Armenia ready to boost cooperation with Iran 'to the best of its efforts' - ambassador

14:33 • 18.02.19

Politics

Ahead of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's scheduled trip to Iran, Armenia's ambassador to the Islamic Republic, Artashes Tuamanyan, has given an extensive interview to Mehr News Agency, addressing the bilateral agenda and regional developments.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is traveling to Iran on an official visit on February 27 upon the invitation of President Hassan Rouhani. What agenda will the meetings cover?

This visit itself stems from the newly-elected Armenian government's foreign policy priorities, which suggest actively developing interstate relations with the neighboring countries and friends.

It is a decisive moment for the government of Armenia, as the country's parliament recently adopted [its] five-year program - attaching a special significance to foreign policy issues. I think that under the conditions of the US sanctions, Iran too, prioritizes lasting, sustainable and mutually beneficial relations with partner states, particularly neighboring Armenia. Therefore, the Pashinyan-Rouhani talks will understandably cover a broad framework of political, economic, cultural and other issues. I am sure all that will unfold interested and practical dicussions.

Which are the most important sectors underlying the bilateral relations?

The interstate relations between Armenia and Iran date their history back to over a quarter of a century. Ever since the start of their development, those relations have been friendly - and anchored on a friendship. As to the political relations, they have never been full of wrinkles, as Armenia permanently pursued a favorable position for Iran in international bodies. In the economic sector, an important significance was atteached to natural gas and energy projects, which remain priorities on the economic agenda also today.

In the past couple of years, the activity was high also in the tourism sector and the strengthening of economic ties.

Iran has pursued a balanced stance on conflicts in the South Caucasus, inluding [Nagorno]-Karabakh (Artsakh). How would you evaluate Iran's role from the perspective of this particular conflict?

Iran practically demonstrates a balanced attitude to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as it sees the solution only in the domain of peaceful negotiations.

Iran's position on this issue in general is an important restraining factor from the point of view of regional security.

Armenians' presence in Iran is among the key factors accounting for the strengthening of relations and cultural ties. How can this potential be used for deepening and expanding this potential in the future?

Notably, the Iranian-Armenian community has, in large part, been resident in this country for millenia, and they are law-abiding and dignified citizens of Iran.

Their contribution is great to the develioment of science and education, culture and economy, as well as the strengthening of the country's defense – for which they actually enjoy a great respect.

The Armenian community members fulfill also another important mission in the best way. They are dedicated to the idea of fostering the Iran-Armenia ties – with both their actiivity and assistance in multi-sectoral cooperation between the two peoples.

In that sense, they essentially help the Armenian and Iranian government and public bodies, including the embassies in Yerevan and Tehran.

[US National Security Advisor] John Bolton recently visited Armenia to meet with Nikol Pashinyan, at the time the acting prime minister of Armenia. The Trump Administration is felt to be pursuing an intention to exercise pressure upon Armenia because of the positively developing relations with the country. What is Armenia's position in this connection, and is Armenia ever likely to join the US sanctions against Iran?

I think the kind of impression is too far from the reality. The policy of the US sanctions equally impacts all of the countries which are partners with Iran. Even the European Union, being a powerful international body, is not able to fullly assist Iran today in developing unhampered economic ties with different countries and companies.

Among the sanctions enforced, especially starking are the tigthest restrictions in the banking sector in terms of their heavy impact. And those banking restrictions, by the way, are not limited only to the nuclear program.

The obstacles in the financial and banking sectors objectively hamper both commercial processes and investment projects.

Under such conditions, the Armenian government is ready to contribute its best possible efforts towards continuing the cooperation in the natural gas, energy and transport communication sectors. We are ready to invest the best possible efforts in the implementation of trade and investment programs.

Understandably, we need joint efforts in seeking solution to these problems, considering both the two countries' interests and the possible risks.

The Pashinyan-Rouhani meeting in Tehran on February 27 will, I am sure, open the floor for an interested debate on all the above topics.

French President Emmanuel Macron has declared April 24 a day of Armenian Genocide commemoration in France. Considering the significance of this issue in Turkey's foreign policy, what impact is it likely to have on the Turkey-France and the Turkey-EU relations in general?

I wouldn't like to dwell on that too much. The Armenian Genocide recognition is a foreign policy priority for Armenia, attracing support by numerous friends - among whom France stands out in the best light. We are grateful to the French authorities and, first of all, the brotherly people of France.

As for Turkey, it still pursues the policy of denial - despite the somewhat inspiring dynamics over the past couple of years, with the Turkish society increasingly coming to acknowledge the historical truth. I am optimistic and really think that this course of time towards truth and justice is really irreversible.

In what way can the Armenia-Turkey relations be characterized at present, and what is your evaluation of their future?

The past is extremely important, and the Armenian people's attitude to the 20th century's biggest calamity is certainly known, but Armenia's foreign policy is, in the first place, future-oriented. The problem dealing with the Armenia-Turkey relations is extremely complicated; one thing is obvious, however. Armenia is, at the current stage, in favor of meeting the minimum criteria by Turkey, i.e. – unconditional diplomatic relations coupled with a move to lift the blockade of its country's state borders.

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