CC BY
18ԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ SCIENTIFIC ARTSAKH НАУЧНЫЙ АРЦАХ № 2(5), 2020
ՔԱՂԱՔԱԳԻՏՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ,
ՄԻՋԱԶԳԱՅԻՆ ՀԱՐԱԲԵՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐ
POLITICAL SCIENCE, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ПОЛИТОЛОГИЯ, МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫЕ ОТНОШЕНИЯ
----------------------------
TRANSFORMATION OF THE STRATEGY OF AMERICAN AID TO ARTSAKH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEW ECONOMIC POLICY OF THE POST-COVID ERA*
341.232 (73 + 479.25)
MARTUN AZATYAN
Russian-Armenian University,
International Relations Chair, Ph.D Student,
Yerevan, Republic of Armenia martun. azatyan2018@gmail. com
The article examines the origins of the idea of International Development Assistance (IDA) and the process of its transformation into a separate branch of international relations on the example of the USA. It analyzes the features of American support for Artsakh in accordance with the interests of the USA in the South Caucasus. The purpose of the research is to detect possible transformations of American allocations to Artsakh in the changing realities of the world economic system, which will allow formulating recommendations for the development of the most popular industries in the context of the pandemic. Based on a comparative analysis of annual payments, it is concluded that the size and direction of financial assistance depends on the need to maintain the process of sustainable development in the region. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the amount of subsidies is considered, and the strengthening of the agricultural and medical sectors of Artsakh is proposed to increase the mobilization potential of the country. Thus, Artsakh and Armenia will increase their role as key players in maintaining stability in the region and will provide the population with essential products in case of repeated border closures.
Key words: Artsakh, USA, USAID, financial aid, coronavirus, economy, transformation.
On January 20, 1949, after reading the inaugural speech of the 33rd President of the United States Harry Truman, the official approval of a new separate direction of world politics was launched. This stands for the ODA (Official Development Assistance) - the idea of economic and technical support to other countries, which was declared by the fourth point of the President's speech.
It is known that before the Second World War, the United States positioned itself as a supporter of a policy of minimal intervention in the matters of the rest of the world. However, the main postulate of the Messianic tradition - the idea of exclusivity - after two centuries of development and formation had to find an application beyond the borders of the American state. The features of the American way of life laid down by the founding fathers, first of all, showed
* Հոդվածը ներկայացվել է 20.04.2020թ., գրախոսվել' 22.04.2020թ., տպագրության ընդունվել' 10.07.2020թ.:
17
ԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ SCIENTIFIC ARTSAKH НАУЧНЫЙ АРЦАХ № 2(5), 2020
themselves on the positive side within their own society; therefore, they could become guidelines for the formation and development of societies in Western countries, as well as the rest of the world.
In parallel with the above process, in the 40s of the last century, the necessary process of approving the Institute of technical assistance continued to gain momentum, because the support of the allies, which took place before and during the war, was mostly episodic. One of the first steps in the formation of an international tradition of assistance to countries in need was taken in November 1943, when representatives of 44 states gathered in Washington and signed an agreement on the establishment of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). And after the signing of the Bretton Woods Agreement in July 1944, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBDR) were created, which still provides assistance to the economies of the organization's member countries1.
As for the geopolitical situation, after the change of the phases of the war from “hot” to “cold”, the world was seen as a battleground of democratic and undemocratic forces. Among the latter, first of all, the communist countries with their own ideology – communism – were considered as threats to the ideals of freedom and democracy. The beginning of national liberation movements in South-East Asia (India, Burma and Ceylon) only accelerated the mobilization of resources in both systems.
After examining the process of implementing the “Truman Doctrine” and the “Marshall Plan”, the liberal wing of the US political elite (Bowles, Galbraith, Kennan) came to the conclusion that military assistance to allied countries was ineffective, instead offering social and economic reforms in these states that would allow them to “step on” hunger and disease. For this purpose, it was supposed to use American scientific achievements and the fruits of industrial progress2. So, this idea was expressed in 4th paragraph of the President's inaugural speech, which noted the need of creating a social base in donor countries that supports a political and economic regime that would be able to resist communism3.
