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ARMENIA MUST SHED ILLUSIONS AND FOCUS ON INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
David Stepanyan
ArmInfo
2010-05-03 16:19:00
Head of Armenian Parliament Commission for Defense, National Security
and Internal Affairs Hrayr Karapetyan's interview with ArmInfo
Mr. Karapetyan, what made the president suspend the ratification
procedure of the Protocols and what steps are possible in this area
in future?
The president's statement became the logical continuation of his
earlier statements, in particular, the one he made near Woodrow
Wilson's grave in Washington. The president's statement on 22 April
proved once again ARFD's concerns that Turkey keeps on talking to
Armenia the language of pre-conditions because of the Protocols. They
in Armenia and Turkey perceive the content of the Protocols differently
which has become an unsolved problem. Suspension of the ratification
process by Armenia has become a positive step, but political expediency
dictates the necessity of recalling Armenia's signature from under
the Protocols. It is obvious that Turkey is not going to ratify these
documents and it is senseless to wait for progress in this direction,
as Turks openly say that the Protocols may be ratified only in
case the Karabakh conflict is resolved according to the interests
of Azerbaijan. Moreover, Turkey continues hindering the process of
international recognition of the Armenian genocide and linking it with
the prospects of setting up the known commission of historians. In this
way Turkey is also striving to gain time. I think it is already clear
to everybody, as I see no reason to be optimistic about the Turkish
constructivism. Therefore, Armenia must shed illusions and focus
on international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Barack Obama
called the Armenian Genocide with the Armenian words "Meds Yeghern",
which was of moral, and not of political force.
It is the relevant decision by the Congress that will have political
force. Therefore, welcoming the decision of the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs to affirm H. Res. 252, our parliamentary delegations
should participate in the parliamentary discussions on the Armenian
Genocide in any country, like it was in Washington. We must not pin
hopes only with April 24. To achieve justice, Armenia must fight for
it constantly.
May the unconstructive position of Turkey, which Armenia outlined once
again on April 22, become an impetus to the process of international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide?
I think yes. But recalling signatures from under the Protocols by
Armenia would become a more important stimulus, as the unjustified
hope for ratification of the Protocols by Turkey is still in the air.
For this reason Armenia should finally demonstrate hopelessness
of the Protocols to the whole world, so that European and American
parliamentarians not have in their arsenal the Protocols as a reason
to refuse recognition of the obvious fact of the Armenian genocide.
Foreign Minister of Iran Mottaki has reiterated recently his country's
intention to mediate settlement of the Karabakh conflict and offered
the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan to hold a trilateral
meeting in Tehran. Azerbaijan has already given its consent to Iran's
mediation. How prospective and expedient is that initiative?
I am not yet informed of the Armenian Foreign Ministry's stance on
this issue. As for ARFD, we welcome neutral approach of Iran to the
Karabakh problem and understand that Iran is the only country in
the world bordering with the NKR. However, we think that Iran should
become at least an OSCE MG member to carry out its mediatory mission.
At present, the Minsk Group is the only competent body in the Karabakh
conflict settlement, with long experience and certain results. As
regards Azerbaijan's agreement, it is speculative and based on
the factor of Azerbaijanis living in Iran. It is more like a usual
propaganda by Azerbaijan.
Aliyev has become more bellicose recently. Now he threatens to leave
the process, then he speaks of some cloudy "alternative plan" and
again says he will "never put up with" the current situation. What
does that president for life want?
The core of this program is clear to us: he wants to blackmail us.
Aliyev tries to blackmail not only Armenia and the NKR, but also the
USA, EU, Russia and almost all the international organizations.
This demonstrates the fact that Azerbaijan had long ago put up with
the reality and sees no other way of settling the conflict in its
favor. Baku is well aware that the world cannot but reckon with
the fact and the right of the Karabakh people to self-determination
and it cannot ignore this right in favor of "territorial integrity"
of Azerbaijan. Baku cannot accept this. There are many examples of
perception of this position: Kosovo, Abkhazia, South Ossetia etc. By
the way, the Berlin Wall destroyed long ago and the public will better
realize the principle of the peoples' right to self-determination in
succession of time unlike the principle of territorial integrity.
