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Is the US Afraid of Missing the Armenian Revolution?

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  • Is the US Afraid of Missing the Armenian Revolution?

    Is the US Afraid of Missing the Armenian Revolution?

    Russia, Saint-Petersburg
    Date: 2004.04.04 17:55

    It is difficult to characterize Armenian-American relations in a few words.
    On the one hand, the level of American aid to that country, when calculated
    on a per-capita basis, makes Armenia the second-largest recipient of US
    assistance after Israel. In the years since its independence in 1991,
    Armenia has received grants, humanitarian aid and credits from all sources
    worth USD 3 billion. Of that amount, half has come in the form of outright
    grants from the United States. On the other hand, when it comes to face-to
    face relations, the US has simply ignored Armenia for a long time.

    The last official visit by a high-ranking representative from Washington to
    Yerevan took place in October 1999. Even then, the trip did not come off
    without an unpleasant incident. At the time, it was the deputy secretary of
    state in the Clinton administration, Strobe Talbott, who made the trip, and
    his departure from Yerevan on October 27 coincided with a terrorist attack
    on the Armenian parliament, which killed the prime minister, the speaker of
    parliament, and six other parliamentary representatives.

    Naturally, such a coincidence could not but inspire a slew of political
    rumors. From then on, it seemed, Americans swore off visiting Armenia. Of
    course, contacts at the management level of all sorts of international
    projects, organizations and the like continued, but the White House bypassed
    Armenia, preferring to visit neighboring republics.

    The last few days have shown that all is not so bleak in relations between
    Yerevan and Washington. Unexpectedly, March 26 saw a one-day visit to
    Armenia by the deputy secretary of state (of the Bush administration, this
    time), Richard Armitage, on his way between Kiev and Baku. He explained his
    unexpected stopover and Washington's prolonged absence since Talbott's visit
    openly, and a little naively. He admitted that the United States in the past
    few years has allowed relations with Armenia to lapse. 'Now I have come to
    fill in the gaps in our relations. It is impossible not to admit that the
    United States has for the past few years been preoccupied in Afghanistan,
    Iraq, and the war on international terrorism. But the United States has
    interests in the South Caucasus, and Armenia is of interest to us, and I
    have come to revive our relations,' he said.

    As it turned out, that revival was not long in coming. Literally on the
    heels of Armitage's visit, the head of defense planning for the US
    military's European Command, Major-General Geoffrey Kohler, visited Yerevan
    on March 30. After holding secret talks with the Armenian defense minister,
    Serge Sarkisian, and the head of the General Command Headquarters, Makhail
    Arutiunian, he left Armenia the following day. As he was leaving, he said
    that the United States was proud that Armenia was a partner in the fight
    with international terrorism and the rebuilding of Iraq. Journalists noticed
    an Armenian flag on the general's lapel. 'I always travel with it,' the
    general said, and proceeded to board the airplane.

    On the same day, the National Parliament of Armenia ratified the agreement
    on the status of NATO forces and member-states of the alliance, 'Partnership
    in the Name of Peace.' The document regulates the question of the placement
    of armed forces of member-states and NATO partners on the territory of the
    partnership, and establishes the legal basis for Armenia's participation in
    that program.

    And again on March 31, a special office for defense cooperation was opened
    in the US Embassy, which will from now on coordinate all programs related to
    American military aid to Armenia. The embassy explained that the creation of
    the office had become necessary in light of the recent growth of American
    resources and grants to Armenia. The office will likewise be responsible for
    military training and preparation programs, as well as for issues related to
    humanitarian assistance.

    Considering the mounting tensions in Armenian society, when the opposition
    began threatening to launch an impeachment process in April to remove the
    government from power, the suddenly reawakened US interest in Armenia is
    understandable (i.e. 'They want to tear Armenia away from Russia in a replay
    of the Georgian scenario'). The smell of revolution is in the air, and
    Washington, which has global plans in every region, could not pass the
    situation by. The term of the US ambassador to Armenia, John Ordway, has
    already come to an end, and he is moving on to Khazakstan. The name of the
    new ambassador has as yet not been mentioned. However, in Armenia the word
    is getting around that headed to Yerevan is Richard Miles, a notorious
    fomenter of revolutions, whose previous assignments have included Serbia and
    Georgia.

    Samvel Martirosian, Rosbalt, Yerevan.
    Translated by Alex Anderson.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ©2001-2002 Rosbalt News Agency
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