Tag: Anna Barseghyan

After almost three decades of remaining on the sidelines of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict negotiation process, the EU has now stepped in, positioning itself as a mediator in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conciliation process.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shaken the European continent, and there is one non-conventional weapon—energy supply—that is playing a big role. What are the opportunities for Azerbaijan and the implications for Armenia and Artsakh?

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Brussels on April 6, 2022, on the initiative of the European Council president. Why is the EU taking an interest now when it was a mere observer during the 2020 Artsakh War?

Azerbaijan openly announced that it would begin to destroy the Armenian cultural heritage of Artsakh and erase traces of the Armenian language from monuments. The European Parliament is one of the first institutions that has reacted to this Armenophobic policy.

Through a number of developing steps, the EU wants to open a space for a greater role in the South Caucasus and particularly in managing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is now dominated by Russia and Turkey, writes Anna Barseghyan.

Since the end of the 2020 Artsakh War, Russia has enjoyed an effective monopoly over the negotiation process. Recent initiatives by the EU suggest that Europe may be taking a more proactive role in the South Caucasus.

By extending its expansionism from land to sea, straining regional relationships and traditional alliances, Turkey is testing its limits and can expect to find itself in deeper conflicts when it finally reaches them.

After remaining on the sidelines of the 2020 Artsakh War, the EU seems to be back with a renewed and impressive strategy for Armenia. With this new agenda, is the EU trying to counterbalance the influence of other regional players?

One of the most important dimensions of Armenian-EU cooperation is the energy sector. The EU has expressed a willingness to support Armenia in designing an energy strategy and policy, including security and diversification of the energy supply.

The Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between Armenia and the EU came into force on March 1, 2021. Will it serve as a stepping stone to develop and extend the scope of the partnership?

The 2020 Artsakh War put to the test long-held assumptions about the roles of neighbors and global players in the region. Some maintained and reinforced their significance and role in the region, others raised their importance and some were invisible.

The operation of the Southern Gas Corridor raises the geopolitical significance of Azerbaijan and Turkey, contributing to the further isolation of Armenia from regional projects. The EU seems to limit its concern about human rights violations and war crimes in Artsakh to mere lip service.

In December 2020, the EU passed the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, equipping its foreign policy arsenal with a powerful new tool to protect human rights. Armenians should be paying close attention to how it will be used.

Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan institutionalized their triangle long before the 2020 Artsakh War and have established deep roots of cooperation.

Azerbaijan, in collaboration with Turkey is responsible for grave breaches of international humanitarian law and war crimes. The international tribunal should not turn a blind eye to the situation.

This time, the EU's assessment of the presidential election in Belarus is critically different from that of the 2015 presidential election, when Lukashenka was awarded 84% of the vote. Anna Barseghyan takes a closer look at European reaction.

Several political parties in Armenia are members of officially registered European political parties in the European Parliament. This affiliation offers an opportunity to deepen international cooperation and conduct parliamentary diplomacy.

COVID-19 tested governments around the world and has shown the need for global cooperation. Anna Barseghyan looks at EU and EAEU assistance to Armenia over the last several months.

July 24 marked the first Muslim prayer service in the Hagia Sophia in almost 90 years. Erdogan’s neo-Ottoman policies are also reverting other aspects of Turkish society back to a bygone era.

A recent joint statement by three Members of the European Parliament on the construction of a new, third highway between Armenia and Artsakh was not well-received in Armenian circles.

Armenian authorities have confirmed repeatedly that visa liberalization with the EU is one of the government’s top priorities, however, issues still remain.

The upcoming Brussels Summit on the Eastern Partnership will be another challenge for Armenia as it seeks to maintain the internationally-recognized OSCE Minsk Group framework, with its inclusion of the principle of self-determination.

Anna Barseghyan provides a broad overview of the Armenian government’s move to outlaw public calls for violence and draws parallels with the European experience.

The European Green Deal is an ambitious plan to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Anna Barseghyan looks at the challenges and opportunities for green policy in Armenia.

The liberation of the strategic town of Shushi was a turning point in the Karabakh war, causing a dramatic shift in the military progress of Armenian forces and ultimately obstructing future Turkish-Armenian relations.

Anna Barseghyan looks back at Europe’s record on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and writes that as long as new genocides are happening across the world, the Armenian question remains contemporary.

The EU’s policy toward its neighbors has had several transformations, including a shift from a “one size fits all” approach to a “pick and choose” one. Anna Barseghyan explains.