2024-04-07 01:11:19
Author: Elchin Alioglu
Source: Trend
US and European Union aid, France’s support, and India’s supply of military equipment will cost Armenia dearly. Yesterday’s meeting in Brussels showed clearly that the West will not be able to direct the aid that Yerevan was hoping for to the Armenians. Rather, the West has no such intention.
Armenia’s “allies” and “friends” will take advantage of the situation and punish Yerevan very severely.
Thus, the so-called “conference” meeting between US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan ended.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was also going to attend the meeting. But after the statement of Washington and Brussels that “only financial and economic aid to Armenia will be discussed at this meeting”, Stoltenberg’s participation was not advised. Because if he were to participate in the discussions, one of the main issues envisaged at the meeting should be admitted to be military-technical assistance to Armenia, and thus Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia and Iran in the South Caucasus region would be clearly challenged.
Stoltenberg was replaced at the meeting by the High Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security of the European Union, Josep Borrell.
In Brussels, U. von der Leyen declared that the European Union will provide new aid to Armenia in the amount of 270 million euros for a period of 4 years: “The purpose of this aid is to support small and medium-sized enterprises in Armenia and help them enter new markets.”
“The European Union made a promise to Armenia and today it fulfills that promise. I reminded that the frameworks of cooperation between the European Union and Armenia were discussed in October 2023. we intend to support its preparation,” Lyayen said.
As for Nikol Pashinyan’s “Peace Road” idefix project, which he declared will be supported by the EU, Ursula von der Leyen upset Yerevan and said that “when there are favorable conditions, we will also discuss issues related to cross-border transportation and new routes.”
He further emphasized that an additional 500 million euros is being considered for support to Armenia.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced that Washington will provide aid to Yerevan in the amount of 65 million dollars: “This is twice the amount of aid two years ago.”
US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien announced the results of the tripartite meeting held in Brussels:
O’Brien noted that the US Secretary of State and the Chairman of the European Commission emphasized their firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia. They also expressed their admiration for the democratic reforms implemented in the country after the 2018 revolution and their support for the creation of a global economy and political system that reflects the democratic aspirations of the Armenian people.
“The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the current reforms in Armenia and to call for the continuation of the peace process with Azerbaijan. The parties noted that the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan can contribute to the long-term security and prosperity of the region, including the opening of new trade routes from the Mediterranean Sea to Central Asia.
The US Secretary of State stressed that political reforms in Armenia create conditions for an inclusive government that can respond to the will of the people and contribute to diversity and partnership in the world.
The statement of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the high-level meeting in the Armenia-US-EU format is diametrically opposed.
“We consider the high-level meeting in the format of Armenia-USA-EU to be held in Brussels on April 5, 2024 as the next attempt of the “collective West” to draw the South Caucasus into a geopolitical conflict.
The irresponsible and destructive intervention of non-regional forces in the affairs of the South Caucasus, the desire to create discord between the countries of the region and their neighbors, can result in the most negative consequences for stability, security and economic development in the region, lead to the creation of new dividing lines, as well as an uncontrollable increase in tension.
The West also does not give up its attempts to destroy the fundamental basis of the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization – the set of tripartite declarations by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan for 2020-2022, which envisages measures on the prevention of transport and economic relations, border delimitation.
It was under the pressure of Washington and Brussels that the official Yerevan stopped the implementation of these agreements, on many of which the parties were close to mutually acceptable solutions, especially on the issue of lifting the mutual transport blockade. Moscow is ready to help in any way to achieve the long-awaited peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The problematic issues of both regional and bilateral nature in the South Caucasus should be resolved in accordance with the principle of “regional responsibility” agreed at the second meeting of the “3+3” Consultative Platform held in Tehran on October 23, 2023.
Armenia was also a participant in it. We call on external players to respect these agreements, and the authorities in Yerevan to take into account the concerns of neighboring states when establishing their foreign policy line.
Thus, most of Armenia’s hopes regarding Brussels have not come true.
Washington, Paris and Brussels want Armenians to minimize relations with Russia, to get out of Moscow’s dependence, to leave the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) of the CIS countries, as well as to end the representation in the CIS structures in which Russia plays a key role.
If Iravan fulfills the orders and instructions given to him, he will face very serious losses. Thus, Russia, which has been subjected to numerous Western sanctions due to its military operations in Ukraine, uses the territory of Armenia to evade those sanctions and for parallel exports.
In return, Armenia gets about 3.4 billion dollars in net income every year. The “rates of economic development achieved” by Armenia in the last 2 years are related to goods and products transported to Russia avoiding sanctions.
At the same time, the Eurasian Stabilization and Development Fund, created by Russia and operating within the CIS, and of which Yerevan is a member, has allocated 533 million dollars of investment to 10 projects in Armenia. The allocation of 300 million dollars to 10 more projects is being discussed.
Within the framework of the 4th stage of the “North-South” project, Russia allocated 150 million dollars to Armenia. It was planned that Moscow would send 200 million dollars to Yerevan in connection with the construction project of the Gajaran tunnel.
Considering the listed points, does Armenia want to get those funds by selling apricots and brandy to the European Union? Or will the European Union, just like Russia, sell natural gas, grain, and fuel to Armenia at much lower prices than the prices in the world markets, and will not apply customs duties?
“Hraparak” newspaper, published in Yerevan, also emphasizes that deputies from the “Civil Agreement” party headed by Nikol Pashinyan thought that agreements would be reached at the Brussels meeting on providing aid to Armenia in the amount of billions of euros.
“For months now, these deputies, who have been following the West’s instructions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, have been criticizing Russia and blaming the strategic ally for all the problems and difficulties Armenia is facing. Those from Pashinyan’s group intend to leave the CSTO and completely lean towards the European Union, ignoring all the dangers. “, the newspaper writes.
Armenians hope that the statements made in Brussels did not tell about all the assistance that Azerbaijan and the European Union will provide to Yerevan.
In other words, secret, yet to be announced support agreements have been reached between Washington, Brussels and Yerevan, and Nikol Pashinyan will talk about them when the time comes.
Poor Armenians still do not understand that the USA and the European Union are rapidly arming Armenia, turning the country into a second Syria, and trying to lay the foundation for new tension and conflict in the South Caucasus.