News - Samvel Babayan: Potential for Armenia’s positioning in context of geopolitical processes, part 3

Based on the geopolitical quagmire formed in and around the South Caucasus and the key role of Armenia in that context, Samvel Babayan, the former Secretary of the Security Council and former Minister of Defense of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), has publicized a series of articles entitled "The Potential for Armenia’s positioning in the context of geopolitical processes." In the three parts of these article series, Babayan analyzes the three possibilities of the positioning of the Republic of Armenia (RA) and the possible consequences of each of them for Armenia and the geopolitical centers interested in the South Caucasus. Below we present the third part of this article series. “Potential for Armenia’s Positioning in the Context of Geopolitical Processes; towards a Balanced, Comprehensive and Lasting Peace. Choosing any of the Western or Russian-Georgian-Iranian vectors will lead to a clash with another geopolitical center, with obvious dire consequences for Armenia. Meanwhile, as already noted, due to its geographical location, Armenia can and should pursue a multi-vector policy of equal opportunities, not minimizing, but excluding the possibility of the country turning into a crossroads of clashes of geopolitical interests. This approach should be based on fundamental principles such as: a) comprehensively calculated and defined interests of the national security of the Republic of Armenia, b) the possibility of combining the interests of Armenia with the national security interests of entities interested in the region, c) exclusion of the promotion of the interests of third parties allegedly guided by Armenian interests if they are to the detriment of the interests of each of the regional and extra-regional subjects. In the long term, the future of the Republic of Armenia is a manifestation of the will to be guided by the listed fundamental principles as a choice for a balanced, comprehensive and lasting peace. Proactive diplomacy with Europe and the US to revise economic sanctions against Iran, so that Iranian and Turkmen gas can be transported through the Armenia - Georgia - Black Sea - Bulgaria pipeline, eliminating the monopoly on the export of Caspian wealth. That is, to diversify the region’s energy dependence on Azerbaijan and Turkey and create a balance that also neutralizes excessive tension in the region. Thus, Western countries will have the opportunity to import gas simultaneously from three countries: Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan, and, accordingly, the choice of importing country(s) and pricing policy. Opening Meghri infrastructure under jurisdiction RA with a simplified procedure, according to the Kaliningrad model (which follows from the national interests and priorities of Russia, the collective West, Azerbaijan and Turkey), with the precondition of recognition by Azerbaijan of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia based on maps of 1925-26. Exclusion of the military-political presence of any country or organization as opposed to another country or organization. Freezing the RA's membership in collective bodies and suspending the process of membership in new bodies. Since Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, as a rule, are not considered separately, but as a single whole, these three countries must achieve success, first of all, in regional (internal) integration processes, and in the future, if it is necessary to choose a vector, take a unified approach. The absence of a unified domestic political approach will lead to the deepening of regional conflicts and the creation of an explosive situation. Bilateral proactive negotiations based on the principle of equal opportunity policy: - development of a roadmap for integration and cooperation with border countries, with legal contractual support, - establishment of bilateral legal relations with entities interested in the region. Republic of Armenia ensures the protection, security, territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of the Republic of Armenia independently, according to the principle of equal interaction with all partners.” Samvel Babayan: Potential for Armenia’s positioning in context of geopolitical processes, Russia-Georgia-Iran vector