Tweet
THE ISSUE OF THE TREATY REVIEW SHOULD BE RAISED AT THE STATE LEVEL
Ruzan Ishkhanian
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=625:-the-issue-of-the-treaty-review-should-be-raised-at-the-state-level&catid=5:politics&Itemid=17
Monday, 09 April 2012 05:39
Will those in Moscow take this step?
Recently, the discussions on reviewing the Moscow Treaty of March 16,
1921 have intensified in some expert circles in the Russian Federation.
It was signed between Kemalist Turkey and Soviet Russia, definitely
testifying to the victory of the Turkish diplomacy. Signing the treaty,
Moscow was guided solely by the claims of Turkey, granting it all the
Armenian areas noted in the Sevres Treaty. Meanwhile, Soviet Russia
was not competent to manage the fate of the Armenian people at its
own discretion. The Russian political scientists, speaking in favor
of the treaty review, stress that to date, it has a negative impact
on the Russian-Armenian relations.
Leader of Dashnaktsutyun faction of the NKR NA, historian Armen
Sargsyan commented on the Moscow Treaty. First of all, the historian
emphasized that he would be glad if Moscow decided to review that
treaty on a state level. He considered interesting this initiative,
noting that it is highly important to know the details of signing
the Moscow Treaty. And as it concerns the Russian-Turkish relations,
naturally, it will also impact the Russian-Azerbaijani relations.
The Moscow Treaty was signed after establishing the Soviet regime
in Armenia (officially, December 2, 1920). By the way, that period a
treaty was signed with Dashnaks, according to which, there could not be
one party in the Armenian reality, and the establishment of the Soviet
rules promised a good future for the Armenian nation. The people were
rejoicing, thinking that Bolshevik Russia would support Armenia. The
Dashnaks tried to prove that just the contrary was expected. And
Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Communist Party of Turkey,
who was on this occasion formally raising the flag of socialism,
created the impression that it was he who was going to disseminate
socialism in the East. For this, he got weapons and everything from
Lenin. It is also a fact that in the days of overall excitement and
triumph some of the Armenian Communists passed to Ataturk's side:
there was a belief that Soviet Russia would help Armenia. "But,
Ataturk realized well that the Communist Party was a Trojan horse
within his country, which would come to an end, and with this purpose,
on January 15, 1921, or a month and a half after the establishment of
Soviet Armenia, it destroyed in a day the Communist Party. Kemal hand
stones on the neck of the Turkish Communists, set them on a rock,
and pushed tem all to a gulf. After this, the Armenian Bolsheviks'
enthusiasm doubled, as they expected that Bolshevik Russia would become
hostile to Turkey. But, the reality proved that Kemal's expectations
were true. Lenin understood that they had no support inside Turkey;
he thought that Armenia was Soviet, i.e. it belonged to him, so he
could take a big step towards Turkey. He could not allow Turkey to
leave him. January 15 was followed by the March 16 Moscow Treaty:
the leader of the proletarian revolution put his signature under the
document", said Armen Sargsyan.
Mr. Sargsyan draws the attention to the illegality of the Moscow
Treaty. That time, neither K. Ataturk's Government nor Bolshevik Russia
were recognized. Thus, on March 16, 1921, two unrecognized Governments
signed a treaty. The Armenian party didn't participate in signing
the treaty: in general, nobody represented Soviet Armenia, which is
considered one of the fatal mistakes of the Armenian Communists.
According to the historian, it is not enough to review only the Moscow
Treaty, considering that first of all, they should declare illegal
the Kars Treaty signed in October 1921, in which Armenia, Georgia,
and Azerbaijan were involved by Russia. As a result, the Bolshevik
leaders signed the Kars Treaty, and in this way the Moscow Treaty was
ratified by the Armenians. By the way, in the autumn of 1921, Bolshevik
Russia wasn't recognized yet. These two agreements have almost the
same meaning. It should be noted that Turkey's foreign policy was
maximalist: this country lost the World War I, and in fact, if not
Bolshevik Russia, Turkey would have been fully divided into parts,
as a result of which we would have had Armenia of the Sevres Treaty.
Turkey was defeated in the World War I, but Russia gave it a title of
winner and lands. There is a remarkable circumstance: when defining
the border, the Russian delegation asked Turkey to agree that at least
Ani, an Armenian cultural city, is included in Soviet Armenia, but the
Turkish delegation struggled to the end and didn't meet the request.
