COMPLEMENTARITY OR DEPENDENCE? THE DILEMMA OF THE POST-SOVIET ARMENIA

Abstract

Since its independence in 1991, Armenia has sought to pursue a multi-sectoral foreign policy, self-described as the “complementarity policy”. This approach was adopted in order to diplomatically obtain the necessary financial and security resources that the small South Caucasian republic could not provide autonomously. In practice, however, there was a political, military and economic rapprochement with Russia, which over the years has become a relationship of dependency. The three-decade-old armed conflict against Azerbaijan over the control of Nagorno-Karabakh region and Turkey's embargo are factors that worsen Armenia's isolation and impel it to seek foreign aid. This article aims to discuss the developments and the current viability of the “policy of complementarity” based on a historical and documentary analysis and the comparison between the trajectories of post-Soviet Armenian relations with Russia, the West and the surrounding regional powers, Turkey and Iran. It is expected to demonstrate that the serious challenges to national security have limited the country's ability to conduct an independent foreign policy. Furthermore, the mere replacement of its ruling class ought to be insufficient to change the course of its external alignments and its still incomplete process of regional integration.

Keywords: Armenia; Complementarity; Dependency; Multi-Vector Foreign Policy