Chancellor Merkel’s Caucasian Adventures

Her stroll along Northern Avenue in Yerevan was remarkable. The Iron Lady was visibly relaxed and smiling. She was hugging and kissing not only the leaders in Armenia and their families, but also ordinary citizens. How much of that mutual good will can translate into political assets remains to be seen. She acknowledged that she was visiting a capital city that was 2,800 years old which had left its mark on human civilization. She also admitted that the freedom brought by the recent Velvet Revolution was palpable.

During the banquet honoring the guest and during the joint press conference, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated that Germany was Armenia’s third largest trading partner in the world and its first in Europe. He also offered foreign policy clarifications, saying that Armenia does not build its foreign policy with one country at the expense of another. He firmly stated that relations with Russia remain strong, while the country is deepening relations with the European Union.

Ms. Merkel further added that the policy pursued by Armenia may serve as a conduit for European firms to reach out to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and Iranian markets. She also offered to help resolve the Karabakh conflict, in her capacity as a member of the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe, whose Minsk Group is tasked with bringing peace to Karabakh. Although the chancellor adhered to an even-handed policy on the Karabakh issue, on August 21, the German government’s spokesman Steffan Seibert told reporters that the “position of Azerbaijan authorities does not contribute to the dialogue around Nagorno Karabakh.”

At the conclusion of the chancellor’s visit, it was agreed that Mr. Pashinyan would come up within six months with a way for Germany to help Armenia advance. One of the projects may be the development of the infrastructure of Armenia’s irrigation system. When the Bundestag resolution was adopted there was also admission of guilt for German participation — or at least collusion — in the Armenian Genocide.

There is blood on German hands from three genocides in the 20th century. The first was in Namibia in 1904 and 1908 when the Herero and Nama tribe members were exterminated. Today Namibia is suing the German government for compensation.

The second was the Armenian Genocide, which if not organized, was at least tolerated by Germany and the third, of course, is the Jewish Holocaust, for which Germany paid compensation to the new Republic of Israel at an astronomical rate.

There was talk that Germany can voluntarily assume to develop Armenia’s irrigation system and save Lake Sevan.

It was a miracle that a 30-kilometer underground canal was dug during the Soviet era to divert the waters of Arpa River into Lake Sevan. Ever since then, the irresponsible use of Sevan’s waters is leading to the dangerous diminishment of that water resource and a rescue plan is in order at this time.

Lake Sevan, with a water surface elevation of 6,234 feet is the second highest navigable water body after Lake Titicaca in the Andes between Peru and Bolivia, which is 12,507 feet high.

Chancellor Merkel’s Caucasian visit was concluded with a sour note in Azerbaijan, where she was greeted by a third-level government functionary, the deputy prime minister. Even before arriving in Baku, one of her delegation members, Albert Weiler, was labeled persona non grata and she gracefully replaced him with another member. But once in Baku, she did not mince her words in reminding President Aliyev about the corruption in the country, the abuse of human rights and the existence of political prisoners.

Ms. Merkel did not stay overnight in Baku, as she had done in Tbilisi and Yerevan.

That, in itself, was a statement.

At a moment when President Trump is bashing Germany, the strongest country in Europe is cautiously looking for alternative partners, at least in trade, if not in politics. With Germany’s help to lift up Armenia’s economy, maybe a window over Europe is opening at this time.