According to the political scientist, the Moscow and Kars Treaties
are a great lesson. They should be taken into account in the process
of the Karabakh conflict settlement.
"At this moment, I do not see any prerequisites, through which Russia
can go to the confrontation with Turkey and review the Moscow or Kars
Treaty", stressed A. Sargsyan, adding, "And if the Kars Treaty is
revised, then a territorial issue should be discussed, because the
Moscow and Kars Treaties resolved, first of all, territorial problems.
It is interesting that Russian political scientists have raised
this issue".
The issue has been repeatedly raised by historians, but it cannot be
yet called Russia's state policy. Armenian historians substantiated
their claim with the fact that the Armenian party had not participated
in the signing of the agreement - the two countries, Russia and Turkey,
were not recognized.
Referring to the historical past, Dashnaktsutyun faction leader
emphasized that Russia had always advanced its national interest in
our region. And this interest will never change. Thus, it is known
that in 1914 the Tsarist Russian troops liberated Western Armenia and
retreated, and a year later, the Armenian Genocide took place. These
are issue, which should not be disregarded. Armenian and Russian
people are old friends, but in the crucial moments, Russia conducted
a short-sighted and inappropriate policy towards its friends. In
particular, it always preferred to yield the Caucasus to solve any
problem in the Balkans. But, these concessions, as history shows,
were always made at the expense of Armenia.
Recalling the current mission of the OSCE Minsk Group, the political
analyst noted that the involvement of international forces in
the peaceful settlement process ensured the maintenance of the
political-military balance. The appreciable work of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs is that they used great efforts for peace keeping. Of
course, in many cases, their decisions remain on paper and their
activities give no tangible results. Thus, they haven't managed yet
to withdraw snipers from the contact-line of the NKR and Azerbaijani
armed forces. The Minsk Group should be used as a guarantee for
peace maintenance.
"In due time, because of the gross error of the Armenian Communists,
the Moscow and Kars Treaties were signed, and in 1994, the ceasefire
agreement was signed. Such processes usually result in increasing the
threat of war. Putting the Karabakh issue under the jurisdiction of
foreign forces promises no success, and the solution of the issue
is conditioned by the process of the NKR recognition", concluded
the historian.
From: Baghdasarian
Ruzan Ishkhanian
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=625:-the-issue-of-the-treaty-review-should-be-raised-at-the-state-level&catid=5:politics&Itemid=17
Monday, 09 April 2012 05:39
Will those in Moscow take this step?
Recently, the discussions on reviewing the Moscow Treaty of March 16,
1921 have intensified in some expert circles in the Russian Federation.
It was signed between Kemalist Turkey and Soviet Russia, definitely
testifying to the victory of the Turkish diplomacy. Signing the treaty,
Moscow was guided solely by the claims of Turkey, granting it all the
Armenian areas noted in the Sevres Treaty. Meanwhile, Soviet Russia
was not competent to manage the fate of the Armenian people at its
own discretion. The Russian political scientists, speaking in favor
of the treaty review, stress that to date, it has a negative impact
on the Russian-Armenian relations.
Leader of Dashnaktsutyun faction of the NKR NA, historian Armen
Sargsyan commented on the Moscow Treaty. First of all, the historian
emphasized that he would be glad if Moscow decided to review that
treaty on a state level. He considered interesting this initiative,
noting that it is highly important to know the details of signing
the Moscow Treaty. And as it concerns the Russian-Turkish relations,
naturally, it will also impact the Russian-Azerbaijani relations.
The Moscow Treaty was signed after establishing the Soviet regime
in Armenia (officially, December 2, 1920). By the way, that period a
treaty was signed with Dashnaks, according to which, there could not be
one party in the Armenian reality, and the establishment of the Soviet
rules promised a good future for the Armenian nation. The people were
rejoicing, thinking that Bolshevik Russia would support Armenia. The
Dashnaks tried to prove that just the contrary was expected. And
Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Communist Party of Turkey,
who was on this occasion formally raising the flag of socialism,
created the impression that it was he who was going to disseminate
socialism in the East. For this, he got weapons and everything from
Lenin. It is also a fact that in the days of overall excitement and
triumph some of the Armenian Communists passed to Ataturk's side:
there was a belief that Soviet Russia would help Armenia. "But,
Ataturk realized well that the Communist Party was a Trojan horse
within his country, which would come to an end, and with this purpose,
on January 15, 1921, or a month and a half after the establishment of
Soviet Armenia, it destroyed in a day the Communist Party. Kemal hand
stones on the neck of the Turkish Communists, set them on a rock,
and pushed tem all to a gulf. After this, the Armenian Bolsheviks'
enthusiasm doubled, as they expected that Bolshevik Russia would become
hostile to Turkey. But, the reality proved that Kemal's expectations
were true. Lenin understood that they had no support inside Turkey;
he thought that Armenia was Soviet, i.e. it belonged to him, so he
could take a big step towards Turkey. He could not allow Turkey to
leave him. January 15 was followed by the March 16 Moscow Treaty:
the leader of the proletarian revolution put his signature under the
document", said Armen Sargsyan.
