Yerevan refuses to negotiate: Armenia faces series of diplomatic failures

Few people today remember the slogan of Lenin and his supporters, which appeared in mid-World War I: "Turn the Imperialist War into a Civil War!" There is no need, though, to remind readers of the consequences that this slogan had for Russia. Something similar is happening now in Armenia where local politicians are looking for whoever is responsible for the country's latest diplomatic failures.

The Armenian ministries blame the country’s delegates to PACE for the recent European parliamentary resolution. Armenia proposes seting up an ad-hoc committee that will “monitor the latest trends.”

The causes of their neurotic reaction are quite understandable. It doesn't matter how much Armenia condemns the European parliament's resolution. The point is that Armenia is gradually beginning to realize that it is losing the international community’s support in its confrontation with Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Another disappointment for Armenia came after the “elections” in Nagorno Karabakh. Russia, the United States, France, the EU all condemned the “elections” and voiced support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity in statements issued by their foreign ministries.

In the meantime, Armenia is trying to keep its head up. The government constantly quotes statements by "independent monitors,” who in fact represent no one. And then they painstakingly persuade themselves that Azerbaijan is angry because of the so-called fake "elections." It is clear that a new "wave of accusations" will very soon appear between the Foreign Ministry and the country's political elite in the style of "how could you allow this to happen" and "what are you getting paid for!"

According to experts, the domestic in-fighting amid external conflict is a sign that the country is facing an increasingly difficult time withstanding outside pressure. There is no doubt that the situation in Armenia is deteriorating.

Sargsyan continues to travel to European capitals and make strong statements. After each “diplomatic show,” such as the Armenian leader staged in Chattam House, or during an interview with Spiegel magazine, or at a recent conference with the U.N. secretary general, more and more people come to the conclusion that the Armenian leadership has to be spoken to in a different language altogether. The latest “European surprises” support this statement.

Armenia’s reaction to these statements is also disappointing, as they indicate that Armenia's leadership is not trying to analyze the reasons behind the latest diplomatic failures.

Armenia seems to have marginalized its political life and entrusted its foreign contacts to professional lobbyists, such as Baroness Cox and similar individuals. Assurances from these "professional friends" proved terrible for Armenia indeed. Most terrible of all is that Armenia sometimes sees assurances from professional lobbyists as the reaction of the entire world.  

This reminds me of the sheep husbandry system that has persisted on the Island of Crete since ancient times. Sheep there are not allowed to graze. They are kept in a small enclosure from where they are released to another larger enclosure. And the sheep are fully confident that they are already in the "outside world," which is really just another paddock.
 
Now the Armenian political elite are going to do the same with ordinary Armenian citizens who are being persuaded that Baroness Cox is a legal observer in the elections. This is the real world and the reaction of the international community. This is truly tragic for Armenia, which is suffering from the efforts of its own lobbyists and professional patriots.


/Day.Az/