Cognac diplomacy

The term ‘cognac diplomacy’ is used to describe giving cognac bottles or other precious items in the form of favor as a means of national diplomacy by Armenians to solve the problem or the issue someone faces. It's especially widely perceived and used expression in Armenia, Russia and post soviet space, familiar with Armenian culture.

Terminology

Armenians have always taken pride in the fact that they are the best manufacturers of cognac. During the XX century Armenians have used cognac to realize their goals and address important issues and therefore called it "national diplomacy." Even Yerevan cognac house owner Ashot Martirosyan admitted:

"Armenian Cognac is a national treasure; I would even call it national diplomacy. It is no secret that we all have solved at least one of our problems in our lives with the help of a bottle of Armenian cognac”

The term "Cognac diplomacy" has entered the lexicon of politicians in informal conversations when discussing Armenia’s gifts to foreign politicians.

Cognac diplomacy in the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe

In January 2017, Volodymyr Ariev, Ukranian MP, representative of Ukranian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe made the statement below:

"Armenian MP's ran after me with a bottle of cognac in Strasbourg hoping me not recognize the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan. And today in the Assembly a rumor is spread that “Ariev’s grandmother is Azerbaijani” Now, I clearly know: if you want to make something ridiculous – just call for advisers from the Armenian parliament. “You don’t even need radio” 

According to the report "Armenian ties as a secret meeting of members of parliament" by the European Centre for Strategic Intelligence, historically, a well-known NGO interested in internal and external security threats in Europe, published on March 6, 2017, corruption allegations include the campaigns created by parliamentarians defending and putting the interests of the Armenian lobby to the fore in foreign countries, and to detriment the interests of many states, including neighboring Azerbaijan.

The report also notes that some human rights organization such Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Human Rights House Foundation, Open Dialog, European Stability Initiave and Helsinki Committees on Human Rights are collaborating with the Armenian network of parliament members and hold anti Azerbaijan campaign for Armenia’s interests. A respected former French journalist and intelligence agent Claude Moniquet, co-founder and director of ESISC noted:

"While no one assumes that Azerbaijan is a perfect and ideal state, it is clear that these unilateral and untruthful attacks are the tool of a hidden political agenda: to defend Armenia's illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and to place the control of all Council of Europe activities in central and Eastern Europe in the hands of a small clique that, despite appearances, hides its private interests behind the purview of the "defence of human rights."

The following report of the European Centre for strategic intelligence titled "Armenian ties as a secret meeting of members of parliament" issued on April 18, 2017 states: Council of Europe on human rights Commissar Mr. “X” talks about how Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, together with Armenian Fund Soros, has accused the Azerbaijani Government of human rights violations in Azerbaijan at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council.

Other cases

Another case of cognac diplomacy occurred in 2012 when Karina Kazinyan, Armenian Ambassador in the UK, met Emma Nicholson, the head of the PACE monitoring mission on the parliamentary elections in Armenia. Leaving her cabinet, she put a bottle of Cognac in a box. Nicholson acknowledged that the problem of corruption alas exists among the observers at elections. After the meeting with Armenian Ambassador Emma Nicholson said:

“It is that international correspondents returned from Armenia with expensive gifts in 2008.This is a very serious subject. It is 2012 now, not 2008” 

In 2015, when the Constitutional Referendum was held in Armenia Levon Zurabyan, an Armenian politician and coordinator of the Armenian National Congress unveiled that Gagik Arutyunyan, the head of the Constitutional Court established at the order of the Armenian President Serj Sarkisyan, bribed the Venice Commission and made lobbyist activity. He claimed that the President and the party of Dashnaksutyun was responsible for this action. The government said the investigation was started on this issue but no result was presented.

External links

• Коньяк как средство национальной дипломатии | Design Deluxe
• Armenia Country Of Facilitation Fees
• Арьев: Армянские депутаты бегали за мной по Страсбургу с коньяком, чтобы я не признавал Нагорный Карабах азербайджанским
• The Armenian Connection; How A Secret Caucus of MPs and NGOs, Since 2012, Created A Network within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to Hide Violations of International Law
• The Armenian Connection; Chapter 2: « Mr X », Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights

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