This approach formed the basis of the “Foreign Assistance Act”, signed by President Kennedy in 1961, which led to the creation of the Peace Corps and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – the top federal aid agency outside the United States. It is worth noting that the main executive authority, that determines the strategy of the ODA, is the US National Security Council, in which, since 2010, USAID was included. As for the legislative branch (Congress), in the Upper House (Senate) international development assistance is handled by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and in the Lower House (House of Representatives) by the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. The final decision is made by the Appropriations Committees of both houses.
In studying the ODA process, it is necessary to emphasize the most important role of the US State Department, especially in the context of providing non-military assistance to recipient countries. The Department includes the Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources, which determines the state Department's plan of action in the field of ODA in a particular region. The main priorities are non-violent conflict resolution, support for democratic societies, the fight against climate change and etc.4
1 The World Bank Group: https://www.worldbank.org/en/what-we-do
2 Глазунова Е.Н., У истоков содействия международному развитию: американская программа технической помощи развивающимся странам. Вестник Московского университета. Серия 25. Международные отношения и мировая политика. 2012. №2. С. 126-157.
3 Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States: https://www.bartleby.com/124/pres53.html.
4 QUADRENNIAL DIPLOMACY AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW: ENDURING LEADERSHIP IN A DYNAMIC WORLD (QDDR): https://www.usaid. gov/qddr.
18
ԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ SCIENTIFIC ARTSAKH НАУЧНЫЙ АРЦАХ № 2(5), 2020
Despite all the actions aimed at the final formation of the ODA Institute, the scope and scale of foreign support varied depending on the political situation in the United States, as well as on the processes taking place in the rest of the world. In particular, in the early 80's, military aid became relevant again, as the recipient countries, on the one hand, did not want to fall under full economic dependence on Washington, on the other hand, the methods no longer justified themselves in practice, in particular, during the Vietnam war5.
However, in the 80's, liberal trends became relevant again, and US President Ronald Reagan noted the need to implement economic policies in recipient countries that would promote the development of market relations, free trade, as well as strengthening socio-political institutions. The collapse of the Soviet Union did not make serious adjustments to the strategy of the ODA, since most of the States that gained independence declared the need to establish a democratic system and a market economy in their countries.
From that moment on, the ODA bodies were guided by the politicentric model of development of the recipient country, the axis of which was political development - the key link of economic and social prosperity6. The reason for this evolution was, first of all, the approaches of neoinstitutionalists, who advocated the strengthening of the rule of law and the fight against corruption. Secondly, the views of the US political elite have had a significant impact on the “third wave of democratization” and the need to support it through policies promoting democracy7.
In any case, in the mid-90s, the absence of a geopolitical rival began to have an impact on the logic of the ODA, in particular, in optimizing expenditures allocated for foreign aid. If at the beginning of the 90-s about 27 billion dollars were allocated for the ODA, then with the advent of the new Millennium this figure has decreased to 20 billion dollars.8
The most important event that paved the way for upcoming financial assistance directly to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was the joint adoption of the “Freedom Support Act” in August 1992 by the House of Representatives and the Senate. According to the document, the need for assistance from the United States to the post-Soviet states in order to create and maintain a democratic system of government and a liberal economy was declared. Since 1998, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has officially received annual financial assistance from the United States. Below is a column table of the expected and officially received amount from the United States, indicating the date and purpose of receiving funds (n/a - no data available).
