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  • Russophilia Hinders Us

    RUSSOPHILIA HINDERS US
    Siranuysh Papyan

    Lragir.am
    http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/interview23126.html
    29/08/2011

    Interview with Haykak Arshamyan, historian

    Haykak, my interlocutors in my recent interviews disbelieve Gallup's
    poll results claiming a 5% decline of Russian sentiment in Armenia.

    But they say Russophilia is deeply rooted. As a historian, could
    you guide us to the beginning of Russophilia? Is it due to the 70
    Soviet years?

    In Armenia, Russophilia dates back to the early 18th century when
    the Armenian national liberation thought gradually faced the Russian
    empire. It was strengthened in the 19th century as Russia captured
    East Armenia. The Armenian political thought gradually fell under
    the influence of the Russian politics. The emergence of the Armenian
    political parties was mainly the influence of the Russian political
    parties and movements.

    The second layer of Russophilia is deeper and is determined by the
    period of the Soviet Union. In those notorious 70 years Armenia bore
    the influence of the Russian empire called the Soviet Union. I think
    current Russophilia is its consequence because in the late 19th
    and early 20th century the Armenian people living in the Russian
    empire were disappointed with the anti-Armenian policy of the Russian
    government innumerous times. It was not accidental that non-pro-Russian
    trends emerged in the Armenian political thought. The disappointment
    with the Russian imperialistic chauvinism was so great that in the
    early 20th century the Armenian political parties tried to cooperate
    with the Turkish political parties. One more example. In 1828 East
    Armenia was annexed by Russia, and after the ensuing Russian-Turkish
    war most Armenians migrated from Persia and Turkey to East Armenia
    hoping to get support there but in a few years they got so disappointed
    with the Russian empire policy and repressions that part of them
    left back for Turkey and Persia. The 19th century was marked by
    Russian advancement toward the Balkans and pan-Slavonism which was a
    dominant ideology not only in Russia but also in the Slavic nations
    of Europe who thought they would be saved if Russian empire extended
    to their region, so the Armenian issue became secondary and marginal
    to pan-Slavonism. The Russian-Turkish wars of the 19th century had
    two fronts, Caucasian and Balkan. Every time Russia succeeded on the
    Caucasian front, it eventually made concessions to gain dividends in
    the Balkans. It was especially evident after the Russian-Turkish war
    in 1877-1878, and only in the late 1890s did the Armenian political
    thought realize that Russia is always ready to ignore the Armenian
    issue for the sake of its geopolitical interests.

    With such experience behind, why is today's government again facing
    Russia?

    Today's government with its innumerable roots is tied to and at the
    same time dependent on Russia. Our government is not only politically
    and economy dependent on the Russian government but also is facing
    the problem of reproduction and every time it gets serious support
    from Moscow.

    These roots are deep, evidence to which are the debt of 100 million
    dollars and the notorious project of property for debt which marked
    another invasion of Armenia by the Russian empire and it gradually
    came into possession of the greater share of our strategic resources -
    communication, energy, railway - in the past decade.

    In your opinion, does Russia stand a chance of democratic transition
    and does it set such a goal? What processes are underway now there
    and here?

    Frankly speaking, I have no expectations of democracy or human
    rights in Russia because it upholds the worst traditions of the same
    Russian empire and the Soviet Union. There, every democratic wave,
    every small uprising is cruelly cracked down by the authorities. The
    Russian imperialism will continue for a long time, the Russian people
    are used to the whip and believe in the idea of the good king. Even
    the worst dictator in Russia is perceived as a good ruler, and the
    surrounding is blamed for everything. The Russian muzhik does not
    blame the tsar, he blames bad officials surrounding the tsar.

    As to Armenia, the situation here is more or less "better" than
    in Russia because in Russia the opposition has been annihilated
    and abandoned. Unfortunately, in Russia there is just a handful of
    opposition led by the chess player Garry Kasparov. The other forces
    accepted the reality and mainly joined the totalitarian government.

    Theoretically, of course, it is possible that if a democratic wave
    rises, changing the situation by miracle, it will affect Armenia. For
    the time being, however, I think Russia leads Armenia to a democratic
    deadlock. The deeper Russophilia and Russian sentiment, the slower
    democratic transition in Armenia will be.

    One of our interlocutors says our political forces are the product
    of the Soviet Union, therefore they bear the influence of the Russian
    policy. Do you agree?

    It is nostalgia for the Soviet Union or just upbringing that people
    can't rid of and get a broader view of the world. Russia itself is
    unaware that the world lives in the 21st century, and the methods
    with which the country is governed, from economy to external and
    internal policies, are obsolete. Those political personalities in
    Armenia who think that we are stuck amid the 90s are badly mistaken,
    in the world the events succeed each other at such a pace, and such
    unpredictable vectors emerge, both the government and the opposition
    of Armenia must be ready to cope with these vectors.

    Should we set a goal to rid of Russophilia or say no to the empire
    and yes to sovereignty?

    In fact, I answered this question for me a long time ago. The people
    who are well-aware of the dangers coming from Russia (although positive
    waves also come from Russia) must shake off the imperialistic mindset.

    Actually, I don't understand the notions "friendship of two nations"
    and "elder and younger brothers". People needn't declare each
    other friends, as we do with Russians and Georgians (and formerly
    with Azerbaijan). There are no brothers, in-law, or hostile nations,
    there are common interests, necessity to coexist in a region, cultural
    relations and interaction.

    What are the positive waves you mentioned?

    The culture created within the Russian empire, education, literature,
    the Russian cultural heritage. When I said positive waves, I meant
    cultural interrelation and interaction.

    Will Turkish-Russian normalization lead to liberation from Russophilia?

    As a historian, I will say that the Armenian issue, the Armenian
    people, Armenian territories were repeatedly sacrificed on the altar
    of the Russian-Turkish relations. I don't think a serious politician
    would not understand this. As to the Russia-Turkey rapprochement, their
    relations are a cloud in the horizon. Although Turkey is undergoing
    internal transformation, there are common economic and political
    interests, and we must keep the Russian-Turkish rapprochement in focus
    and try to counteract and find alternative solutions. Russia has always
    tried to keep the Armenian-Turkish relations under control and Russia
    has a hand in the failure of the Armenian-Turkish protocols. Russia
    will always keep Armenia's foreign policies on Turkey and Iran under
    control.

    What causes nostalgia now when the Soviet Union has been unveiled,
    and everything is clear?

    This has two reasons. First, the transition to liberal economy
    deviated toward a monopolized criminal-oligarchic system. As a result,
    the majority of the public can't see the advantages of an economy
    without monopolies. The Soviet leveled quality of life, almost free
    from polarization, is still vivid in the memories of the society.

    One more observation. The press has recently brought up lustration,
    declassification of KGB archives. I think it's a peculiar form of
    self-clearance, though belated because Eastern Europe and the Baltic
    states did it earlier at the beginning of their independence, which
    helped them overcome inhibitions, people who had cooperated with the
    Soviet Union's security body were banned from government. In Armenia,
    it was not done in the 1990s, and it is not done now, but I am sure
    that declassification of KGB archives will help cleanse the society,
    as well as uproot Russophilia. However, it is not an end in itself,
    therefore I think that it must be done only when free elections
    are held in Armenia, and the society has a genuine participation in
    government. In Armenia, self-cleansing could be triggered by political
    forces which will come to government through democratic elections.

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