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TURKEY IS OF NO INTEREST TO ARMENIA
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/politics24768.html
Published: 16:03:15 - 10/01/2012
On January 23, the French Senate will consider the draft law penalizing
the denial of the Armenian genocide. The minister for relations with
the parliament of France Patrick Ole made it clear that "a general
agreement was reached on this issue". Earlier, the mass media had
reported Nicola Sarkozy's intention to initiate the signing of a
pan-European agreement on penalizing genocides.
It is evident that the recognition of the Armenian genocide passed
the limits of Armenia and even regional politics, though it has never
been there.
In this situation, the Armenia-Turkey and Armenia-Azerbaijan relations
completely lose topicality for Armenia, and they are substituted by
the Armenia-Georgia and Armenia-Iran relations.
Even Western funds, which used to actively finance the Armenian and
Turkish non-governmental projects lost interest in this issue. The news
portals which opened sections in Turkish, connected with the Armenian
and Turkish process, will soon open new ones in Georgian and Farsi.
The interest towards Georgia is already visible: Armenian-Georgian
joint TV programs have been realized simultaneously on two Armenian
channels. Armenia seems to be revealing for itself the Georgian music,
cuisine and rich culture. True, it is done in the traditional way -
competition to find out who is better the Armenians or Georgians,
but the fact of disappearance of the taboo of the Georgian topic
is noteworthy.
The Iranian and Armenian rapprochement is also obvious. In Yerevan,
as well as on the way connecting Armenia and Iran, cafes with Iranian
writing appeared, where Islamic food is offered. There are already
Iranian bakeries, motels and let alone the flow of Iranian tourists
to Yerevan during Muslim festivities.
The annual Armenian-Turkish trade circulation is about USD 250
million, and the Armenian-Iranian, according to non-official data,
more than 300 million, the Armenian-Georgian is this much too. But,
Iran is going to increase the trade circulation up to 1 billion.
Besides, it became clear that the Iranian consortium of the private
sector will invest USD 574 million in two projects in Armenia on
laying of electricity lines between the two countries. The Iranian
"Iran Daily" reported. The investment will increase the capacity of
hydropower plant on the Arax River up to 1.7 gig watt a year.
Earlier the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Ali Akbar Salehi
stated that in the course of the recent visit of the Iranian president
to Armenia, the parties agreed to work out a list of goods to be
exchanged between the countries at the lowest fee.
During Serzh Sargsyan's visit to Georgia, the parties announced about
a sharp increase of trade circulation.
Against the background of the development of relations with Iran and
Georgia, the relations with Turkey are no longer important in the
Armenian policy. In this connection, the process of criminalization of
the denial of the Armenian genocide in Turkey is seen in Armenia as
something directly connected with its actual interest. This interest
can arise if the West's pressure on Turkey increases up to the critical
point, which can be followed by the fragmentation of the country or
demand territorial compensation to the victims of genocide.
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/politics24768.html
Published: 16:03:15 - 10/01/2012
On January 23, the French Senate will consider the draft law penalizing
the denial of the Armenian genocide. The minister for relations with
the parliament of France Patrick Ole made it clear that "a general
agreement was reached on this issue". Earlier, the mass media had
reported Nicola Sarkozy's intention to initiate the signing of a
pan-European agreement on penalizing genocides.
It is evident that the recognition of the Armenian genocide passed
the limits of Armenia and even regional politics, though it has never
been there.
In this situation, the Armenia-Turkey and Armenia-Azerbaijan relations
completely lose topicality for Armenia, and they are substituted by
the Armenia-Georgia and Armenia-Iran relations.
Even Western funds, which used to actively finance the Armenian and
Turkish non-governmental projects lost interest in this issue. The news
portals which opened sections in Turkish, connected with the Armenian
and Turkish process, will soon open new ones in Georgian and Farsi.
The interest towards Georgia is already visible: Armenian-Georgian
joint TV programs have been realized simultaneously on two Armenian
channels. Armenia seems to be revealing for itself the Georgian music,
cuisine and rich culture. True, it is done in the traditional way -
competition to find out who is better the Armenians or Georgians,
but the fact of disappearance of the taboo of the Georgian topic
is noteworthy.
The Iranian and Armenian rapprochement is also obvious. In Yerevan,
as well as on the way connecting Armenia and Iran, cafes with Iranian
writing appeared, where Islamic food is offered. There are already
Iranian bakeries, motels and let alone the flow of Iranian tourists
to Yerevan during Muslim festivities.
The annual Armenian-Turkish trade circulation is about USD 250
million, and the Armenian-Iranian, according to non-official data,
more than 300 million, the Armenian-Georgian is this much too. But,
Iran is going to increase the trade circulation up to 1 billion.
Besides, it became clear that the Iranian consortium of the private
sector will invest USD 574 million in two projects in Armenia on
laying of electricity lines between the two countries. The Iranian
"Iran Daily" reported. The investment will increase the capacity of
hydropower plant on the Arax River up to 1.7 gig watt a year.
Earlier the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Ali Akbar Salehi
stated that in the course of the recent visit of the Iranian president
to Armenia, the parties agreed to work out a list of goods to be
exchanged between the countries at the lowest fee.
During Serzh Sargsyan's visit to Georgia, the parties announced about
a sharp increase of trade circulation.
Against the background of the development of relations with Iran and
Georgia, the relations with Turkey are no longer important in the
Armenian policy. In this connection, the process of criminalization of
the denial of the Armenian genocide in Turkey is seen in Armenia as
something directly connected with its actual interest. This interest
can arise if the West's pressure on Turkey increases up to the critical
point, which can be followed by the fragmentation of the country or
demand territorial compensation to the victims of genocide.