Year The expected amount (mln.) Actual amount (mln.) Purpose
1998 12,5 5,5 For victims of conflict
1999 7,5 3,5 To reconstruction and other activities related to a peaceful settlement
2000 n/a 2 To implementation of confidence-building measures and other measures to promote a peaceful settlement
5 Roper J. John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. In US Foreign Policy and Democracy Promotion: From Theodore Roosevelt to Barack Obama. Michael Cox, Timothy J. Lynch, and Nicolas Bouchet. P. 103120
6 DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE: https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf docsZPNABL224.pdf
7 Huntington, Samuel P. "Democracy's Third Wave." Journal of Democracy 2.2 (1991)
8 Query Wizard for International Development Statistics: https://stats.oecd.org/qwids/
19
ԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ_________SCIENTIFIC ARTSAKH НАУЧНЫЙ АРЦАХ № 2(5), 2020
2001 n/a 4 To implementation of confidence-building measures and other measures to promote a peaceful settlement
2002 n/a 2 To implementation of confidence-building measures and other measures to promote a peaceful settlement
2003 5 2 To satisfaction of current humanitarian needs
2004 5 2 To provide humanitarian and emergency assistance to meet the basic needs of the population, including drinking water supply programmes
2005 3 2.5 For humanitarian and emergency assistance
2006 3 3 For humanitarian and emergency assistance
2007 3 2 To implementation of confidence-building measures and other measures to promote a peaceful settlement
2008 6 2 To solve current humanitarian problems
2009 8 2 To solve current humanitarian problems
2010 8 2 To solve current humanitarian problems
2011 n/a 2 n/a
2012 n/a 2 n/a
2013 n/a 2 n/a
2014 n/a 2 n/a
2015 n/a 2 n/a
Total (1998-2015) 44,5
Figure 1. Legislative History of U.S. Assistance to Nagorno Karabakh9
If we analyze the goals of allocating funds, it becomes clear that they are based on the logic of geopolitical interests of USA in the South Caucasus. In the late 90's, in order to implement energy projects in the region, the Americans were interested in stability, in democratic systems, as well as in preventing possible military clashes. Interests have undergone certain modifications since the events of September 11, 2001, when there was a need for decisive measures in the fight against terrorism. In addition, Azerbaijan had announced its accession to the UN anti-terrorist measures. It was in this context that US President George W. Bush sought to suspend Section 907 to the “Freedom Support Act”, which prohibited providing military assistance to Azerbaijan. The confirmation of the aforementioned is the data of the decrease in the amount of financial subsidies 9
9 https://anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/US assistance to NKR.pdf.
20
ԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ SCIENTIFIC ARTSAKH НАУЧНЫЙ АРЦАХ № 2(5), 2020
since 2002. In this context, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the development and adoption of the state budget and expenditures is carried out during the previous year.
Another factor that has influenced and continues to influence the reduction of foreign aid is the arrival of President Donald Trump in the White House, who during the presidential race announced about the need to reduce subsidies to international organizations and individual states from the US. The Congress has been and continues to be a deterrent in this context, which, in particular, has become an insurmountable barrier for Trump in cutting the share of foreign aid in the US budget for 201910.
The reduction of financial assistance to Artsakh in a number of areas also has other reasons. In particular, the company HALO Trust, which has been carrying out mine clearance in the territory of Artsakh since 2010, received about 11 million dollars from the United States in general, which allowed to clear agricultural land from unexploded shells, and this led to a reduction in the number of civilian casualties by 80%11. It should be noted that the largest amount of financial subsidies was allocated in 2017, which was 3.5 million dollars, and the reason for the possible reduction in funding could be the fact of mine clearance of 95% of territories.
In March 2020, 73 congressmen sent a letter to the Appropriations Committee with a proposal to allocate $ 100 million in financial assistance to Armenia and $1.5 million to Artsakh. The purpose of financial assistance to Artsakh was again related to mine clearance program. At the end of the month, the US presidential administration announced a reduction in aid to Artsakh, which, according to international expert Suren Sargsyan, was done not only because Armenia and Artsakh are not priorities for Trump’s administration, but also because foreign aid in general is not a priority for them. In addition, the possibilities of the Armenian lobby to oppose the approval of this decision are very limited due to the situation with the spread of the coronavirus12. The thing is that the main tools of lobbying - promotion of the issue in person, stocks and pickets - are not possible in the conditions of quarantine caused by a virus. Lobbyists will also encounter significant difficulties in the information field, which as of April 2020 is almost completely filled with materials about COVID-19.
