The bases and goals of Armenian foreign policy

Armenians are believed to be descended from a Phrigian group that originated in the Balkans and they were mixed up with the native groups in Anatolia. Afterwars, these groups were named as "Armenians". Most of the Armenians are Gregorians and loyal to the Armenian Apostolical Church. These people lived under the sovereignty of Medes, Persians, Macedonians, Selevkos, Rome, Parts, Sassanids, Araps and Byzantium. They were completely under the Byzantium rule in the 10th century. They also became the subject of Tuks/Seljuks after Malazgirt War in 1071. Following the Seljuks' rule, Armenians came under Mongolian, Memluk's and Ramazanoğlu's control respectively when Anatolia was occupied by these groups. The regions populated by Armenians in Anatolia turned out to be the Ottoman lands as Ottomans conquered the Eastern Anatolia in 1514 and Cilicia in 1517. On the other hand, in 1 839, Persian rule over the Causcasian Armenians came to an end as the sovereignty in these territories passed to Russia. Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire were called as the "Gregorian Millet" and were administered by The Armenian Patriarchate which was established in 1461. The ideal of an autonomous Armenia, comprising the Eastern Anatolia where State control was slight, flourished in a conjuncture where the Ottoman State was losing power. In the mean time, Armenian nationalism emerged as the reflection of the main trends of the period. In this context, it served a significant role for the fulfillment of the mentioned ideals. With the support of the then Great Powers, "Armenian question" became an international issue in 1878, especially by the article 16 of the Treaty of Ayastefenos and the article 61 of the Treaty of Berlin. "The Great Armenia", mapped by the US President Wilson, was recognized as a "free, independent and a sovereign state" according to Treaty of Sevres, which was signed by the Ottoman Empire and the Allied Powers, in 10 August 1920. However, National War, commanded by Mustafa Kemal and his team, did not allow this victory last long. During World War I, Armenian activities against the Ottoman State intensified, therefore, the Government made a decision about the relocation of the Armenian groups. Consequently, the Armenians claim that the relocation was a "genocide". The greatest challenge today's Armenian diaspora face is the lost of national conscious. Thus, the "genocide" legend becomes a key element to keep this concious alive. After the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, Commissariat of Transcaucasia, consisting of Azeri, Armenian and Georgian representatives, was established. However, this political union did not last long. It was dissolved as The Armenian National Council declared the independence of Armenia in 28 May 1918. In the afterwards, members of the Dashnak Party, who were dominant in the Government, were forced to sign the accession agreement with the USSR, which meant the foundation of the Soviet Armenia. According to Armenian intellectuals, the Soviet era had contributed to the creation of a new Armenian nation and her modernization. Today's Republic of Armenia emerged with the collapse of USSR in 1991. Aspirations for the annexation of Karabagh to Armenia played a significant role at the struggle for an independent state. Karabagh War and economic crises slowed down the construction and the institutionalisation of the new state. After 1991, multi-party system was adopted in Armenia. Domestic policy was occupied with the Karabagh conflict and it was under the hegemony of traditional state mentality. Besides, myths and ideology were the main drives of the foreign policy and the impact of Karabagh War was again highly dominant in this area. Armenian diaspora had a considerable influence on both areas, but mainly not in a constructive manner. Armenia is a landlocked country with rare natural resources. Due to this fact, other states, especially her neighbours are of vital importance for its economy. The chronique decrease in her population by mass emigrations is a challenge to her labour force and human resources. Territorial claims, Karabagh conflict and the world wide recognition of the "genocide" constitues the outlines of her current foreign policy. Azerbaijan and Turkey ranks first in her security perceptions as the potential threats. Russia plays a guarantor role in terms of her security necessities. Armenia's relations with Iran and Russia; Syria and Greece have characteristics of a strategic cooperation. In a negative manner, Turkey's position in Armenia's foreign policy is unique. Armenia is in collaboration with the diaspora in order to achieve the acknowledgement of the "genocide". The method pursued by the current foreign policy is based on the recognition of the "genocide" which will pave the way for reparations and territorial claims. Consequently, abandonment of the state mentality based on mythological and ideological obsessions and establishment of a viable solution in Karabagh will grant new opportunities to Armenia.