The Economist: Troubled Armenia

The Economist has an article on the recent post-election unrest in Armenia and looks at what might happen next. Of concern is that instability in the country might lead to renewed fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh and the country pursuing an even more pro-Russian path. The article also quotes an opposition Heritage MP who offers suggestions for a way out of the crisis.

Some Western diplomats fret that Armenia’s strife might tempt a bellicose Azerbaijan to try and regain control of the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Azeris are said to be spooked by Kosovo’s successful campaign for independence and fear that Nagorno-Karabakh might win international recognition. Ominously, Azerbaijan threatened to pull out of international peace talks after America, Russia and France voted against a UN resolution calling for the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding region. This follows some of the deadliest border skirmishes between Azeri and Armenian forces in years.

Mr Sarkisian is due to be sworn in on April 9th. He “needs to win the confidence of the Armenian people, so that we may unite before this threat [from Azerbaijan],” says one official. The surest way to do that would be to order an independent investigation of the March 1st events, declare an amnesty for recent political detainees, and form a cabinet untainted by graft, suggests Anahit Bakshian, an opposition member of parliament.