THE ARMENIA MOMENT

No doubt, the ex-minister of foreign affairs of Armenia Vardan Oskanyan will be remembered through the history of Armenians for his pronouncements which caused scandals at home rather than abroad, not his diplomatic victories or achievements. For instance, Vardan Oskanyan named the security area around NKR an occupied territory, then he decided out of nowhere that nobody knows who calls Armenia a Caucasian tiger, afterwards he stated that Armenia will continue to develop even if it remains in blockade for one hundred years. In the absence of diplomatic achievements the strange and scandalous statements made Vardan Oskanyan’s office more vulnerable to criticism, which nevertheless lasted for ten years. Now that Vardan Oskanyan is not a minister any more, it seemed that he is not the figure who would remain in public focus after leaving office. However, Oskanyan has appeared in that focus, after Armenia’s main land route is blocked due to the situation in Georgia, and besides Oskanyan reminded about him by publishing an article in the authoritative The International Herald Tribune. By that article Oskanyan actually edited his notions of the foreign policies of Armenia. In particular, it was evident that Vardan Oskanyan did not welcome the entry of NATO to the Caucasus, which was so in his years at the foreign ministry, instead he courtesies to Russia and Turkey, especially welcoming the proposal of Recep Tayyib Erdoghan to create a Caucasian Security Alliance and Serge Sargsyan’s invitation to Abdullah Gul. As to the very aim of the ex-foreign minister to send one thousand messages through one article, perhaps it will become clear from his further actions. However, one finds it difficult to state confidently that Vardan Oskanyan spoke as an ex-minister who is related to foreign affairs, and his only purpose was to spell out an expert evaluation. The point is that Vardan Oskanyan was an irreplaceable foreign minister for Robert Kocharyan. Perhaps Kocharyan knows better why. Meanwhile, now Vardan Oskanyan’s article opposes to Robert Kocharyan’s view, at least with regard to Turkey. Unlike Kocharyan, Vardan Oskanyan endorsed the invitation to Gul. It is known what Kocharyan thinks in this connection. At least, in July he thought if he were the president, Gul would not come to Armenia. Obviously, however, much has changed in the region and maybe in the world since August 9 when the Georgian military force appeared at the center of Tskhinvali. Therefore, it should not be ruled out that Robert Kocharyan’s opinion on the Armenian-Turkish relation has changed too. In other words, Robert Kocharyan made his opinion comply with the world political conjuncture, at least in accordance with his notions of that conjuncture, perhaps expecting that the conjuncture may enable him to return to the levers of government which Robert Kocharyan desires almost overtly. Perhaps, however, the ex-president thinks it is not dignified to confess such abrupt change of his opinion in such a short period of time and maybe relies on the old minister, presently maybe only a friend. Or maybe Vardan Oskanyan is already Serge Sargsyan’s rather than Robert Kocharyan’s friend, which is confirmed by his article “The Caucasus Moment”. In that case, it means that if the most loyal of the past decade are already leaving Robert Kocharyan, his political prospect is hopeless. However, it is also possible that Vardan Oskanyan merely expressed an opinion, like in those times when he referred to the territories as occupied, to Armenia as a Caucasian tiger, and described considering blockade as an obstacle to Armenia as exaggerated. After all, as we saw, Vardan Oskanyan’s former opinions which caused scandals did not pursue far-reaching aims. Therefore, the content of Vardan Oskanyan’s article maybe more important than the purpose. Although in politics content and purpose are related with a close cause and effect relation. JAMES HAKOBYAN

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Headlines for August 28, 2008

THE STATEMENT OF THE NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic welcomes the recognition of the state independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It fully complies with the basic principles of self-determination and the international law ...
MOSCOW LOST WHAT IT NEEDED
Like in many countries of the world, the expert community of Armenia, which is represented by both political scientists and politicians, is trying to evaluate the situation in the Caucasus which emerged ...
THE ARMENIA MOMENT
No doubt, the ex-minister of foreign affairs of Armenia Vardan Oskanyan will be remembered through the history of Armenians for his pronouncements which caused scandals at home rather than abroad, not ...
EU MEETS SEPTEMBER 1 TO DISCUSS GEORGIA
On September 1 the summit of the EU members will be held in Brussels to discuss the situation in Georgia. The president of Georgia will not participate in that summit. In an interview with the German ...
KARABAKH CONGRATULATED ABKHAZIA AND OSSETIA
On 28 August President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan sent congratulatory letters to the president of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh and the president of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity. The NKR president ...
ARMENIAN SCHOOLS ADOPT 10 SCORE ASSESSMENT
In the academic year of 2008-2009 a ten-score assessment will be adopted at the secondary schools of Armenia, the deputy minister of education and science Bagrat Yesayan stated today.
NKR CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY
On the 17th anniversary of independence of NKR celebrations will take place in the capital Stepanakert and the regions. On September 1, the first school day, the first lesson at the schools of NKR will ...
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CONFERENCE DEVOTED TO LEPSIUS
The Museum Institute of the Genocide of Armenians will hold a conference on September 8 devoted to the 150th anniversary of the German missionary Johannes Lepsius (1858-1926). The conference will be held ...
THE TIME OF APPROVALS HAS PASSED
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CORRECTION ON POLITICAL AGENDA
Members of Parliament Aram Safaryan from the Bargavach Hayastan Party, Artsvik Minasyan from the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and Vardan Khachatryan, Heritage Party, shared their evaluations of the political developments ...
PARLIAMENTARY FORCES ON THE RECOGNITION OF KARABAKH
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IS SERGE SARGSYAN SACRIFICING IMMUNITY OF ARMENIANS?
With regard to the internal and external political developments Member of Parliament Artsvik Minasyan, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, hosted at the Friday Club on August 28, gave the example of Georgia where the ...
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SERGE SARGSYAN THANKED CHINESE GOVERNMENT
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DEMAND FOR LAW AND ORDER AT PENITENTIARIES
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EU CHAIRMANSHIP CONDEMNS RUSSIA’S DECISION
The French embassy to Armenia released the statement of the EU chairmanship which condemns the decision of the Russian government to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The EU chairmanship ...
LIST OF STRATEGIC GOODS SHIPPED BY RAIL WAS AFFIRMED
On August 28 the government of Armenia affirmed the list of strategic goods shipped by railway. The decision will enable the regulation of fees for railway shipment of strategic goods for Armenia (wheat, ...
OSCE PA SPECIAL ENVOY FOR GEORGIA TRAVELS TO THE CAUCASUS
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Emeritus Goran Lennmarker will next week visit all three countries, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, in the South Caucasus. Mr. Lennmarker was recently appointed ...