Justice of the US and represents the government and the people of
Nagorno Karabakh Republic in all political, economic, humanitarian
and cultural fields. The representation in Washington takes part
in dialogues with US governmental structures, including Congress
and Department of State. Thanks to the active lobbying activities,
NKR has become the only non-recognized republic annually getting
official financial aid through the US Congress.
It is also noteworthy that over the past 2 years 5 American states
– Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Louisiana and California
have adopted resolutions supporting the independence of NKR and
called on Barack Obama and US Congress to recognize the right
of self-determination of the Karabakh people, as well as the
independence of Nagorno Karabakh Republic. However, unlike four of the
above-mentioned states, the legislative act of the state California
has a special significance. First, the Constitution of California does
not presuppose strict restrictions in its international activities.
The second peculiarity emerges from the political and economical
objective factors. California is not only the biggest in population
but also economically more developed state in the country. It
should also be kept in mind that California is the main center of
the innovative technologies in America. Given that the Parliament
of California has officially recognized the independence of NKR,
the Armenian lobby can legitimately achieve the support of the state
authorities in developing bilateral economic relations. Particularly,
given the specifics of the development of NKR, official Stepanakert
needs innovative technologies in the field of agriculture.
“As for the political context, it is important to mention that
California gives the most congressmen to the House of Representatives
(53). The presence of the well-organized Diaspora in California
makes the senators and congressmen of the state count with the
Armenian factor in their professional activities. Thus, 45 out of
110 legislators included in the Congress Group on Armenian Affairs
represent various districts of California. No surprise that the
questions connected with Nagorno Karabakh are more actively lobbied at
Capitol Hill by the Californian Congressmen Adam Schiff, Brad Sherman,
Jim Costa, David Valadao, Henry Waxman, Gary Miller and Xavier
Becerra. Moreover, the current president of the Group of Armenian
Affairs is Edward Royce, the head of the House of Representatives
Committee of International Affairs, Congressman from California 39th
District,” the article reads.
The author pays attention to the fact that for many years the state
of California has more than once accepted various politicians from
Nagorno Karabakh Republic at the highest level. In their turn, the
legislators from California have more frequently visited official
Stepanakert. Meanwhile, the Californian Congressmen successively
take part in various political elections in NKR as observers. Thanks
to the Congressmen’s active lobbying, the Congress not only blocked
appointing Matthew Bryza on the office of the ambassador to Azerbaijan,
but also the military deals between Washington and Baku.
Due to the efforts of the Congressmen Adam Schiff and Brad Sherman
the gratuitous financial aid for Nagorno Karabakh through Department
of State official programs was retained.
Another important NKR permanent representation is situated in Paris.
France is one of the three Co-Chairs of Minsk Group; that is why
the relations between NKR and France have a great significance for
the conflict settlement. From the beginning of the military conflict
France spoke out for the peaceful settlement. This became one of the
reasons why the authorities of NKR decided to open a representation
on its territory. Initially, Information Bureau on socio-political
questions of NKR was created in 1988. Later, in December 2002, the
bureau was renamed into Permanent representation of NKR to France.
Besides the representation, there is Support to NKR association created
in 1998 with the aim to raise awareness about Nagorno Karabakh among
the French, assistance of information exchange in economic, social,
political, cultural and humanitarian fields, as well as promotion of
the idea of recognition of NKR by France. Currently the Association
has 375 active members.
“The most significant events, where the Association has had direct
or indirect participation, were the French MPs’ visits to Nagorno
Karabakh. In 2010 and 2011 the Association organized the President
of NKR Bako Sahakyan’s visit to France, as well as the president
of National Assembly of NKR Ashot Ghulyan’s meeting with the French
parliamentarians. The result of the activity of the organization was
the creation of the Friendship Circle with Nagorno Karabakh by a group
of politicians, MPs and senators of France on 19 March, 2013. Roland
Blum, the first deputy mayor of Marseille, Jacques Remiller, the
mayor of Vienne, Senators Sophie Zhuassen, Philippe Marini, Bernard
Fournier, as well as former MPs Georges Colombier and Richard Malia
are among the members of the Friendship Circle,” the article reads.
Also note that not long after The Friendship Circle with Nagorno
Karabakh in France was created, during a plenary meeting of the
Lithuanian Parliament in March 2013 a statement was made about creating
a Group of inter-parliamentary relations with Nagorno Karabakh. Earlier
a group of Lithuanian Seimas MPs had accepted a declaration about
creating Friendship Group with Nagorno Karabakh. 12 MPs, including
vice speaker of Seimas, Kyatas Komskis, are in the group. In response,
Ashot Ghulyan, the speaker of the NKR National Assembly signed a
directive about establishing a Group of Friendship with Lithuania.
The third Co-Chair state of OSCE Minsk Group is the Russian
Federation. The largest Armenian Diaspora is in Russia. According to
the 2010 population census it counts 1 million 182.4 thousand people.
However, according to non-official data the number of the Armenians
in Russia reaches 2-2.5 million people. A more influential Diaspora
organization of Russia is Russian-Armenian Commonwealth headed by
Yuri Navoyan. RAC organizes trips of various Russian delegations
whose members have a serious authority in the socio-political area.
Additionally, the organization carries out an active work with the
media trying to deliver objective information concerning the political
processes in NKR to the Russian public.
De facto statehood of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic is based upon the
totality of political, socio-economic and diplomatic resources. Thanks
to its own diplomatic efforts and Armenian Diaspora, the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic is gradually becoming a part of the international
community.