Will Armenia have to choose between the USA and Russia, i.e., between NATO and the CSTO?

PanARMENIAN.Net - Now it is the time for Armenia, which, according to Russian political scientists, is almost the only ally of the RF in the region. However things are not exactly the way as it is interpreted by Moscow. Most of the Russian experts think that since Armenia, who has actually been Russia's only true ally in the region, does not have an outlet to the sea cannot be considered a key ally. The key allies of Russia in the region may be only Georgia and Ukraine, which are the countries that are striving to integrate into NATO. The truth is though, that there is also Turkey, which participates in all NATO projects, and which is a full member of the Alliance. Turkey is the one that speaks for the admission of Georgia and Ukraine in the Alliance with the hope that it will be of some use to it in its fight against the Kurds. It must also be mentioned that this plan is very likely to work out. Participating in the "Mediterranean Dialogue", "Istanbul Cooperation
Initiative", giving Incirlik air base for the military flights of the American airplanes to Afghanistan and Iraq, Turkey becomes indeed the irreplaceable country in the region. Moreover, as the Kars Treaty stipulates, Turkey may interfere in the regulation of the conflict in Abkhazia, which actually Turkey does under cover of NATO.

As the RF Ministry of Defense informs, the leadership of NATO countries carries out a course of military assistance to Tbilisi. According to them, such actions are motivated by the county's preparations for the integration into the North Atlantic Alliance. According to Moscow, the USA, Turkey, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Israel are the countries that give bigger support to Tbilisi. All this destabilizes the development of military-political situation in Transcaucasia. According to the facts provided by the RF Ministry of Defense, the foreign countries provide Georgia with armament, financial support, and train the Georgian soldiers, as well as ensure their education in the educational institutions in NATO countries. "At the same time the military-technical assistance from the West is often free of charge," says the press-service of the Ministry.

Practically, Armenia is the only country which is out of the sphere of influence of NATO. The truth is however, that there is the Individual Partnership Action Plan. Yet, as it seems, this is not enough, since Armenia is included in the CSTO, which serves the Russian interests in the region and helps Armenia to guard the Armenian-Turkish border. However, the
Alliance is not going to put up with such conditions for long. If Russia does not succeed to attract Georgia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan to its side, Armenia will find itself in isolation. NATO understands this very well, and consequently carries out trainings within the frames of the project "Partnership for peace", and never spares praising the Armenia army, which
indeed serves it.

"In the professional aspect the Armenian Army is very well trained. I made sure of it already during the NATO trainings Best effort 2003, which was held in Armenia. The aim of the present trainings "Cooperative Longbow/Lancer-2008" is working out the joint actions of NATO forces. They will also promote the professionalism and will help the professionals to
comply with NATO standards," announced the representative of the Alliance Claudio Vercelotti in Yerevan.

It is very probable that Armenia may get the Plan of Action for Integrating into NATO, although this issue is not yet on the agenda of the Armenian foreign and defense policy. Though, who knows what may change in the coming several years in the region, especially if we take into consideration the fact that the USA has not given up the idea of establishing the "Great Middle East", which involves the Middle East, the South Caucasus, Turkey, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It may happen so, that one day Armenia will have to choose between the USA and Russia, i.e., between NATO and the CSTO.