Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Sargsyan's Interview To Russian Today TV

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Sargsyan's Interview To Russian Today TV

    SARGSIAN'S INTERVIEW TO RUSSIA TODAY TV

    Azg
    April 24 2009
    Armenia

    Question - Alexander Gurnov: Good evening, Mr. President. Thank you
    for accepting our interview invitation. The first question, I would
    like to address is the following: what is the meaning of the date of
    April 24 for you as the President of the Republic of Armenia.

    Answer: Serzh Sargsian, President of Armenia: Good afternoon! The
    history of the people of Armenia is calculated in thousands of
    years. Throughout that history we've had victories and defeats;
    we have had gains and losses. But throughout our history there
    is one turning point which is a dividing line. And that point is
    the April 24 of 1915. After that we deal with absolutely different
    reality. Hundreds of thousands and millions of people were living and
    creating a cultural heritage and their daily life in their homeland,
    but were made to leave those lands - part of which were massacred and
    the other part had to escape to survive. And today in the world there
    is no, almost no country where are no Armenians. The population of
    today's Armenia, almost half of it, are the heirs of the survivors of
    the genocide. And these are realities which are in our life every day.

    Today if you move from Yerevan 15-20 km towards Turkey you would see
    the last closed border of Europe. Armenia gained its independence in
    1991. And for 18 years now that border is closed. I cite this example
    not to say that we are under blockade, but to make it clear that April
    24 of 1915 is everyday present in our lives. April 24 is officially
    announced as the day of the victims of the genocide. But even before
    being officially recognized as such a date, April 24 has always been
    for our people such a day of memory and remembrance, also for me as
    one of the representatives of our people.

    But for me as the President of Armenia it is my duty to take measures
    to soften the impact of that terrible tragedy and to take measures
    to make sure that such crimes will not repeat in the future. And
    the most efficient way for that is the international recognition of
    the genocide.

    Question - Alexander Gurnov: These days many believe that the President
    of the United States Barak Obama is likely to recognize the Armenian
    genocide as he had promised during his election campaign. What is
    the reason Armenians attach such a big importance to the genocide
    recognition?

    Answer: Serzh Sargsian, President of Armenia: Firstly, the recognition
    of the genocide is the most efficient way for the prevention from
    such crimes in the future. Secondly, justice means much for the
    Armenian people. And recognition of the genocide is also affected
    by that belief. There is no single Armenian in the world that is not
    affected somehow by that genocide. And obviously each Armenian wants
    to see justice in that regard.

    The United States has been extensively present in the Ottoman
    Empire through their diplomatic corps, through their missionaries,
    businesspeople. We all know they had insurance companies functioning in
    the Ottoman Empire. And for the US there is no doubt about the historic
    nature of the genocide as it has taken place. They do not need any
    additional proves or witnesses from us. I want to remind that 42 states
    of the US have recognized the genocide. I want to remind that when the
    US Congress Foreign Affairs Committee was hearing the case and they
    do it on regular basis discussing the issue of the Armenian genocide -
    it is almost unanimous recognition that there was genocide. But some of
    the congressmen say: "Yes, there has been genocide, and the US has to
    recognize that reality". And the others say: "Yes, it has taken place,
    but now it is not in the national interests of the US to recognize it."

    /i> Question - Alexander Gurnov: Mr. President, you described the
    border with Turkey as the last closed one in Europe. In what degree
    the events of 1915 hinder your relations with Turkey nowadays, about
    100 years after the Genocide? What are the current perspectives of
    normalization of relations?

    Answer: Serzh Sargsian, President of Armenia: As I have mentioned,
    April 24 1915 has everyday presence in our live. But also as you know
    I have invited the President of Turkey Mr. Gul to come to Yerevan
    last year in September to jointly watch the football game between
    Armenia and Turkey and also to talk about our relations. And as you
    know Mr. Gul accepted that invitation and visited Yerevan. We have
    started an intensive negotiation stage with Turkey to establish
    diplomatic relations.

