Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey is in crisis. The protocols on normalization and recognition have not been ratified and a process of great historic and strategic importance is in danger of collapse.
Rather than pursuing its annual Armenian genocide resolution, the U.S. Congress should focus its efforts on helping to mediate a reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia that would put an end to Armenia’s economic isolation.
Armenia and Turkey have a chance to move forward from their troubled past by ratifying the historic protocols signed in October 2009. While the governments in both Yerevan and Ankara face strong opposition to the protocols, a failure to ratify the agreement could have disastrous consequences for the entire region.
Turkey and Armenia signed historic protocols on October 10 to restore diplomatic ties and open shared borders. Although the deal must still be ratified by their respective parliaments, it marks the first step in resolving tensions stemming from the killing of Armenians under Ottoman rule in 1915.
As violence in the North Caucasus surges, Kremlin policies and its loyal, but brutal, local leaders have played a critical role in causing the situation.
Sergey V. Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, discussed the outlook for Russian–U.S. relations, including the prospects for “resetting” the relationship.
The United States must recognize that former Soviet states are and will continue to be an important focus of Russia’s foreign policy, and should take a broader regional view to its relationships with countries in Russia's sphere of influence.
None of the Central Asian leaders like the idea of Russian hegemony, but the risk of anarchy and war in the border regions of Russia frighten them even more. They might not like the idea of Moscow as regional policeman, but in the absence of a viable alternative, they might swallow it more easily if Moscow turns into an effective one.
On February 13, 2007, former Armenian Prime Minister and opposition leader Aram Sarkissian discussed his country's upcoming parliamentary election.
Vahram Nercissiantz, Chief Economic Advisor to the President of Armenia, discussed his government's economic program.
