For centuries, power has been the decisive factor in international relations, and this reality has not changed today either. This was noted by Doctor of Political Sciences Arsen Gasparyan.
According to him, in the conditions of geopolitical realignments and deepening regional crises, Armenia’s foreign policy stands before the need for a strategic review. Gasparyan distinguishes two main components of power: military and economic. In his assessment, no matter how flexible and brilliant a country’s diplomacy may be, without a military or economic foundation, it cannot yield results. “All historical, legal, or moral arguments are insufficient if there is no power behind the diplomats,” he emphasizes.
Lack of a Concept
In the political scientist’s opinion, Armenia has long needed a clear, substantive concept for its foreign policy. In the current crisis conditions, a foreign policy devoid of content makes effective work almost impossible.
In this context, he stresses that Armenia cannot limit itself solely to crisis response mechanisms. Armenia has a complex neighborhood, which is precisely why long-term, strategic thinking and substantive foreign policy content are a necessity.
Economization of Foreign Policy
The political scientist is convinced that it is necessary to think about reshaping economic power.
Gasparyan emphasizes the importance of the “economization” of foreign policy. According to his observations, Armenia maintains diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries and has around 70 diplomatic missions, yet it has trade representatives in only two countries.
At the same time, Armenia’s foreign trade is characterized by a chronic deficit: imports exceed exports, and the trade balance is constantly negative. The export structure is narrow, and the competitiveness of Armenian goods is limited.
In the political scientist’s view, this is also a diplomatic issue. Trade representatives must closely cooperate with the private sector to help increase the competitiveness of Armenian products. “For a small country, there is no other option,” he stresses.