Today.Az » Politics » Karabakh nationalism is the main Dashnak idea of modern Armenia
23 April 2010 [16:28] - Today.Az
Day.Az interview with Alexander Dugin, professor, doctor of political sciences, director of the Center for Conservative Studies at the School of Sociology of the Moscow State University, Head of the International Eurasian Movement, a famous Russian political scientist.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Thursday night issued an address to the nation, saying that "Armenia has not yet decided to abandon the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, but to suspend the ratification of the protocols." In your opinion, what does this statement mean? What were prerequisites for this decision?
I was one of those experts who from the outset said that the Armenian-Turkish protocols will fail. It was a huge geopolitical project by Americans to drive Armenia under its influence putting serious pressure on Turkey. And I said that this will result in a collapse, but the border will not open.
However, I believed that the ratification would be halted by the Turkish side, and the local parliament will not ratify the protocols despite pressure from Washington because it undermines the very idea of Turkey on structure of international politics. But it was halted by the Armenian side. To tell the truth, the Turks would never ratify the protocols.
Thing have returned to normal now. I'm very pleased with this, because the United States must completely leave the region. It should leave Afghanistan and Iraq and withdraw its Sixth Fleet from the Mediterranean Sea.
Azerbaijan was against ratification of the protocols even without the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict…
Right. That is why first of all Russian patriots are happy with what has happened because from the outset they saw America's hand in this and realized that this aims to move Armenia away from Russia putting unprecedented pressure on Turkey and isolate Azerbaijan. Actually, what has happened is the victory of Russia and Azerbaijan. The latter was in a very difficult situation because by their actions with regard to Armenia Turks seemed to recognize the legitimacy of the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Armenia also won rejecting the policy of U.S. influence returning to the influence of Russia, which promises it more safeguards and care. Finally, Turkey also benefited from such a decision which can now put all the blame on the Armenians and their American counterparts saying that it wanted ratify the accords, but Yerevan stopped it. Thus Turkey also went out the U.S. zone of influence. Four countries - Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia and Turkey – gained benefits from this decision. Only one country lost - the United States. These are our problems, our conflicts, which dont concert America.
In your opinion, what will be fate of the U.S.-Turkey and Armenia-Turkey relations from now on?
The U.S.-Turkish relations are not very good. I think they have the last step, that is, Turkey’s withdrawal from NATO. We need together with the Turkish, Iranian and Iraqi people "ask" American soldiers to leave Iraq. People who live in this region should decide their foreign policy and resolve conflicts themselves.
As to the U.S.-Armenian relations, they will deteriorate. After all, most Americans were putting pressure on Sargsyan to turn away from Russia promising access to the world through an open Turkish border at the expense of Azerbaijan’s interests.
I can say that the US-Turkish relations and the US-Armenian will deteriorate, the U.S.-Azerbaijan will remain the same, but the Russian-Turkish, Armenian-Russian and Russian-Azerbaijani relations will improve.
May this somehow affect the settlement of the Karabakh conflict?
I dont think it will. Karabakh conflict will stay with the status quo for the time being. Those who planned and initiated a new round of bloody Karabakh conflict are seriously mistaken. The status quo may slightly change in one direction or another, but the resolution will not come soon. Most importantly, no bloody decision is expected any longer. Now it becomes obvious that the solution to the conflict is entirely dependent on the regional players.
In this case, how soon we can see real progress in settlement of the Karabakh conflict?
I think it is necessary to change the format of resolving the problem. A "Group of Five" composed of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as Turkey, Iran and Russia, must be created. These are countries that can really impact solution to the problem. Not Europeans, who would better to deal with their own internal problems like volcano eruption, and not Americans, but these five countries should engage in the Karabakh conflict resolution and develop a balanced, thoughtful decision.
Is the way the regime was changed in Kyrgyzstan possible in Armenia?
It is possible. It is also possible that Serzh Sargsyan passed a decision concerning the Armenian-Turkish protocols in an attempt to preserve and consolidate its hold on power. He realized that in a difficult political situation he needed support of the Armenian people. If he was confident of his power and that he was not threatened by the opposition, he would have continued the game. However, the opposition and those disgruntled with his policy forced him to take that step. Both equally played on patriotic feelings of Armenian people, who believe that opening the border without the recognition of "genocide" is historic betrayal.
Now Sargsyan’s state is more stable, though Robert Kocharian, a nationalist just like himself, exerts pressure on it. Kocharian brought Sargsyan to power, however he is not a competitor to Sargsyan. Yet he puts constant pressure on him, to ensure that Sargsyan will not deviate from the nationalist line. He put pressure on him in terms of Armenian, Karabakh nationalism. Karabakh nationalism is the main Dashnak idea of modern Armenia. As for Ter-Petrossian, this figure serves America’s interests and something like the Orange Revolution can be staged through his help.
/Day.Az/
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