THE ARABIAN SPRING WAS THE KEY ISSUE AT THE DOVILE MEETING
Tuesday, 07 June 2011 06:16
We think that the May 26 meeting of the leaders of the Great 8 in
the French city of Dovile is interesting not only because the Minsk
Group co-chairing states~R leaders issued a statement on the Karabakh
settlement, but also because the world powers, though via standard
formulations, underlined the significance of such human values as
human rights and freedoms, which were introduced in the context of
the revolutions taking place in the Arabian states.
The attention of the Great 8 was focused not only and not so much on
the Karabakh issue. The pivotal issue was the ~QArabian spring~R,
or the events in the Middle and Near East and the superpowers’
scheduled steps in this regard. According to the Western mass media,
the policy towards Tunisia and Egypt, with their old administrative
systems thrown off, and the ongoing conflicts in Lybia and Syria
were among the key issues. It should be emphasized that the West
demonstrates peculiar attitude to the public transformations in the
noted regions’ states, which was obviously manifested at the Dovile
meeting. In this context, an exchange of opinions took place on the
scope of the assistance to be rendered to the region and, surely,
the expected political dividends from all this.
So, Egypt and Tunisia need funds and the Great 8 gave a corresponding
promise to the forces, which came to rule. The size of the assistance
is unknown. In this regard, the Western sources fixed an interesting
fact ~V about 5 or 6 years ago, the West promised to render financial
assistance to the African states in $25 billion, but they haven~Rt
got even half of this amount so far. It isn~Rt difficult to understand
that the promise was given to these states before the transformations,
i.e. the collapse of the former administrative systems. The Great
8, focusing on the Middle and Near East region, was also aimed at
showing that the powerful states are especially attentive towards
those in need, but it isn’t a secret for anybody that they are so
far concerned about the chaos and poverty in Africa as establishment
of further relations with the new forces. The leaders of the Great 8
paid special attention to Egypt, stating that the domestic stability
of that country was of great importance for Middle East and Africa,
and besides, Egypt~Rs experience in democratization in a peaceful
way is very important for the Arabian world. You see how the West is
interested in the progress of this experience.
Within the meeting, a separate meeting of the USA and RF Presidents
took place, at which Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev discussed issues
related to the air defense sphere.
And finally, a joint statement of the Presidents of the Minsk
Group co-chairing states ~V Russia, USA, and France – was issued,
representing logical continuation of the former statements. At the
same time, it should be appreciated that the conflicting parties were
called upon to prepare their societies for peace, which mainly concerns
Azerbaijan, as it hasn~Rt refused of its militant rhetoric so far.
Much should not be expected from similar meetings. They are usually
paid certain significance for elaboration of some principles and
approaches, though we are not sure that they will come true. It seems
unreal today that the co-chairs can bring the conflicting parties
to agreement on any principle a month later, in Kazan. Besides, we
should take into account that Dovile isn~Rt the appropriate platform
for discussions; similar issues are seriously discussed in other
conditions and in other places.
We consider it necessary to pay attention to another statement made
at the meeting. President of France N. Sarkozy, as the meeting host,
touched upon the traditional issue of human rights and freedoms,
considering it in the context of the Arabian revolutions. As we see,
besides global issues, the Great 8 also discussed democratic values.
It did so, because just via this it is represented as the world
political ~Qelite~R. But, the powers must be very careful, while
speaking of the human values, taking into account their own policy
of dual standards.
So, if they introduce the instigation of a revolution and creation
of instability in any region as rooting of democratic processes and
transformation of the societies, the so-called bearers of high values
must, first of all, respect the right of the people, who have gained
independence by blood, to free life
After all this, we can only say, “Give your promised money to Egypt
and Tunisia and realize the Karabakh conflict settlement on fair
bases, on the basis of the European values, of which you remind
each time”. And for this, the rights and freedoms of the people,
living here, or their right to self-determination and the de facto
independence of Artsakh should be merely recognized.
Ruzan Ishkhanian
From: A. Papazian