In our opinion, the coronavirus and the introduced pandemic are the cornerstones on which it’s necessary to build a scenario for future economic relations between the United States and Artsakh. In the “new” world that will be established after overcoming the peak of CAVID-19, the main goal of the Armenian lobby and political structures of Armenia and Artsakh will be to find common interests with their American counterparts.
The main areas where Armenian producers have the opportunity to use the resources of their own country are medicine and agriculture. These sectors of the economy make the possibility to not only export products abroad, but also to provide their own population with basic necessities, both at a normal pace of life, and in conditions of crisis and closed borders. As mentioned earlier, the United States are interested in the continued development of the South Caucasus countries and in overcoming military and economic crises. Therefore, it is necessary to do everything possible to increase the role of Artsakh in maintaining stability in the region, especially in times of crisis. The Republic of Armenia, for its part, should develop mechanisms to promote the development of agriculture and medicine in the territory of Artsakh, with the condition of constant and
10 Трамп предложит сократить иностранную помощь и социальные программы: https://www.golos-ameriki.ru/a/trump-slashes-foreign-aid-cuts-safety-net-programs-in-new-budget-proposal/ 5281342.html.
11 ԱՄՆ օգնությունը միշտ եղել է Ղարաբաղում իրականացվող HALO-ի ծրագրերի հիմնասյունը, դրա դադարեցումը կստիպի HALO-ին զգալիորեն նվազեցնել աշխատանքները Ղարաբաղում: https://www.aravot.am/2019/08/17/1060904/:
12 «ԱՍՆ-ի՝ Արցախին օգնության տրամադրման ծրագիրը պահպանելը բարդ է լինելու»:
https://www.aravot.am/2020/03/28/1102496/:
21
ԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ SCIENTIFIC ARTSAKH НАУЧНЫЙ АРЦАХ № 2(5), 2020
uninterrupted supply of products to the territory of the Republic of Armenia with the possibility of exporting them.
We believe that the upcoming US presidential election, which is scheduled for November 3, 2020, will not affect the increase in subsidies to Armenia and Artsakh, unless the Armenian side offers and substantiates alternative ways to receive financial support. The fact is that the current US President has not declared his intention of changing the main logic of his policy. As for the main opponent of Donald Trump - Joe Biden - in this case there are both positive and negative factors for Armenia and Artsakh. On the one hand, Biden is a member of the US Democratic Party, which has supported other countries and international organizations more often than Republicans. On the other hand, Biden says that it is necessary to continue the fight against terrorism in the Middle East, so the logic of external support will be based on the factor of ensuring security, mainly by military means. In our opinion, Armenia, as a member of the CSTO, will be in a difficult geopolitical situation if it decides to participate in anti-terrorist operations and receive military support from the United States.
At the end of March 2020, it was announced that the United States will allocate $ 1.1 million to Armenia to fight against the coronavirus and its consequences. Delegation of the European Union to Armenia declared that the EU will provide assistance to Armenia in the amount of 51 million euros, which will be used to purchase medical equipment, advanced training of medical staff, as well as for supporting small and medium-sized businesses13. This kind of assistance can become a precedent for future subsidies on mutually beneficial terms with the aim of development of medicine and agriculture in the territory of Armenia and Artsakh.
