My Friend's Enemy is My Friend

Armenian Foreign Policy between Russia, Iran and the United States

Author(s): Mikayel Zolyan
Editor(s): Iris Kempe, Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perovic, Lili Di Puppo
Series: Caucasus Analytical Digest (CAD)
Issue: 13
Pages: 2-5
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich; Jefferson Institute, Washington D.C.; Heinrich Böll Foundation, Tbilisi; Research Centre for East European Studies, University of Bremen
Publication Year: 2010

The nature of Armenia's relationship with the USA is quite complex. For years Armenia had to cope with a serious dilemma in defining its foreign policy. On the one hand, ever since its independence Armenia has closely cooperated with Russia, on which it is heavily dependent in such areas as security and economy. Armenia's good neighborly relations with Iran are also vital from the point of view of Armenia's economy and national security. On the other hand, Armenia is also striving to forge close contacts with the West, including the USA and Europe. While the Armenian government has repeatedly stated that it is not planning to apply for NATO membership, it is closely cooperating with NATO, and the level of this cooperation is comparable to those of Armenia's neighbors. This policy of simultaneously advancing relations with Russia and the West is called complementarism, a term associated with Vardan Oskanian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 2008. However, though the term complementarism originated in the late 1990s, the idea behind it has been the main paradigm of Armenian foreign policy since its independence.

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