Mr. Sargsyan draws the attention to the illegality of the Moscow
Treaty. That time, neither K. Ataturk's Government nor Bolshevik Russia
were recognized. Thus, on March 16, 1921, two unrecognized Governments
signed a treaty. The Armenian party didn't participate in signing
the treaty: in general, nobody represented Soviet Armenia, which is
considered one of the fatal mistakes of the Armenian Communists.
According to the historian, it is not enough to review only the Moscow
Treaty, considering that first of all, they should declare illegal
the Kars Treaty signed in October 1921, in which Armenia, Georgia,
and Azerbaijan were involved by Russia. As a result, the Bolshevik
leaders signed the Kars Treaty, and in this way the Moscow Treaty was
ratified by the Armenians. By the way, in the autumn of 1921, Bolshevik
Russia wasn't recognized yet. These two agreements have almost the
same meaning. It should be noted that Turkey's foreign policy was
maximalist: this country lost the World War I, and in fact, if not
Bolshevik Russia, Turkey would have been fully divided into parts,
as a result of which we would have had Armenia of the Sevres Treaty.
Turkey was defeated in the World War I, but Russia gave it a title of
winner and lands. There is a remarkable circumstance: when defining
the border, the Russian delegation asked Turkey to agree that at least
Ani, an Armenian cultural city, is included in Soviet Armenia, but the
Turkish delegation struggled to the end and didn't meet the request.
According to the political scientist, the Moscow and Kars Treaties
are a great lesson. They should be taken into account in the process
of the Karabakh conflict settlement.
"At this moment, I do not see any prerequisites, through which Russia
can go to the confrontation with Turkey and review the Moscow or Kars
Treaty", stressed A. Sargsyan, adding, "And if the Kars Treaty is
revised, then a territorial issue should be discussed, because the
Moscow and Kars Treaties resolved, first of all, territorial problems.
It is interesting that Russian political scientists have raised
this issue".
The issue has been repeatedly raised by historians, but it cannot be
yet called Russia's state policy. Armenian historians substantiated
their claim with the fact that the Armenian party had not participated
in the signing of the agreement - the two countries, Russia and Turkey,
were not recognized.
Referring to the historical past, Dashnaktsutyun faction leader
emphasized that Russia had always advanced its national interest in
our region. And this interest will never change. Thus, it is known
that in 1914 the Tsarist Russian troops liberated Western Armenia and
retreated, and a year later, the Armenian Genocide took place. These
are issue, which should not be disregarded. Armenian and Russian
people are old friends, but in the crucial moments, Russia conducted
a short-sighted and inappropriate policy towards its friends. In
particular, it always preferred to yield the Caucasus to solve any
problem in the Balkans. But, these concessions, as history shows,
were always made at the expense of Armenia.
Recalling the current mission of the OSCE Minsk Group, the political
analyst noted that the involvement of international forces in
the peaceful settlement process ensured the maintenance of the
political-military balance. The appreciable work of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs is that they used great efforts for peace keeping. Of
course, in many cases, their decisions remain on paper and their
activities give no tangible results. Thus, they haven't managed yet
to withdraw snipers from the contact-line of the NKR and Azerbaijani
armed forces. The Minsk Group should be used as a guarantee for
peace maintenance.
"In due time, because of the gross error of the Armenian Communists,
the Moscow and Kars Treaties were signed, and in 1994, the ceasefire
agreement was signed. Such processes usually result in increasing the
threat of war. Putting the Karabakh issue under the jurisdiction of
foreign forces promises no success, and the solution of the issue
is conditioned by the process of the NKR recognition", concluded
the historian.
From: Baghdasarian