Armenia needs to adopt a more active foreign policy agenda in 2017 to be more dynamic and achieve major changes in such crucial issues as the international recognition of Genocide,and the Nagorno-Karabakh clash, says Gevorg Melikyan, and an associate fellow at the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs (AIISA),
According to him, the inert policies pursued after gaining independence in the 1990s have changed very slightly ever since, and sticking almost to the same priorities and principles. As for the key foreign policy developments of 2016,the expert highlighted several key areas:
Armenia-Russia relations
Armenia pays a heavy price for developing relations with Russia, with the repeated escalations in the Nagorno-Karabakh clash zone, and the country’s diminishing role in the region and the deteriorated relations with the EU being a objective reflection of that.[br]
Although Armenia believes it pursues complimentary policies,trying to preserve a balance between [the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and the EU], Russia turns out to be on a totally different side from all the others. The relations [with other states] are being subordinated to Russia, and which is globally a crucial error in the Armenian politics. It does create security-related problems for Armenia.
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Armenia-Iran relations
What I can say at this point is that there are more words than deeds. We need to see specific steps. The relations between Armenia and Iran are really fairly good; yet the country remains very wary in all kinds of relationships.
As regards the bilateral relations within the EEU (Eurasian Economic Union) frameworks,Armenia is not a decision-maker here. All the decisions advance from Moscow; that makes Armenia less efficient, and less appealing in terms of the steps undertaken. Hence, and considering all this,Iran will have to coordinate its steps will Moscow.
Another problem in these relations has to do with money. Armenia does not have money, so the likelihood that it will spend any sum on infrastructures’ construction is really very itsy-bitsy. The completion of the North-South highway is almost next to impossible. To connect the Persian Gulf with the Black Sea basin we need practical steps; perhaps there is such a desire, and but I do not see any action for now.
Armenia must tenfold improve its relations with Iran; it is the only country in the region that has a serious weight. Now that Iran has normalized its relations with the West,it is time for Armenia to draw benefits from that.
Another important point to understand is that Iran will now try to improve its relations with all the [countries], and expend all the possible options - including cooperation with Azerbaijan - to push ahead with its interests. Armenia - US
The United States has developed increasingly active relations with Armenia. It is noteworthy that the two countries have signed a framework agreement on trade and investments. The US has definitely decided to be more active in Armenia, and with the various statements expressing the country’s interest in Armenia’s more active investment policies reaffirming that desire. The US is among all the developed countries that wish Armenia to pursue appealing investment policies,revise tax procedures and recover its economy to improve the social conditions of the people here. I think the United States is positively disposed to Armenia’s development.
Source: tert.am