Ignoring the peoples' right to self-determination and human rights
protection has become illogical now when human rights are the prior
in the civilized world. In Azerbaijan they already understand this
too and are trying to blackmail. But application of this medieval
method is becoming more and more ineffective, and it no longer has
place in the world arena, since the policy of the double standards
is gradually exhausting. That is why over the last period of time
Aliyev's aggressiveness pursues just local propagandist goals. Aliyev's
desire to feed his child, i.e. Azerbaijani propaganda, with bellicose
statements from time to time is quite clear especially against the
background of change of generations in Azerbaijan where the people
more and more agree to the idea that Karabakh cannot be a part of
Azerbaijan. The psychology in Karabakh has also changed, for the
new independent generation was born and grown up in the independent
country, and it cannot even imagine all the "charms" of living in
authoritarian Azerbaijan.
And my last question is regarding long-term outlook. Armenia has
territorial claims to Turkey and Azerbaijan has territorial claims
to Armenia. What may change the status-quo in the region?
We do not condition Armenian-Turkish problems just by territorial
claims. It means much more for ARF Dashnaktsutyun to achieve Hay
Dat than to achieve solution to territorial problems. That is why,
international recognition of the Genocide fact, which does not imply
territorial issues, is also very important for us, as it aims to
achieve historical justice. After all, besides elimination of the
cultural cream of our society and extermination of 1.5 million of
Armenians, we lost a part of our Motherland, so this problem is much
more difficult and important for us. Therefore, it implies a complex
of knotty issues and is not limited to territorial claims. Whereas the
status-quo that was established after Azerbaijan's aggression against
the Karabakh people, it is the result of the national liberation
fight of the Armenian people that had to correct the mistakes of
Boshevik policy. Many such mistakes have already been corrected
and I do not see any reason hindering us to correct this one too. I
think that Azerbaijan may obtain to some-extent favorable settlement
of the Karabakh conflict only if it agrees with the fact of the
Karabakh people's self-determination. This is the only opportunity for
Azerbaijan, since time plays into the hands of Armenia. As regards the
armed scenario of settling the conflict, I do not think it is possible,
because Baku is well aware that just having unleashed the first war
in Karabakh they had found themselves in a catastrophic situation.
Azerbaijanis used to say that after so tangible losses it is
impossible to bring the life in Azerbaijan to the pre-war level. A
second aggression will become a catastrophe for Azerbaijan, since the
Armenian people will fight for their freedom and land, whereas most
Azerbaijanis are sure that they will fight not for their motherland. I
will not speak of armament, fighting efficiency, the quantity of our
army, because these are secondary factors. History shows that winners
are those who fight for their Motherland.
David Stepanyan
ArmInfo
2010-05-03 16:19:00
Head of Armenian Parliament Commission for Defense, National Security
and Internal Affairs Hrayr Karapetyan's interview with ArmInfo
Mr. Karapetyan, what made the president suspend the ratification
procedure of the Protocols and what steps are possible in this area
in future?
The president's statement became the logical continuation of his
earlier statements, in particular, the one he made near Woodrow
Wilson's grave in Washington. The president's statement on 22 April
proved once again ARFD's concerns that Turkey keeps on talking to
Armenia the language of pre-conditions because of the Protocols. They
in Armenia and Turkey perceive the content of the Protocols differently
which has become an unsolved problem. Suspension of the ratification
process by Armenia has become a positive step, but political expediency
dictates the necessity of recalling Armenia's signature from under
the Protocols. It is obvious that Turkey is not going to ratify these
documents and it is senseless to wait for progress in this direction,
as Turks openly say that the Protocols may be ratified only in
case the Karabakh conflict is resolved according to the interests
of Azerbaijan. Moreover, Turkey continues hindering the process of
international recognition of the Armenian genocide and linking it with
the prospects of setting up the known commission of historians. In this
way Turkey is also striving to gain time. I think it is already clear
to everybody, as I see no reason to be optimistic about the Turkish
constructivism. Therefore, Armenia must shed illusions and focus
on international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Barack Obama
called the Armenian Genocide with the Armenian words "Meds Yeghern",
which was of moral, and not of political force.
It is the relevant decision by the Congress that will have political
force. Therefore, welcoming the decision of the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs to affirm H. Res. 252, our parliamentary delegations
should participate in the parliamentary discussions on the Armenian
Genocide in any country, like it was in Washington. We must not pin
hopes only with April 24. To achieve justice, Armenia must fight for
it constantly.
May the unconstructive position of Turkey, which Armenia outlined once
again on April 22, become an impetus to the process of international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide?
I think yes. But recalling signatures from under the Protocols by
Armenia would become a more important stimulus, as the unjustified
hope for ratification of the Protocols by Turkey is still in the air.
For this reason Armenia should finally demonstrate hopelessness
of the Protocols to the whole world, so that European and American
parliamentarians not have in their arsenal the Protocols as a reason
to refuse recognition of the obvious fact of the Armenian genocide.
