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"ARMENIA CARRIES OUT A PASSIVE POLICY"

Politics

«The recent developments of the Lebanese-Israeli conflict recorded serious loss of the US control on the upon the procedure», announced professor of the Yerevan State University David Hovhannisyan during the seminar organized by the Armenian Center for National and International Studies. Instead, Iran showed serious influence, and now they are treated differently, he added.

Representing the 50-year history of the conflict, David Haroutyunyan noted that nothing has been changed throughout these years, and the recent developments only accelerated the plans of the USA. According to him, Israel has solved its problems; nevertheless, it turned out that the Israeli army is not what it used to be.

During the seminar titled «Armenian peace-keepers in Lebanon? Pro et contra» ex Minister of Defense, Lieutenant-general Vagharshak Haroutyunyan was to give strategic-political assessment of the situation. He represented the positive and negative sides of Armenian troupes being sent to Lebanon. According to him, before making a decision the country ahs to clear out several issues. We must also find out what authorities the UN mandate gives to the troupes; if it is that of disarmament, the participation of the Armenian side may be dangerous.

Nevertheless, the participation in the peace-keeping mission is in itself good and important, especially in case of the Lebanese-Israeli conflict, when the sides are for the allocation of peace-keeping troupes, taking into account the presence of a large Armenian community in both countries.

Answering the question why troupes were sent to Iraq immediately, and the issue of Lebanon is not even included in the agenda, Vagharshak Haroutyunyan answered, «An offer was made to send troupes to Iraq. As for Lebanon, something is needed which our authorities do not have – their own initiative. This is called passive policy».

David Hovhannisyan's point of view was positive too: we must send troupes to Iraq, and there is nothing negative about it. On the whole, all the experts participating in the discussion were for sending a peace-keeping mission.

Economist Edward Antinyan's speech was radically different from that of politicians and experts. He blamed the Armenians for defending «Hezbollah», although there has never been an announcement presupposing that possibility. He blamed everyone for not defending Israel. He also blamed the Arabs for seizing 22 countries and for their wish to destroy Israel. He justified the actions of Israel even though it resulted in the deaths of non-combatant people.

Nevertheless, he appeared in an unenviable situation when deputy Ambassador of Egypt Said Shafey Abdul Mohsen who also participated in the seminar decided to answer his speech and informed Mr. Antinyan that the 100-km territory of Lebanon called Nazare Sharif was captured not by the Arabs but by Israel and that not the Arabs but Israeli army is the aggressor.