ԱՐՑԱԽԻՆ ՀԱՏԿԱՑՎՈՂ ԱՄԵՐԻԿՅԱՆ ՕԳՆՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՌԱԶՄԱՎԱՐՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՓՈԽԱԿԵՐՊՈՒՄԸ POST-COVID ԴԱՐԱՇՐՋԱՆԻ ՏՆՏԵՍԱԿԱՆ ՆՈՐ ՔԱՂԱՔԱԿԱՆՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՀԱՄԱՏԵՔՍՏՈՒՄ
ՄԱՐՏՈՒՆ ԱԶԱՏՅԱՆ
Հայ-ռուսական համալսարանի միջազգային հարաբերությունների ամբիոնի ասպիրանտ, ք. Երևան, Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն
Հոդվածում ուսումնասիրվում են Միջազգային զարգացման աջակցության գաղափարի' որպես միջազգային հարաբերությունների առանձին ճյուղի վերածվելու գործընթացի ակունքները ԱՄՆ օրինակով։ Վերլուծվում են Արցախին տրամադրվող ամերիկյան աջակցության առանձնահատկությունները՝ Հարավային Կովկասում ԱՄՆ շահերին համապատասխան։ Ուսումնասիրության նպատակն է բացահայտել համաշխարհային տնտեսական համակարգի փոփոխվող իրողություններում ԱՄՆ կողմից ֆինանսական հատկացումների հնարավոր փոխակերպումները, ինչը հնարավորություն կտա մշակել առաջարկություններ՝ համաճարակի պայմաններում արտադրության առավել պահանջված ճյուղերի զարգացման համար: Հոդվածում օգտագործվում են էմպիրիկ (համեմատություն) և տեսական (վերլուծություն ու սինթեզ) հետազոտության մեթոդները: Ամենամյա հատկացումների համեմատական
վերլուծության հիման վրա եզրակացություն է արվում, որ ֆինանսական օգնության չափն ու ուղղվածությունը կախված են տարածաշրջանում կայուն զարգացման գործընթացի պահպանման անհրաժեշտությունից: Դիտարկվում է կորոնավիրուսի համաճարակի ազդեցությունը դոտացիաների չափի վրա, առաջարկվում է Արցախի
13 ЕС предоставит Армении 51 млн. евро на борьбу с коронавирусом: https://newsarmenia.am/news/armenia/es-predostavit-armenii-51-mln-evro-na-borbu-s-koronavirusom/.
22
ԳԻՏԱԿԱՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ SCIENTIFIC ARTSAKH НАУЧНЫЙ АРЦАХ № 2(5), 2020
գյուղատնտեսական և բժշկական սեկտորների հզորացում' ուղղված երկրի մոբիյիզացիոն ներուժի բարձրացմանը։ Իբրև արդյունք՝ Արցախն ու Հայաստանը, որպես առանցքային դերակատարներ, կբարձրացնեն իրենց դերը տարածաշրջանում կայունության պահպանման գործընթացում և փակ սահմանների դեպքում կապահովեն երկու երկրների բնակչությանը առաջին անհրաժեշտության ապրանքներով:
Հիմնաբառեր' Արցախ, ԱՄՆ, USAID, ֆինանսական օգնություն, կորոնավիրուս, տնտեսություն, փոխակերպում:
ТРАНСФОРМАЦИЯ СТРАТЕГИИ АМЕРИКАНСКОЙ ПОМОЩИ АРЦАХУ В КОНТЕКСТЕ НОВОЙ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ ПОЛИТИКИ ЭРЫ POST-COVID
МАРТУН АЗАТЯН
аспирант кафедры международных отношений Российско-Армянского Университета, г. Ереван, Республика Армения
Статья рассматривает предпосылки идеи содействия международному развитию (СМР) и процесса его преобразования в отдельную отрасль международных отношений на примере США. Анализируется специфика американской поддержки Арцаха в соответствии с интересами США на Южном Кавказе.
Цель исследования – выявление возможных трансформаций американских ассигнований Арцаху в изменяющихся реалиях мировой экономической системы, что позволит выработать рекомендации для развития наиболее востребованных отраслей производства в условиях пандемии. В статье использованы методы эмпирического (сравнение) и теоретического (анализ и синтез) исследования. На основе сравнительного анализа ежегодных выплат делается заключение, что размер и направленность финансовой помощи зависят от необходимости поддержания процесса устойчивого развития в регионе. Рассматривается влияние пандемии коронавируса на размер дотаций, делаются предложения по усилению сельскохозяйственного и медицинского секторов Арцаха для увеличения мобилизационного потенциала страны. Как результат, Арцах и Армения повысят свою роль ключевых игроков в деле сохранения стабильности в регионе и обеспечaт население стран продукцией первой необходимости в случае закрытия границ.
Ключевые слова: Арцах, США, USAID, финансовая помощь, коронавирус, экономика, трансформация.
23
