David Shahnazaryan
Member of Secretariat of the Armenian National Movement
(ANM)
Background Information
1. Armenian National Movement (ANM). In 1990 – 1998 was the party in power.
2. The party was founded in 1989. It counts 6000 people. It has local subdivisions in all the regions
of the country.
3. The party does not have representation in the structures of power.
Answers
1. The incumbent power in Armenia has repeatedly announced that the foreign policy agenda of the country
does not include the issue of the country’s integration into NATO. At the same time, they publicly declared
the policy directed towards integration into EU and other European structures. However, in reality the
incumbent powers of Armenia perform the policy of closer relations with Russia at the expense of the
country’s independence. Along with this, associating the national security of Armenia solely with Russia
and the Russian military presence in Armenia, the government of the country uses the foreign policy for
putting all possible obstacles to the expansion of NATO and EU in the South Caucasus.
Armenian National Movement has always held the opinion that Armenia can safeguard its national security
only being in the Euro-Atlantic system. In the given sense the foreign policy of Armenia should be essentially
transformed. In particular, Armenia should restore partnership, true partnership, and not the current
vassal relations with Russia and implement its policy of NATO and EU membership.
2. The policy of the current Armenian power has already led to the economic and political isolation
of Armenia. At the same time, the only way of development in the current situation is the policy of regional
integration and membership into the European structures. The alternative is the marginalization of the
Armenian statehood. In the given context Armenia should firstly resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
and lead a foreign policy targeted at the regional integration, at the same time, aiming at the resolution
of the Karabakh conflict on the basis of mutual compromises. The three states of the South Caucasus –
Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, comprehending the common interests should strive to become a part of
the European structures, NATO and EU included.
3. Close relations with the European structures can essentially enhance formation of legitimate power,
elected by the people in Armenia. The current power in Armenia is not legitimate and is trying to establish
complete dictatorship in Armenia. Only legitimate power can implement policies based on the interest
of citizens of the Republic of Armenia.
4. The main obstacle for the integration into NATO and EU are the current authorities of Armenia which
in fact stand between us and our future – membership to NATO and EU. The only way to overcome the given
hindrance is formation of legitimate authority through restoration of electoral mechanisms.
5. First of all the “European standards” are a value system, based on democracy, human rights, and
free market economy. The current power of Armenia manifests absence of democracy, and it makes efforts
to establish dictatorship in the form of their own model of “the Armenian democracy.” Naturally, such
views cannot have any connection with the position of the society and our party.
6. Any power that has inclinations for dictatorship is striving for isolation and not for integration
into international structures. In this sense it is clear that the foreign policy of the Armenian authorities
cannot be based on interests of citizens of Armenia.
7. This far it seems that these programs do not contradict each other. However, on the other hand,
the dominating trend is to safeguard Armenia’s security under the patronage of Russia. Armenia’s membership
to TCSO excludes Armenia’s simultaneous declaration of its willingness to join NATO. Besides Armenia
should maintain good relations with both Russia and Iran, however, the development of interrelations
should be determined by our statehood and independence. Our authorities have passed the mentioned bounds,
and Armenia has actually become a Russian vassal and a Russian advanced post. There should be mutually
beneficial partnership relations but not at the expense of our statehood.
8. The security of Armenia will be safeguarded as much as the security of the European states is being
safeguarded.
9. There are no conditions which would be unacceptable for our party or would arouse resistance among
us.
February 3, 2005
