【By Observer News, Wang Yi】 Recently, Armenia, a former Soviet republic, is undergoing a major shift in its foreign policy after the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Last month, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made an official visit to its long-time rival Turkey and agreed to advance the normalization of relations. During his visit to China last week, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan also told the South China Morning Post that Armenia has "no obstacles or restrictions" in deepening its relations with China.

"On the road to deepening our relations, there are not only no obstacles and barriers, but both sides are also willing to deepen the bilateral relations without any limitations," said Mirzoyan in Beijing.

The South China Morning Post reported on July 3 that unlike Georgia and Azerbaijan, which are also in the South Caucasus region, Armenia is the only country in the region that has not yet established a strategic partnership with China. Now, Mirzoyan revealed that both countries are ready to elevate their bilateral relations to a higher level.

Mirzoyan said, "I have already mentioned this to our Chinese colleagues. We see the necessity of upgrading our bilateral relations, we have noticed the strategic nature of our relations, and we have seen the common benefits that would come from formally upgrading the relationship."

Mirzoyan's visit to China was his first official visit to the country since he became foreign minister in 2021. He met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and during the meeting, he stated that Armenia supports China's efforts to safeguard its core interests and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in areas such as connectivity and trade.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Al Arabiya News

Hong Kong media pointed out that in 2020, Armenia fought a conflict with Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Naghashen) region, and lost control of most of the area after a 44-day conflict. Finally, under the mediation of Russia, both sides reached a ceasefire agreement.

In 2023, Azerbaijan broke the ceasefire agreement and launched a military operation against the Nagorno-Karabakh region again. Azerbaijan completely controlled the Nagorno-Karabakh region, with over 100,000 Armenians fleeing their homes. Armenia was dissatisfied with Russia's failure to maintain the ceasefire, and since then, it has gradually moved away from Russia. In June last year, Armenia announced its withdrawal from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which is led by Russia.

The South China Morning Post believes that this marks the beginning of Armenia's formal shift in foreign policy. At the beginning of this year, Armenia signed a document establishing a strategic partnership with the United States, expanding cooperation in areas such as security and nuclear energy. A month later, the Armenian parliament also passed a resolution formally supporting joining the European Union. In addition, Armenia expressed its willingness to join the BRICS group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Mirzoyan told the newspaper that dialogue between Armenia and China is "close and positive," and they hope to build a stronger relationship with China not only in trade and infrastructure, but also to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

He pointed out that China has actively supported peace efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and welcomed the completion of the text negotiations for the peace agreement between the two sides, "China has also expressed its willingness to support the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan."

Not only Azerbaijan, Mirzoyan said, it is also increasingly urgent for Armenia to normalize relations with its neighboring countries, "that's why we attach great importance to the normalization process." Mirzoyan referred to the recent efforts by Armenia to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan and open the border with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

On June 20, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia made a rare visit to Istanbul and held high-level talks with Turkish President Erdogan, marking a new stage in the relations between the two countries.

Armenia and Turkey have never established formal diplomatic relations, and their borders have been closed since the 1990s. Turkey does not recognize the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and has always supported Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, which is an important reason for the hostile state between the two countries. However, at the meeting in late June, the leaders of the two countries agreed to advance the normalization of relations.

Daily Sabah, a Turkish newspaper, analyzed that the significant shift in Armenia's foreign policy is not without risks, especially the rapprochement with Turkey may trigger dissatisfaction and criticism from domestic conservatives. Although historical grievances remain and potential public resistance exists, analysts believe that the normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations is making gradual progress, including measures such as restoring border crossings for third-country citizens and operating direct flights, which show both sides' pragmatic attitude of "starting from easy issues and progressing step by step."

The report pointed out that from Turkey's perspective, a stable and open Armenia is not only a diplomatic achievement, but also a strategic asset that helps consolidate its influence in the South Caucasus region; for Armenia, reconciling with Turkey is an important opportunity to break out of regional isolation and reshape its new position in the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

According to the news website "Middle East Eye", Pashinyan will meet with Azerbaijani President Aliyev in Dubai later this month to negotiate the peace agreement. Two sources said that this indicates that despite differences, both sides are willing to engage, which is a positive development.

Observers also pointed out that these breakthroughs are crucial for Armenia's "Peace Crossroads" plan. In 2023, Armenia launched this plan aimed at opening up transportation and economic links with neighboring countries, becoming a key node connecting Europe, Central Asia, and China.

Mirzoyan also revealed that Armenia is seeking to align this plan with China's Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's Global Gateway strategy. "Without China's Belt and Road Initiative, Armenia's Peace Crossroads Plan would not have a real impact."

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer News, and it is not allowed to be reprinted without permission.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7522778921440559659/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author, and we welcome you to express your opinion by clicking on the 【Like/Dislike】 buttons below.