European Union or Russia?

[TJ]

Anushik, dont you see how Russia is the one deciding practically all of Armenia's foreign policy now? that is the problem. It is definately not the US deciding "how we should operate." But dont worry about the US attacking Iran anytime soon, they barely have enough soldiers to hold down Iraq and have spent countless billions trying to stabilize it I dont think anyone in the government will be crazy enough to try to invade Iran whose military is countless tmes stronger than Saddams was in 2003 and who populations is more than twice Iraq's.
Now, my whole point is that we wont need anyone from outside to come and guard our borders if we are in the EU. Nowadays a nations would have to be governed by maniacs to even think about attacking an EU country. The organization is very close knit and helps its members incredibly. We will have the word and fist of the EU and i would like to see the backward azeris or the turks, who themselves are trying to get in, to even step a foot into Armenia, they would be demolished both economically, on the world stage and militarily.

I am actually in New York, and no offense but South Carolina isnt exactly the most exposed or educated part of the US, a lot of white trash from what i have heard. Just make it your mission to educate people as much as you can, imagine how much more recognition and respect we would have if we were part of the EU, when you make it, you are basically getting a stamp that says your nation has made it and has a functioning society. We cant look back to Russia and its old mentality, and what your professor said just goes further to prove my point, it is decades of Russian domination that put things like this into peoples heads, even today, when people talk offhandedly they refer to the CCCP as Russia a lot of times, not the Soviet Union. The fact that Russias government thinks Armenia IS one of its cities or provinces or whatever you want to call it, is the problem.

ciao

[Metsamor]

Anushik, dont you see how Russia is the one deciding practically all of Armenia's foreign policy now? that is the problem. It is definately not the US deciding "how we should operate." But dont worry about the US attacking Iran anytime soon, they barely have enough soldiers to hold down Iraq and have spent countless billions trying to stabilize it I dont think anyone in the government will be crazy enough to try to invade Iran whose military is countless tmes stronger than Saddams was in 2003 and who populations is more than twice Iraq's.
Now, my whole point is that we wont need anyone from outside to come and guard our borders if we are in the EU. Nowadays a nations would have to be governed by maniacs to even think about attacking an EU country. The organization is very close knit and helps its members incredibly. We will have the word and fist of the EU and i would like to see the backward azeris or the turks, who themselves are trying to get in, to even step a foot into Armenia, they would be demolished both economically, on the world stage and militarily.

I am actually in New York, and no offense but South Carolina isnt exactly the most exposed or educated part of the US, a lot of white trash from what i have heard. Just make it your mission to educate people as much as you can, imagine how much more recognition and respect we would have if we were part of the EU, when you make it, you are basically getting a stamp that says your nation has made it and has a functioning society. We cant look back to Russia and its old mentality, and what your professor said just goes further to prove my point, it is decades of Russian domination that put things like this into peoples heads, even today, when people talk offhandedly they refer to the CCCP as Russia a lot of times, not the Soviet Union. The fact that Russias government thinks Armenia IS one of its cities or provinces or whatever you want to call it, is the problem.

ciao

Tigran, my Armenian compatriot and fellow thinker, the problems involved in your logic is saturated by a vivid lack of knowlegde about the importance of national psycology. You need to understand that the United States is a country with no moral stability. It's the most undependable one among all. It has a national mentality of a "prostitute". The people here, even the nicest ones, are "prostitutes" deep in their heart and soul! Our cultures are very different. America's main political philosophy is pragmatism, which literally means "If you give me 100$, I'll let you "love" my wife, if not, maybe your brother will!". The more we Armenians get closer to this dirt called the "new world", the more unhappy we will become! Remember, you are the grandson of Haik! You, good or bad, are much higher than this! National chauvinism is not what I'm professing now, I just want to help you think about this issue more deeply.

[Anushik]

I am actually in New York, and no offense but South Carolina isnt exactly the most exposed or educated part of the US, a lot of white trash from what i have heard.

I completely agree with you... SC is not one of the educated states, it's really far to become educated... me and my friend call it "our little village" ... actually when I came here one of my neighbors wanted to teach me how to use phone... that was really interesting experience... or another time she showed me gas station and told me really slowly "Anush, this is a g-a-s s-t-a-t-i-o-n....".... after some time she told me "WOW, you Armenians have and know everything..." ...
Maybe everybody knows about Armenia in big cities, but when you look at the whole country, that picture is changing... all my other friends had hard time with introducing our country...

