Tweet
Lragir, Armenia
Sept 8 2007
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
Sept 8 2007
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