Foreign Minister of Iran Mottaki has reiterated recently his country's
intention to mediate settlement of the Karabakh conflict and offered
the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan to hold a trilateral
meeting in Tehran. Azerbaijan has already given its consent to Iran's
mediation. How prospective and expedient is that initiative?
I am not yet informed of the Armenian Foreign Ministry's stance on
this issue. As for ARFD, we welcome neutral approach of Iran to the
Karabakh problem and understand that Iran is the only country in
the world bordering with the NKR. However, we think that Iran should
become at least an OSCE MG member to carry out its mediatory mission.
At present, the Minsk Group is the only competent body in the Karabakh
conflict settlement, with long experience and certain results. As
regards Azerbaijan's agreement, it is speculative and based on
the factor of Azerbaijanis living in Iran. It is more like a usual
propaganda by Azerbaijan.
Aliyev has become more bellicose recently. Now he threatens to leave
the process, then he speaks of some cloudy "alternative plan" and
again says he will "never put up with" the current situation. What
does that president for life want?
The core of this program is clear to us: he wants to blackmail us.
Aliyev tries to blackmail not only Armenia and the NKR, but also the
USA, EU, Russia and almost all the international organizations.
This demonstrates the fact that Azerbaijan had long ago put up with
the reality and sees no other way of settling the conflict in its
favor. Baku is well aware that the world cannot but reckon with
the fact and the right of the Karabakh people to self-determination
and it cannot ignore this right in favor of "territorial integrity"
of Azerbaijan. Baku cannot accept this. There are many examples of
perception of this position: Kosovo, Abkhazia, South Ossetia etc. By
the way, the Berlin Wall destroyed long ago and the public will better
realize the principle of the peoples' right to self-determination in
succession of time unlike the principle of territorial integrity.
Ignoring the peoples' right to self-determination and human rights
protection has become illogical now when human rights are the prior
in the civilized world. In Azerbaijan they already understand this
too and are trying to blackmail. But application of this medieval
method is becoming more and more ineffective, and it no longer has
place in the world arena, since the policy of the double standards
is gradually exhausting. That is why over the last period of time
Aliyev's aggressiveness pursues just local propagandist goals. Aliyev's
desire to feed his child, i.e. Azerbaijani propaganda, with bellicose
statements from time to time is quite clear especially against the
background of change of generations in Azerbaijan where the people
more and more agree to the idea that Karabakh cannot be a part of
Azerbaijan. The psychology in Karabakh has also changed, for the
new independent generation was born and grown up in the independent
country, and it cannot even imagine all the "charms" of living in
authoritarian Azerbaijan.
And my last question is regarding long-term outlook. Armenia has
territorial claims to Turkey and Azerbaijan has territorial claims
to Armenia. What may change the status-quo in the region?
We do not condition Armenian-Turkish problems just by territorial
claims. It means much more for ARF Dashnaktsutyun to achieve Hay
Dat than to achieve solution to territorial problems. That is why,
international recognition of the Genocide fact, which does not imply
territorial issues, is also very important for us, as it aims to
achieve historical justice. After all, besides elimination of the
cultural cream of our society and extermination of 1.5 million of
Armenians, we lost a part of our Motherland, so this problem is much
more difficult and important for us. Therefore, it implies a complex
of knotty issues and is not limited to territorial claims. Whereas the
status-quo that was established after Azerbaijan's aggression against
the Karabakh people, it is the result of the national liberation
fight of the Armenian people that had to correct the mistakes of
Boshevik policy. Many such mistakes have already been corrected
and I do not see any reason hindering us to correct this one too. I
think that Azerbaijan may obtain to some-extent favorable settlement
of the Karabakh conflict only if it agrees with the fact of the
Karabakh people's self-determination. This is the only opportunity for
Azerbaijan, since time plays into the hands of Armenia. As regards the
armed scenario of settling the conflict, I do not think it is possible,
because Baku is well aware that just having unleashed the first war
in Karabakh they had found themselves in a catastrophic situation.
Azerbaijanis used to say that after so tangible losses it is
impossible to bring the life in Azerbaijan to the pre-war level. A
second aggression will become a catastrophe for Azerbaijan, since the
Armenian people will fight for their freedom and land, whereas most
Azerbaijanis are sure that they will fight not for their motherland. I
will not speak of armament, fighting efficiency, the quantity of our
army, because these are secondary factors. History shows that winners
are those who fight for their Motherland.