    We base ourselves on the fact that there has been genocide,
    but non-recognition of that genocide by Turkey is not watched
    by us as an insurmountable obstacle for the establishment of the
    relations. We are in favor of having relations with Turkey without
    any preconditions. As you know before Gul`s visit to Armenia Turkey
    was offering two preconditions. One of them - genocide related and
    the other - Naghorno Karabakh problem. In the negotiations that we
    have had since, we both, Armenia and Turkey, took stance that our
    negotiations shall proceed without any preconditions: establishment of
    relations without preconditions and then discussion of any questions
    that might be of interest to the parties.

    And as you know Mr. Gul invited me to Turkey to jointly watch the
    return football game and I will be happy to accept that invitation
    and will visit Turkey, if by that time the border is open or at least
    we are very close to that. Till recent period of time, everyone
    was convinced that we have significantly progressed and there was
    some expectation that would allow having a historic breakthrough,
    but recently there have been statements by the Prime Minister of
    Turkey to the effect that the Armenian-Turkish relations can improve
    if Armenia compromises on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We watch this
    as a step back from the existing agreements and as a precondition
    being put forward. I believe that in our relations we have progressed
    sufficiently. And now the ball is on the Turkish side of the field. And
    if we use the football terminology (as this process has been labeled as
    "football diplomacy" by the media) then we can say that any football
    game has a certain timeframe that limits it.

    Question - Alexander Gurnov: Mr. President, you mentioned the
    Naghorno-Karabakh conflict. What are the perspectives of peaceful
    settlement of Naghorno-Karabakh conflict and normalization of relations
    with Azerbaijan - another important neighbor?

    Answer: Serzh Sargsian, President of Armenia: As you know, the problem
    of Nagorno-Karabakh is dealt with by the Minsk group and its co-chairs:
    Russia, the US and France. And from the beginning of the presidency, I
    have had three meetings with my Azeri counterpart Mr. Ilham Aliev. And
    I think this one year has been a sufficient period for us to understand
    each other's positions, clarify those positions, and make our judgments
    on them. I think now it is the right time to speed up the whole process
    and to move towards mutually acceptable solutions. And as you know
    the key point of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the right to self
    determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. If this issue is
    solved, then all the other issues of concern can be solved.

    I am happy that most recently the leadership of Azerbaijan has been
    talking about solving this conflict on the basis of all principles of
    the international law. A few days ago the President of Azerbaijan has
    met the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and he has talked to the
    Russian media and reiterated that this problem has to be solved on
    the basis of all principles of international law. And to remind you
    I want to tell that for a long time the leadership of Azerbaijan has
    been talking about solving this Nagorno-Karabakh conflict either by
    military means or only on the principle of the territorial integrity.

    In general when I hear people speaking about territorial integrity
    in many cases not knowing the substance of the conflict or due to
    political considerations many people prefer to say things that put
    them into a very delicate condition - in many cases I start to think
    that there are not only double, but also triple standards. Within
    the last twenty years, the membership of the United Nations has been
    increased by forty sovereign states. Forty out of 192 member states
    of the UN have joined the organization in the last twenty years. How
    could one then speak about inviolability of frontiers? Of course, I am
    in favor of, and I can never be against the principle of territorial
    integrity of states and we have never had any territorial claims
    towards Azerbaijan. The problem is being deformed here.

    It is the initiative of self-determination of the people of
    Nagorno-Karabakh that has been represented as a territorial
    claim of Armenia towards Azerbaijan, which is of course not
    true. Nagorno-Karabakh was merged to Azerbaijan in the Soviet period
    by the decision of the Communist Party Body and even in that case the
    Constitution of the Soviet Union was straightforwardly providing for
    the autonomous status of Nagorno-Karabakh as a district. In other
    words, it was recognized as some national state arrangement. And
    Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous district succeeded from the Soviet Union
    and Azerbaijan according to the legislation of the Soviet Union. When
    Azerbaijan today is speaking about the occupation of the part of
    its territory, to put it in a most soft way, they forget how these
    events unfolded. In 1991, along with Azerbaijan, Naghorno Karabakh
    succeeded from the Soviet Union after which it suffered an aggression
    from Azerbaijan and as the result of the military actions that were
    imposed by Azerbaijan we have what we have today.

