The policy of “zero problems with neighbors” is actually more applicable to Armenia than to Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - It’s not even the absence of leverage against neighboring countries or military superiority - both of them will come with time. It is the accurate selection of priorities and absence of a history burdened with a dark past. Things are quite complicated in case of Turkey – the collapsed Ottoman Empire played a nasty trick on Kemal Ataturk and his followers. It so happened that all the current visits of the President and the Prime Minister to neighboring countries are aimed at reminding the Arab world and the Jews in which state they used to live. In this respect Turkey’s foreign policy is not oriented as it should be. In our opinion, neither the Arab world, whose support Premier Erdogan is so eager to enlist, nor the Balkans and all the more so Israel want to hear the mention of the Ottoman Empire, where they lived as second-class citizens. Worse than the Arabs lived only Christians and the Jews, who even now are not very comfortable in modern Turkey, despite the assurances of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Enjoying the support of Turkey in her nuclear program, Iran does not approve of this activity. But, as we have already mentioned, neither will she recognize Turkey as a regional leader.

As for Armenia, all is not so bad, while it could be worse. Of all the neighbors, Armenia enjoys the best relations with Iran, despite the difference in religious affiliation. It should be borne in mind that Armenians and Persians are not outsiders in the Armenian Plateau and the Middle East; they are titular nations, what cannot be said about the Ottomans, whose homeland, as they say themselves, is Altai. For Armenia Iran is the only normal overland route to the outside world. Besides, Iran treats the Armenian community normally, what cannot be said about Turkey, where the Armenian community of Istanbul may simply be butchered at any moment.

Georgia, by and large, is a problematic neighbor too, but not so problematic as to close the border or, God forbid, break diplomatic relations. Armenia is not in a position where you can do anything you like without worrying about the consequences. By the way, any country, even the most powerful, has no right to make steps that can lead to undesirable deterioration of relations with neighbors. We must admit that it would be more advantageous for the Georgian leadership if it had not spoken against the “Russian outpost”. Georgian rhetoric in relation to Russia more and more resembles a farce and is perceived, at best, with a laugh. Even the Armenian leadership does not allow itself of such statements with reference to Turkey.

But we forgot about Azerbaijan. In truth, writing about the Azeri policy is boring and uninteresting, as Baku is engaged in nothing but extreme anti-Armenian propaganda and sales of oil and gas. Well, and from time to time they threaten to “liberate the lands”. You must admit that there is no reason to talk about the intelligible policy of our neighbors. It is difficult to live with problematic neighbors, but we have what we have. And though difficult, it is yet possible, and this is exactly what Armenia is trying to do. Everyone is playing their game in the region: U.S., Russia, EU. The most important thing is not to be crushed or gutted to the end. We just wonder what Aliyev will do, when the need for his energy resources passes. Sooner or later this period will come and it may come much sooner than Aliyev expects.