SMALL-STATE POLITICS AND ALLIANCES: AN ANALYSIS OF ARMENIA-NATO PARTNERSHIP UNTIL THE VELVET REVOLUTION

The primary aim of this study is to examine small states' politics of alliances in the case of Armenia-NATO relations. In this context, this article also identifies several approaches for explaining the foreign policies of small states within the framework of International Relations (IR) literature, with a specific focus on the case of Armenia. The initial sections of this article delve into the definition and characterization of small states, as well as evaluate the theoretical discussions that highlight the significance of both domestic and international factors in the decision-making process. This study scrutinizes the foreign policy of Armenia, thereby shedding light on the processes that pave the way for the Armenia-NATO partnership. Subsequently, this study argues that the Armenian way of alliances can only be understood by analyzing both internal and external factors combined. While the paper indicates that Armenia-NATO relations have not fundamentally transformed the entire context of Armenian foreign policy, it reveals that this growing partnership has created certain opportunities and constraints for both parties involved.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Small-state, Foreign policy, alliances, Armenia, NATO

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