Will Rubion meet with Pashinyan? the American scholar during the “transit” visit of the State Secretary

The American agenda in the South Caucasus has two main priorities: the implementation of the TRIPP project and the tightening of the ring around Iran. TRIPP is also considered in the context of the policy towards Iran. American expert Suren Sargsyan writes about this on his Facebook page, making several points regarding the visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Armenia.

First of all, Sargsyan reminds that after Hillary Clinton’s visit in 2014, this will be the first visit of the US Secretary of State to Armenia, although it is a short-term “transit” visit without an overnight stay. The Secretary of State is returning from India and, following Donald Rumsfeld’s 1999 visit, will spend a few hours in Yerevan.

It is planned that Rubio and Mirzoyan will have a meeting lasting about 30 minutes at the “Zvartnots” airport, after which a memorandum of understanding will be signed.

“Then maybe he will have a meeting with the prime minister in the government. If such a meeting does not take place, it will certainly be a significant circumstance,” says Sargsyan.

As for Rubio’s not going to Baku, in the American expert’s opinion, there is no such need, because TRIPP passes through the territory of Armenia and is primarily an Armenian-American project. Azerbaijan’s position is known to the Americans both on the TRIPP and Iran issues, so there is almost no need for additional clarifications.

The American expert also did not rule out that Rubio will support the current government before the elections.

“I consider it possible, but one of the busiest people in the world would definitely not visit Yerevan for that purpose alone. It is another matter that the government will use this visit for PR purposes, even if Rubio does not make any public message,” Sargsyan writes.

At the same time, the American expert emphasizes that globally, the USA will support any force in Armenia that will advance American interests in the South Caucasus, regardless of who that force is.

He also expressed hope that the authorities of Armenia will not be involved in any anti-Iranian adventure, because even the Trump administration does not find an “exit strategy” consistent with the situation after being involved.

Let’s remind that on May 25, the RA Foreign Ministry informed about the visit of the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Yerevan. According to the RA Foreign Policy Department, as a result of the meeting between Mirzoyan and Rubio, it is planned to sign bilateral documents, and the parties will make statements to the press. Let us add that the US Secretary of State’s visit became known only yesterday, before that it was not announced.

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