Armenia
 Armenia     | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
 | |
| Location | Asia |
| Type |  nation state |
| Member of | La Francophonie, UN |
| Subpage | •Armenia/Genocide |
| Small Eurasian nation; formerly part of the USSR | |
Armenia is a landlocked, mountainous country in the strategically situated Caucasus region. It has a tense and disputed border with neighbouring Azerbaijan, which has led to several wars after their independence from the USSR in the early 1990s.
The population is officially 2.9 million, but several hundred thousands of these have emigrated over the last few decades, most for good.
Contents
History
Armenia was a part of the Soviet Union.
2018 Regime Change
Traditionally close to Russia, the country experienced a regime change, after anti-government protests from April to May 2018 staged by various NGOs and led by a member of the Armenian parliament, against Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan. Nikol Pashinyan became the new PM, and soon alligned the country closer to the United States. Since he came to power his anti-Russian actions included almost totally eliminating any Armenian participation on the CSTO, completely ceasing any collaboration with Russia (including in the intelligence and security domains), purging the Armenian military and security forces from all the supposed “pro-Russian” elements, and banned Russian language schools. [1]
2020 War against Azerbaijan
In 2020, the country lost a war against Azerbaijan. As part of the Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement, Russian "peacekeeping troops" will control 2 vital strategic transport arteries to enclaves for both Azerbaijan and Armenia.[2]
Gigantic US Embassy
There are 2000 American diplomats in Armenia,[When?] one for every 1200 citizens of the host country. (for comparison, the Russian embassy before 2018 had 60 diplomats).
The American expert Daniel Gaynor, who is an employee of the Truman Center for National Policy in New York, explained why[3]:
“The best explanation is a real estate mantra: location, location, location. Armenia, a landlocked country with just 3 million people, might be in the roughest neighborhood in the world. But in America’s eyes, it might be in the most important position of any U.S. ally to advance President Obama’s foreign policy agenda. What Armenia lacks in natural resources – it has little oil, gas or jewels – it makes up for in geography. Few countries are in better position to shape U.S. foreign policy than Armenia. Armenia borders Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Iran. As a part of the former Soviet Union, it relies on nearby Russia extensively for trade and military backing. The U.S. has a significant stake in all five countries, and Armenia is now coming into view as a potentially potent lever to advance American aims.”
A number of local NGOs helps the US expand its influence network in the republic. The total number of these “non-governmental organisations” in the small republic reads off scale: according to the data of the national statistical service of Armenia, there are more than 200. The US allocates almost $250 million annually for their activity. The work of the Armenian NGO is being coordinated by the American Embassy and such structures as USAID, NED, and the Open Society Foundation. in addition, radio-reconnaissance aimed at the border and nearby states – Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia, etc – is being carried out from the new ambassadorial complex in Yerevan.[4]
Related Quotation
| Page | Quote | Author | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigel Gould-Davies | “For Azerbaijan, [the reconquest of Nagorno-Karabakh] is a total victory won by the cruel, hard methods of military force and economic blockade, together with training and equipment from Turkey....But the key question is how relations between the west and Azerbaijan will develop. The west's energy ties with the oil and gas-rich country are more important than ever as it weans itself off Russian supplies. Now there are new security possibilities, especially in light of the war in Ukraine. Azerbaijan is the only country that borders both Russia and Iran, two western adversaries whose ever-closer relations evoke growing alarm. Azerbaijan’s ties with Turkey, a Nato member that also provides weapons support to Ukraine, means that it is receiving military training according to the alliance's standards. All this offers the potential for a deeper relationship, if the west has the strategic imagination to grasp it.” | Nigel Gould-Davies | 5 October 2023 |
Event
| Event |
|---|
| Armenia/Genocide |
Groups Headquartered Here
| Group | Start | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Armenian National Academy of Sciences | 10 November 1943 | The primary scientific body in Armenia |
| Yerevan State University | 1919 | Informally known as Armenia's "mother university" |
A citizen of Armenia on Wikispooks
| Title | Born | Died | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rita Sargsyan | 6 March 1962 | 20 November 2020 | The First Lady of Armenia reportedly died from COVID in November 2020. |
Related Documents
| Title | Type | Publication date | Author(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Document:Institute for Statecraft Production timetable March-June 2016 | list of Armenians suspected of being Russian propagandists | 26 December 2018 | Integrity Initiative | |
| Document:Russian-propagandist | name list | 26 December 2018 | Integrity Initiative | List of Armenians accused of being Russian propagandists |
| Document:Suspected Propagandists | list of Armenians suspected of being Russian propagandists | 26 December 2018 | Integrity Initiative |
References
- ↑ http://thesaker.is/understanding-the-outcome-of-the-war-for-nagorno-karabakh
- ↑ http://thesaker.is/understanding-the-outcome-of-the-war-for-nagorno-karabakh/
- ↑ http://trumancenter.org/in-the-news/policy-mic-us-relations-with-armenia-in-facing-middle-east-adversaries-america-has-a-secret-weapon/
- ↑ https://tonyseed.wordpress.com/2018/11/01/certain-us-embassies-are-large-military-intelligence-centres/