    Indeed, today forces of self-defense of Naghorno Karabakh control
    also such territories which in the past have not been part of
    Naghorno Karabakh autonomous district, but it should be remembered,
    that people of Naghorno Karabakh call those territories "security
    zone". Despite the fact that the cease-fire stands for 15 years,
    the cause-consequences relationships in that conflict have not
    changed. From those territories on a daily bases thousands of shells
    were thrown on peaceful inhabitants of Naghorno Karabakh, and it is
    not right to accuse the people of Naghorno Karabakh, Armenians that
    they have been able to secure their right for life by a heavy price
    of their blood, and to call that an 'occupation.' I don't think it
    is a just approach.

    I want to repeat that I am very happy that the President of Azerbaijan,
    a few days ago, when he was speaking about international law principles
    he also spoke about the fact that this also has to be addressed on
    the basis of all founding principles of the UN and OSCE. Of course,
    this is the way to move forward. As we all know, the most recent
    ministerial summit of OSCE that took place at the end of 2008 in
    Helsinki has stated three principles: the right to self determination,
    territorial integrity and non-use of force as the guiding principles
    for the solution of this conflict. And these principles are the basis
    for the negotiations also incorporated into the framework document
    offered to us by the Minsk Group co-chairs. So, if we look from this
    perspective we have advanced significantly. There are possibilities
    and chances that situation can greatly change as well.

    Question - Alexander Gurnov: Mr. President, there is an opinion that
    many problems in the post soviet area can be resolved through CIS
    structures. According to another opinion, CIS has already exhausted
    itself. Do you think that this is true or are there resources to
    be used?

    Answer: Serzh Sargsian, President of Armenia: I do not think that the
    CIS has exhausted its resources and I have to state that the cease
    fire that has been signed in 1994 has been signed exactly under the
    auspices of the CIS. And this once again comes to prove that the CIS
    is definitely needed. Any organization can be only what its members
    want to see and make out of it. We have lived within one country for
    70 years. And many countries for decades had been the part of the
    Russian Empire before that. And to immediately interrupt all those
    connections and ties - I do not think it is right or productive. If
    countries like Canada or Australia till now keep their connections
    and do not cut their ties with the United Kingdom, with the Royal
    dynasty of the UK - it does not mean that Canada or Australia are
    less sovereign states than we are. Within decades and centuries they
    have created ties and connections that can be very beneficial within
    the Commonwealth. Here much depends on Russia. If Russia believes
    that the CIS is an important and needed structure, I think that the
    resources of the CIS are increasing.

    Question - Alexander Gurnov: Mr. President, Russia is actively
    voicing the idea of the need to review the existing system of European
    security and stressing the necessity to sign a new Treaty on European
    security. In what degree official Yerevan shares this approach?

    Answer: Serzh Sargsian, President of Armenia: I understand the
    motivation of my Russian colleagues. I understand the position of
    the Russian Federation. The security system that we see today was
    formed decades ago, when it was difficult to take into account all
    the realities, when the threats and challenges were significantly
    different from what we face today. And exactly for that reason there
    is need for some amendments and changes to the security system. Let
    me bring a few examples. If we speak about the efficiency of OSCE,
    as you know, there is an agreement regulating the conventional forces
    in Europe and providing for certain quotas for each signatory country.

    For a long period of time, Azerbaijan is significantly violating those
    quotas. It was violating these quotas by getting supplies from one or
    a few countries which are parties to the same treaty. And it seems that
    no one is ready to take necessary steps to show us mechanisms for those
    quotas. Security systems are usually being formed at the time of global
    shocks - and the two world wars were the shocks like that. There are
    analysts who even believe that it is a precondition for the formation
    of a new security system - there should be a global shock before a
    new international security architecture can be formed. But I hope,
    that at the time of this global economic crisis the big powers of the
    world will consider this as the major international shock that would
    allow changing the security architecture as well within the European
    model of security.
Working...
X