Yevgeniy Satanovski, head of the Middle East Institute of Moscow: Armenia balances between Russia, Iran, Europe and the US
– Mr. Satanovski, what do you think about the ongoing summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran and what is the importance of that event from the geopolitical point of view in terms of an attempt to establish a counterbalance to the West?
– I may sound a little impolite, but I will say that the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement costs as much as its name – nothing. That movement had a real meaning at the time when there was a conflict between two poles of the world, between two super-powers. It used to mean neutrality. Today, when the world is not bi-polar, does not have a significant meaning. If it joins Iran and supports it against the US, it stops being a non-aligned movement as it becomes a political tool for Iran against the US. Iran wants to show that even if it does not find allies, with this initiative it can at least bring representatives from many countries to Tehran. As the movement is in deep crisis, nobody goes toward it – neither Moscow nor Washington. The problem is that if this movement acts against the West, it will stop existing.
– Why will it stop existing if it goes against the West?
– Because a girl cannot be half-pregnant; she is either pregnant or no. Non-aligned movement can stay alive if it stays neutral and does not join any of the sides, but if it swims from one pole to the other, it will stop existing.
– Last week the American Reuters published an article referring to the discontent of the US diplomatic circles toward the close relations between Armenia and Iran, and in several days it became clear that the president of Armenia would not be able to visit Iran to participate in the event and the foreign affairs minister would replace him in that trip.
– Those are Armenia’s inner political issues and I have never tried to go deep into them because I do not want to be involved in political issues concerning post-Soviet states. I think the relations with Iran are honest and important for Armenia, more important than for Iran. Armenia is an important window for Iran to the world, and Iran will use this window to try to solve their problems, including financial problems. Armenia is balancing between Europe, the United States and Iran, and this is a smart policy. The government decides the limits for that balance and let God bless them to be able to decide where to send people and who to send to those places. Armenia has its objective geopolitical goals and for Armenia the relations with Iran have geopolitical importance.
Others may like or may not like that fact. The Armenian large community in Iran is really powerful and Iran’s role in Armenia’s economy and issues in the region is important too. Those are national interests, even though Armenia has to keep balance, without cutting or weakening the relations with the West, which are very important too, if not more important. Armenia is balancing between Russia, Iran, Europe and the US – these are the four pillars Armenia’s foreign policy is based on. This is a very good balance and neither of those pillars should be taken out because the chair may shake.
