No security guarantees for Armenia by document signed in Washington -  expert 

ArmInfo. The Charter on Strategic Partnership between the United States and Armenia signed in Washington does not provide Yerevan with any security guarantees.  This was stated at a press conference on January 27 by international expert Suren Sargsyan, who specializes in the United States. 

According to him, the document does not contain any mechanisms aimed  at ensuring the security of the Armenian state. The document also  does not provide for Washington's sale of weapons and ammunition to  Yerevan or the provision of military assistance.

"The signed document is not about that. It only records the next  stage of Armenian-American relations after the previously signed  agreement on strategic dialogue. But here it is necessary to keep in  mind that both documents were based on the contractual and legal  framework laid back in the 1990s, when many bilateral agreements were  concluded, including on the promotion and protection of investments.  In the absence of these documents, it would have been impossible to  sign the Charter on Strategic Partnership. For this reason, it should  not be attributed to the achievements of US President Joe Biden and  RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Moreover, if we approach the issue  from this point of view, then the document will definitely not be  implemented under the current US administration," the expert said,  adding at the same time that the new US administration is informed  about the signed Charter.

The expert recalled that the Charter is just a Charter, which  provides for the creation of a working group that will implement the  provisions of the document. In general, as Sargsyan noted, the  activity of the administration of the current US President Donald  Trump in relation to Armenia will be much less than was observed  under Joe Biden. According to him, first of all, it is necessary to  understand how the new US administration will treat the signed  Charter. At the same time, it is very important to distinguish  between the concepts of "strategic partnership" and "strategic  relations", which are characteristic of relations between the US and  Israel, the US and NATO member countries. One should also not  discount states that are not NATO members but are Washington's  strategic ally.

According to the expert, unlike Trump, Biden was well aware of the  problems of the region. Earlier, as the US Vice President, and before  that a senator, he delved deeply into issues related to Armenia,  being one of the most pro-Armenian politicians. The current head of  the White House is not so aware of the problems of Armenia, and his  policy will differ from the policy of his predecessor. In the coming  months, the difference in the approaches of these two politicians  will become more than obvious. 

Speaking about the upcoming visit to Washington of the Prime Minister  of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who will take part in the  International Summit on Religious Freedom, Sargsyan recalled that  this is not the first time the United States has organized such  events, which have already become traditional. As a rule, they are  attended by the leaders of at least 15 states.

"According to my information, there is currently no final information  from the American side about the possibility of a meeting between  Trump and Pashinyan, perhaps they will have a short meeting on the  sidelines of the summit. In any case, I believe that the Armenian  side will take steps to organize it. It must be understood that the  upcoming event in Washington will be of a religious nature, and  against the backdrop of Pashinyan's tense relations with the Armenian  Apostolic Church, this could serve as a serious signal for the  American administration," the expert emphasized. 

He also touched upon the topic of the Armenian Genocide. Sargsyan  recalled that this issue was adopted by both houses of the US  Congress. Moreover, in his traditional address on April 24, Joe Biden  qualified the events of the beginning of the last century as  genocide. "By and large, the entire world has recognized this fact  and against this background, the position of the Armenian authorities  on the Armenian Genocide is surprising. This position, the expert  continued, causes discontent not only within the republic and in the  Armenian community of the United States, but also in partner  countries. According to the expert, the current authorities are  following the preconditions of Turkey, which were previously  published by official Ankara.

Earlier it was reported about the visit of the Prime Minister of the  Republic of Armenia to Washington in early February, where he will  take part in the 5th annual International Summit on Religious  Freedom.

On January 14, Armenia and the United States signed the Charter on  Strategic Partnership.