Relations between Armenia and the United States

Armenian-US-American Relations

United States	Armenia

The relations between the Republic of Armenia and the United States are mainly for Armenia is of great importance, although the country on an axis with Russia and Iran sees.

Since 1991, Armenia has been the target of several United States aid programs. From 1991 to 2012, the US provided US $ 2 billion in development and humanitarian aid to Armenia under the Freedom Support Act to support the transition from totalitarianism and command economy to democracy and open markets. A trade and investment agreement was signed in 1992, and a bilateral commission for deepening mutual economic relations has existed since 1999. In 2012, 70 US companies were active in Armenia.

Although Armenia did not take part in the US attack on Iraq in 2003, it did participate in the occupation of Iraq with a 46-man squad from the beginning of 2005 to 2008, for which President George W. Bush thanked him in 2009. Armenia participated with 126 soldiers in the International Security Assistance Force , which was supposed to secure and rebuild the country as part of the war in Afghanistan .

The Armenians in the USA , who mainly live in the states of Massachusetts and California , have a great influence on mutual relations. Through their organizations Armenian National Committee of America and Armenian Assembly of America they successfully lobby for the interests of Armenia. By influencing the United States Congress , they have succeeded in getting the US to provide more economic aid to Armenia and are pressing for recognition of the Armenian genocide and the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh . They have tried to prevent arms shipments to Turkey and the financing of pipelines carrying Azerbaijani oil and gas past Armenia to the Mediterranean Sea. Reflecting poor Armenian-Azerbaijani relations , they have prevented Azerbaijan from benefiting directly from US aid under the Freedom Support Act; this regulation was in force from 1992 to 2001 and affected Azerbaijan as the only former Soviet republic.

Relationships have been strained several times in the past. After the irregularities and riots in the presidential election in Armenia in February 2008, cooperation on the US side was partially frozen. In the same year, Bulgarian weapons are said to have been sold to Shiite militant organizations in Iraq through Armenia, putting American soldiers at risk. The Armenian side reacted very harshly to a letter of complaint from the then Deputy Foreign Minister of the United States, John Negroponte . Armenia's good relations with Iran, which are helping both states to undermine sanctions against them, pose a further risk to Armenia. In 2013 American support for Armenia was cut by 19% as a result.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Claude Moniquet and William Racimora: The Armenia-Iran Relationship - Strategic implication for security in the South Caucasus region . European Strategic Intelligence & Security Center, Brussels 2013, p. 20th f . ( esisc.org [PDF]).
2. ↑ Claude Moniquet and William Racimora: The Armenia-Iran Relationship - Strategic implication for security in the South Caucasus region . European Strategic Intelligence & Security Center, Brussels 2013, p. 21 ( esisc.org [PDF]).
3. ↑ Claude Moniquet and William Racimora: The Armenia-Iran Relationship - Strategic implication for security in the South Caucasus region . European Strategic Intelligence & Security Center, Brussels 2013, p. 22nd f . ( esisc.org [PDF]).
4. ↑ Claude Moniquet and William Racimora: The Armenia-Iran Relationship - Strategic implication for security in the South Caucasus region . European Strategic Intelligence & Security Center, Brussels 2013, p. 24 f . ( esisc.org [PDF]).

Web links

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