Doctor of political sciences, professor, energy security specialist Vahe Davtyan he writes on his Facebook page.

“The infrastructural dimension of the Armenia-EU joint declaration

In the joint declaration adopted as a result of the Armenia-EU summit, the sections related to critical infrastructures are at first glance presented as an agenda of development, modernization and “connectivity”. However, a more serious problem is hidden in the depths of these formulations: the gradual restructuring of infrastructural control.

Energy

The sections on energy emphasize diversification, energy transition, strengthening networks and integration with European markets. But the key issue here is not the development of energy, but which, or rather, by whose logic this development will be carried out. Diversification is presented as a reduction of dependence, but in reality it may turn into a direct shift of dependence towards European regulatory and technological systems.

The most sensitive point is nuclear energy. EU support for the road map for the decommissioning of the Armenian NPP is formulated as technical and security cooperation, but in fact it records a process whose end result is obvious: the closure of the operating nuclear unit. The question arises: what will it be replaced with? There is no clear answer about it in the declaration. This means that the basic, stable power of Armenia’s energy system is put into question, without an adequate alternative. Remember the Ignalin NPP, which was preserved after Lithuania’s accession to the EU without the creation of new capacity. As a result, Lithuania still has to import expensive electricity from Scandinavia.

And most importantly, the declaration talks about the prospect of Armenia joining the Black Sea electric cable. The latter is a joint EU-Azerbaijan initiative, which is designed to export Azerbaijani “green” energy to the European market. It is obvious that without stable generators, Armenia simply has nothing to do in that communication. It is also obvious that under the existing conditions, Baku will prevent Armenia’s connection to that cable, which is the result of Azerbaijani lobbying, in every possible way.

Transport:

The same logic applies to the transport sector of the declaration. There is talk of integration into the Trans-European networks, opening of communications, “Crossroads of Peace”. However, here it is also important to understand that Armenia is considered not so much as an entity forming an independent transport policy, but as a corridor.

In this context, the EU’s “Global Gateways” strategy is of particular importance, within the framework of which the planned investments in Armenia are estimated at up to 2.5 billion euros. This is presented as a stimulus for connectivity and infrastructural development, but in reality it is directly related to the formation of the Middle Corridor and the restructuring of Europe-Caucasus-Asia logistics chains.

The TRIPP program mentioned in the same logic, which is presented as an initiative promoting regional connectivity, actually reveals another layer. It actually strengthens the role of the US in the Middle Corridor, controlling Europe’s connections with Asia.

An obvious contradiction arises here. on the one hand, there is talk of European integration, on the other hand, the same corridor architecture is also being formed under US strategic interests, the purpose of which in this case is to actually take control of the Europe-Asia logistics connection and its possible configurations.

Under these conditions, Armenia acts not as a co-author of these processes, but as an area of ​​their application, as a tool in the logistics system designed by external centers.

No, the Armenia-EU joint declaration is not about development. It is the political map of the phased dismantling of Armenia’s infrastructural sovereignty.”

—