[Hayq]

Armenians differ. The ones in Los Angeles do not have a good reputation with the Mexicans, but then again, they are just Mexicans.

[CatWoman]

Even though this is news, it relates to our discussion so I'm posting it here:

Friday 21, January 2005
Armenia’s Trade With EU Continues To Grow

By Atom Markarian

Armenia’s trade with the European Union registered a further increase in the course of last year at the expense of dwindling commercial ties with Russia and other former Soviet republics, according the latest government data.

Figures released by the National Statistical Service show that the 25 EU countries accounted for 36.5 percent of Armenia’s external trade that exceeded $2 billion in 2004. Russia’s share in it was only 12.5 percent. It was twice as higher a few years ago.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed concern at the downward trend during talks with his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian last August.

Russian and Armenian officials admit that the absence of rail connection is a serious impediment to the development of economic ties between their nations that have no common border. They hope that the upcoming launch of a rail ferry service between Russian and Georgian Black Sea ports will reduce high transportation costs and thereby reverse the trend.

The volume of Russian-Armenian trade fell by 13 percent in 2004. By contrast, the Armenia-EU commercial exchange was 10 percent up from the 2003 level.
Armenian Liberty

They say the reason for this trade decline is that Armenia doesn't have a common border with Russia, true... but does it have a common border with ANY of the EU members?

[TJ]

Even though this is news, it relates to our discussion so I'm posting it here:


They say the reason for this trade decline is that Armenia doesn't have a common border with Russia, true... but does it have a common border with ANY of the EU members?

how funny, i was thinking of posting it here too when I read it. nice.

[TJ]

Tigran, my Armenian compatriot and fellow thinker, the problems involved in your logic is saturated by a vivid lack of knowlegde about the importance of national psycology. You need to understand that the United States is a country with no moral stability. It's the most undependable one among all. It has a national mentality of a "prostitute". The people here, even the nicest ones, are "prostitutes" deep in their heart and soul! Our cultures are very different. America's main political philosophy is pragmatism, which literally means "If you give me 100$, I'll let you "love" my wife, if not, maybe your brother will!". The more we Armenians get closer to this dirt called the "new world", the more unhappy we will become! Remember, you are the grandson of Haik! You, good or bad, are much higher than this! National chauvinism is not what I'm professing now, I just want to help you think about this issue more deeply.

There is nothing wrong with national chauvinism. I understand what you are saying but I honestly fail to see how this in any significant way should affect the realistic national foreign policy of a nation, especially a nation such as Armenia who has no room to look at the psychology of the population of a "partner" nation, any nation or group of nation that could help us develop and in the future not have to rely on prostitution, which is essentially our foreign policy now. All that aside, we are talking about the EU aren't we? Unless you think the same thing applies.

[IAmMadAtAC]

As of late Armenia has been caught between it's old ally Russia and the US, both of whom are basically vying for influence over various countries. Sadly Russia has been losing out so perhaps it'd help Armenia to jump ship, but I think the US is just gaining extra influence just to have it and really dominate the world, and clearly don't have our best interests at heart, which makes me very wary of my own country. They want to control Armenia so it can get a Karabakh solution that favors Azerbaijan, which is already has more influence on and then the US will be free to get plenty of oil. A strong US influnce in the region wants a weak Armenia, which is why I think we can't cut ties with Russia, at least not until Karabakh is settled.

[Anonymouse]

When we speak of people who think they know what they are talking about, we should always have a link for this thread.

[spiral]

Tigran, my Armenian compatriot and fellow thinker, the problems involved in your logic is saturated by a vivid lack of knowlegde about the importance of national psycology. You need to understand that the United States is a country with no moral stability. It's the most undependable one among all. It has a national mentality of a "prostitute". The people here, even the nicest ones, are "prostitutes" deep in their heart and soul! Our cultures are very different. America's main political philosophy is pragmatism, which literally means "If you give me 100$, I'll let you "love" my wife, if not, maybe your brother will!". The more we Armenians get closer to this dirt called the "new world", the more unhappy we will become! Remember, you are the grandson of Haik! You, good or bad, are much higher than this! National chauvinism is not what I'm professing now, I just want to help you think about this issue more deeply.

This is such crap.