THEY MAY START THINKING WHEN THERE IS NO WAY BACK

With regard to the construction of Baku-Ceyhan some Armenian political circles said economically it is not practical because it is costly, the oil it will transport is little. However, like all through the history of mankind, the world ignored the Armenian political thought and built the oil pipeline. As if the world develops despite Armenia. Now they are going to build the railroad Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku, which will be launched solemnly in October. The Armenian political thought certainly says it has nothing to do with the world, that the Turks and Azerbaijanis want to build the railroad to finally isolate Armenia, and misled Georgia into supporting the anti-Armenian policy. This viewpoint is closer to the Armenian reality. For Turkey and Azerbaijan, the new railroad will be another means of isolating the blockade of Armenia. In addition, it is a rather serious means because it will almost nullify the vision of operation of the railroad Kars-Gyumri. If a new railroad is built, Kars-Gyumri will lose its regional importance. One does not need to be an experienced political scientist or a farsighted politician to understand this. Of course, it does not mean that if Kars-Akhalkalaki is built, Kars-Gyumri will never be operated. It will be operated but it will stop being a regional infrastructure, and Armenia will lose a significant factor enhancing its role, only Armenia will use Gyumri-Kars to connect with Turkey and with the region via Turkey in case the border is opened.
However, describing the construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki as an anti-Armenian project has perhaps only one purpose – to justify our weakness against this undesirable development. The proponents of this opinion say the United States and Europe refused to finance the construction of the railroad. However, for whatever reason they tend to forget that the United States and Europe stated through Bryza, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Secretary of State, and the EU’s special representative for the South Caucasus Semneby that may not finance but they cannot prevent the construction either. The problem is that the Armenian lobbies in the United States and the EU countries could accuse their governments they give money for the project but cannot accuse that they do not bomb the building site and stop the construction.
In other words, the West found the best way of agreement not to offend the Armenians and Armenia, and on the other hand, to enable the construction of a new infrastructure which will weaken the Russian influence in the region by one degree. The West found an indirect way of financing the railroad. The Western money is invested in the Azerbaijani economy, Azerbaijan lends this money to Georgia to launch the construction. Turkey has an economy that enables financing important projects without side support. And the fact that the West supports indirectly the new railroad means the purpose of it is other than the isolation of Armenia. Otherwise, the United States would use its influence on Georgia, and this country would not join the project, which would mean that it would not be built.
Nevertheless, the most important question is what Armenia could have done to prevent the construction of the railroad. Perhaps nothing. Armenia is not the country which can resist to global geopolitical program. And perhaps there is no need to resist. After all, the construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki is not a tragedy for us. In this sense, Vardan Oskanyan was even right. Armenia thus misses the opportunity of a transit corridor. But who said that this is an opportunity for Armenia to gain certain importance? Moreover, this opportunity is perhaps becoming secondary in the world, and the countries which have technology move forward. In this sense, the conservation of Armenia may have a certain positive importance for our country. Apparently, the Armenian government is very slow regarding a technological breakthrough. Not only regarding high technology but also modern technology in the political, public and economic life. In Armenia, they talk much but act little. And perhaps everything may change if Armenia is cornered, and the government realizes they cannot retreat any more. It will make the government consider moving forward. Of course, it is bad that it will not be conscious but out of the instinct of self-preservation. However, we must use at least this possibility for progress.
After all, when is an individual or a society skilled? Perhaps when they can use an undesirable situation in favor of them. Kars-Akhalkalaki may be this undesirable situation for us. It is a recurrent one but I wish at least this time we realized the state of things and the limit of our possibilities instead of accusing the world of immorality and a global conspiracy. Otherwise, we only have to redirect investments in elite home construction into the industry of pickaxes and award a medal for every ten meters of destroyed railroad.
HAKOB BADALYAN

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Headlines for September 08, 2007

THEY MAY START THINKING WHEN THERE IS NO WAY BACK
HAKOB BADALYAN
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