Expert: Washington Declaration to ensure regional economic security 

ArmInfo. The economic security component  included in the Washington Declaration  has been crucial since 2020 in  ensuring stability in the region. Armine Margaryan, expert on military-political issues and chairperson of the Center for Women and Global Security Architecture, expressed this viewpoint  while referring to the declaration signed by the leaders of Armenia,  the United States and Azerbaijan on August 9 in Washington DC.

According to her, the presence of American investments in the region  will contribute to this. Additionally, the expert believes that the  signed declaration will create a favorable environment for  implementing the provisions that will be included in the "peace  treaty" between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"Thanks to the declaration, issues will no longer be resolved by  force, and  the interaction of the parties will be carried out within  the framework of the principles that Armenia has previously deemed  fundamental, particularly taking into account the sovereignty of the  countries. We must understand that it is signed not only by the  leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also by the President of the  United States," Margaryan noted. The expert also pointed out that  with this declaration, Azerbaijan has, for the first time, recognized  the Almaty Declaration, and thus acknowledged the borders of the  countries as they were at the time of the collapse of the USSR in  1991. According to Margaryan, from this point of view, the  declaration is a significant gain for Armenia. "Let me remind you,   that this has been the official position of Armenia for a long time.  And now it stands as one of Azerbaijan's  biggest omissions. And from  this point of view, the Washington document is a positive development  for us," the expert noted. 

Touching upon the fact that Armenia turned away from Russia,  Margaryan noted that this happened due to t the Russian side playing  the role of authoritarian management for a long time. As the expert  clarified, the Russian side had been exerting equal pressure on both  sides and received maximum benefit from it.  Meanwhile, in her  opinion, the deepening of relations with America, particularly, the  signing of a document on strategic partnership with Armenia, brought  Azerbaijan into the constructive field for the first time.  "This, in  my opinion, was our biggest problem, and it was solved," Margaryan  believes. She believes that the statement of November 9 had many  risks in the context of unblocking communications, as, according to  her, the stances of Russia and Azerbaijan were identical on many  issues. "Under these conditions, Armenia was left alone, as its main  ally became its main threat. In this context, it is worth noting that  it was Russia and Azerbaijan that were against the involvement of  third countries in the region that could interfere in the agenda of  the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict," Margaryan concluded.