POLITICS
American political analyst recommends Armenian government to think about the people and the country's sovereignty
Washington, January 11, AZERTAC
The Hill newspaper has published an article by political commentator Jason Katz entitled “Impediments to regional development in the South Caucasus”, in which he analyzes the economic cooperation between the countries of the region and describes Armenia as the only state to stay out of regional projects and global development. Mr Katz notes that “few regions of the world are, in general, as prosperous, stable and reliably Western-oriented as the South Caucasus. The South Caucasus, situated on the southern frontier of what was the Soviet Union, has become, with one exception, one of the most cohesively prosperous regions in the world and amongst the most influential and affluent in the former Soviet Union.”
“Comprised of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and peripherally Turkey, the South Caucasus region is, mostly, energy rich and stands as a much needed and viable alternative for European natural gas supplies in the near-term and well into the future.”
He touches upon a recent meeting of the Turkish, Azerbaijani and Georgian FMs in Turkey's northeastern province of Kars to discuss regional cooperation. “This fourth trilateral summit included meetings between Azerbaijan's Elmar Mammadyarov, Georgia's Tamar Beruchashvili and Turkey's Mevlut Cavusoglu.”
Mr Katz writes that “conspicuously absent from this meeting and, indeed, from all discussions on regional development, energy and general regional prosperity was Armenia. Armenia, another former Soviet Republic, has oddly chosen to excuse itself from the growing prosperity of the region.”
“Why, you ask? Armenia has taken a decidedly different path, a path that has necessitated all but the complete surrender of Armenia’s sovereignty.” He says that as the other nations of the South Caucasus have embarked upon and continue to navigate independent foreign and economic policies leading to prosperity for their people, Armenia has increasingly become a vassal state in direct contradiction to the best interests of their people.
According to Mr Katz, at the twilight of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a war over the Azerbaijani lands of Nagorno Karabakh and its surrounding districts. “Following ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis in Nagorno Karabakh and surrounding regions, Azerbaijan possesses nearly a million refugees, designated as internally displaced peoples. In their place is an unrecognized area, even by Armenia, seeking to be the second failed Armenian state. During the fighting, Turkey closed its border with Armenia in solidarity with Azerbaijan.”
“Fast forward more than 20 years and the entire region is fabulously prosperous while Armenia stubbornly holds on to Azerbaijani lands and is thus left in the cold. It would seem to make sense to the Armenian leadership and Armenian diaspora, but to few else on the global stage. Armenian leadership must do itself a favor and in doing so save the sovereignty and viability of their nation,” he says.
Jason Katz is the principal of TSG, LLC, a consultancy that advises foreign governments, NGOs and corporations in the realms of strategic communications, politics and policy. He is also the former head of Public Affairs and Public Relations for the American Jewish Committee, based in Los Angeles.
Yusif Babanli
Special Correspondent