THE WEST AND OUR REGION

We continue the publication of the interview with political scientist LEVON MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN

“Don’t you underestimate the geopolitical factor while stressing the omissions of our delegation? Doesn’t this account for the fact that the West is much more sensitive to the ‘pro-Russian Armenia’ than to the anti-democratic deviations of the neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan?”
“I agree. The West is an ally to the ruling authorities both in Azerbaijan and Georgia because the leaderships of both countries definitely pursue pro-Western views. It’s a different matter that the Georgian President is much more sincere in his pro-Western policy. As to the Azeri President, he is more restrained in his statements but his activity is definately Western-oriented. That’s to say, they are advantageous to the West. The West has created a kind of support for itself in the South Caucasus thanks to Georgia and Azerbaijan.
However, it is impossible to rule over the South Caucasus without Armenia. And the authorities of Armenia are traditionally pro-Armenian, as shown by the policy of the second President and his legal successor Serge Sargsyan. Or, let’s say, ‘pro-Eastern’. This is the policy that corresponds to the aspirations and the civilization values of our people.
Armenia is not a pro-Russian country. We are, first of all, an eastern nation, and our ‘East’ is much more civilized than the ‘West’ which is now being offered to us. And our being a pro-Eastern nation is not apparently to the liking of the West.
However, there are some misguided people in our reality whose mentality and approaches contradict our national ideology in very many issues. Naturally, those people are much more advantageous to the West; they work in their favor and benefit from the direct and indirect assistance of the West.
It’s quite a different matter that the West is not, after all, interested who is at the helm of state in Armenia, They are even ready to make the “mop” become a President if they see that one part of that mop is bent to the West. But is it advantageous to the people to be governed by a mop? I am sure not. One thing is clear: as long as Mr. Aliev rules over Azerbaijan, and Mr. Sahakashvili rules over Georgia, the West will not provide assistance to the Azerbaijani and Georgian opposition. And, on the contrary, it will assist the Armenian opposition as long as the Armenian authorities are conducting a pro-Armenian or “pro-Eastern” policy.”
“What about the presidential race and the post-electoral developments? Don’t they create an illusion that Armenia is the weak link on which it is possible to impose unacceptable solutions with regard to the Karabakh issue, taking into consideration L. Ter-Petrosyan attitude towards the Karabakh issue?”
“The West, in this case, doesn’t much care whether Artsakh will belong to Armenia or Azerbaijan. What they need is stability and peace in the region”.
LILIT POGHOSYAN

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Headlines for June 27, 2008

THE WEST AND OUR REGION
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