URUGUAY BECOMES PLAYER IN CAUCASUS EQUATION
By Edmond Y. Azadian
OPINION | NOVEMBER 21, 2012 9:50 AM
Armenians who have visited the country of Uruguay have an understanding
of the status of the Armenian community in that country.
Most of the settlers in that hospitable South American country were
Genocide survivors with a bitter baggage of traumatic experiences and
memories. Yet through their diligence, hard work and the appreciation
of that host country’s hospitality and culture, they have integrated
wisely into the fabric of the society, without assimilating.
Their contributions to the development of Uruguay have been well over
what their numbers warrant. Consequently, their impact as well, is
more profound than a community of that size would generate elsewhere.
A major thoroughfare in the capital city of Montevideo is called
Armenian Boulevard and the main square is called Plaza Armenia. The
prestige that the community enjoys in Uruguay has helped both the
families and the larger Armenian society in their development. This
mutually-beneficial relationship with Uruguay’s population has yielded
dividends far beyond the country’s borders, as the government of
Uruguay was the first nation to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Since
Armenia’s emancipation from Soviet rule, the relationship has helped
also the general Armenian cause, whereby becoming the diasporan
extension of Armenia’s foreign policy.
In theory, any community in a particular country must strive to play
that role by introducing the Armenian issues in that country’s foreign
policy agenda. We have that opportunity in the US if we can harness
our resources wisely and politicize large masses within the community.
Recent developments have demonstrated that Uruguay has come forth
to play an essential political role in the Caucasus checkerboard
of diplomacy.
Indeed, through the influence of its petro-dollars, Azerbaijan has
been striving to isolate Armenia and Karabagh. That influence is
especially tangible through the Islamic Conference and Azerbaijan’s
election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security
Council. Armenia’s efforts to break the stronghold of political
isolation have met with limited success for very obvious reasons,
i.e., lack of economic resources. Therefore, Uruguay’s emergence on
the Caucasus stage becomes a significant new political development.
Recently the largest and most populous province of Australia, New South
Wales, passed a resolution in its parliament to recognize the right
for self-determination of the people in Karabagh. That was a small step
in breaking Karabagh’s isolation, especially in view of the fact that
the entire country of Australia has yet to subscribe to that position.
On November 13, a delegation from Uruguay, headed by the Speaker
of Parliament Jorge Orico, paid an official visit to the Republic of
Mountainous Karabagh and held political discussions with the leadership
of the enclave. Any foreign dignitary or political representative
who visits Karabagh is immediately blacklisted in Baku.
Therefore, the government of Uruguay undertook the visit in defiance
of Azerbaijan’s threats.
Prior to that visit, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian had
taken a tour of Latin American countries, which the Azeri official
media characterized as “complete failure.” This visit discredits
the Azeri claims. In fact, it goes even further to suggest that the
possibility has arisen that Uruguay may become the first country to
recognize Karabagh’s independence.
There are countries in Latin America that are not a party to
the continuing low-intensity cold war between East and West. A
case in point is the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by
Nicaragua and Venezuela after they broke away from Georgia. Uruguay’s
policy is in line with that South American trend. The fact that an
official parliamentary delegation has paid a visit to Karabagh is a
groundbreaking initiative which has met Baku leadership’s ire.
Azerbaijan’s contention was that “no official government entity in the
world can establish any relations with Karabagh.” Well, a precedent
has been set and according to Ashod Ghoulian, the speaker of the
Karabagh Parliament, “This visit may prove to be the beginning of
new developments.”
Those developments may eventually lead to the recognition of Karabagh’s
independence by Uruguay. Having been asked directly about such a
possibility, Ruben Martinez Huelmo, chairman of Uruguay’s Foreign
Affairs Committee, has responded, “To be honest with you, theoretically
that possibility exists. But this is a political process which has to
take its course. Documents have to be compiled and studied. At this
time, we are on a fact-finding mission. The collected facts have to
be presented to the political powers.”
Beyond the existence of theoretical possibility, the delegation has
been compiling facts about the issue. In the absence of political
vigilance by Armenians, Uruguay may follow suit and erect Heydar
Aliyev’s statue, as it was done in Mexico.
Last year, Uruguay’s Senate adopted a resolution to provide a budget
to build a museum dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. The recognition
of Karabagh’s independence will be a breakthrough in bringing out
the mini state from its isolation.
While the Uruguayan parliamentary delegation was on its visit in
Karabagh, a conference of Eurasian countries took place in Yerevan.
The Eurasian Integration Project is President Vladimir Putin’s
brainchild to create a global economic counterweight to the European
Union. The majority of former republics of the Soviet Union are
involved in it. The conference included the major political parties
of the countries participating in the project. The Republican and
Prosperous Armenia parties represented Armenia. Putin’s United Russia
Party represented Russia. Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other countries were
also represented. Karabagh was represented by the Azad Artsakh Party.
The next conference will be held in St. Petersburg and along with
Karabagh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia will also be invited. This
move will further contribute to Karabagh’s recognition by the other
countries.
At this point, Uruguay’s decision will prove to be crucial. The
parliamentary fact-finding may take a long time or it may turn out
to be a smokescreen to conceal the true intentions of the Montevideo
government. It may further become a bargaining chip for Uruguay to
extract some business deals or vote buying at the United Nations at
Armenia’s expense. Any development must be expected realistically
in politics. That should not deter Armenians in their determination
to seek justice for the people of Karabagh. If indeed the government
of Uruguay recognizes Karabagh’s independence, the Armenian community
there must be credited in the first place and its role must be emulated
in other countries with significant concentrations of Armenians.
Turkey and Azerbaijan have the wherewithal to peddle influence in many
countries and they have been making inroads in the political fabric of
countries where Armenian presence is sparse or nonexistent. In Mexico,
Azeris have been successful in erecting Heydar Aliyev’s statue.
Additionally, they have forced their way to have the Mexican
Parliament pass a resolution condemning the so-called genocide of
Khojalu supposedly perpetrated by Armenian forces. Whether Uruguay
comes forth with recognition or not is immaterial.
The official visit of the parliamentary delegation has induced enough
fear in Azerbaijan about losing their grip on the situation.
Persistent, comprehensive and consistent policy will eventually bring
the much-needed relief to Karabagh people, who will eventually be
integrated in the world community.
Let’s not hold our breath and extend our gratitude to Uruguay for
its initial contribution to Karabagh’s situation, hoping that it will
take the next crucial step of recognition.
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2012/11/21/uruguay-becomes-player-in-caucasus-equation/