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Former Foreign Minister Oskanian on a pathway to political self-destruction?
http://www.armenianlife.com/2012/05/11/is-former-foreign-minister-oskanian-on-a-pathway-to-political-self-destruction/
- May 11, 2012
By Appo Jabarian
Executive Publisher/Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine
There is absolutely no doubt that the May 6 Armenian parliamentary
elections were marred by serious irregularities, large-scale bribes
and outright fraud. Many political leaders and observers criticized
the tainted polls - some with healthy, and some others with ulterior
motives.
Soon after the elections ended, Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) came under fire by Armenian former
President Levon Ter-Petrossyan. Interestingly, former Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian, a ranking member of the rival Prosperous Armenia
Party agreed expediently.
Oskanian's all-too-willingness to appease the former Pres.
Ter-Petrossyan seems to have back-fired among his fellow PAP members.
They questioned Oskanian's allegiance.
Exacerbating the situation for Mr. Gagik Tsarukyan the leader of PAP,
Oskanian arbitrarily declared that he `would strongly object to
Prosperous Armenia's establishing a coalition with the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia again.' Naira Zohrabyan, the spokeswoman
of PAP refuted Oskanian's statement.
Committing one political fiasco after another, he erroneously boasted:
`The reason for my leaving the government is that I was discontent
with the situation. Do not think that the authorities longed for my
resignation, rather, they (Pres. Sargsyan's administration) not only
offered me a post, but also begged me to stay.'
In reality, in early 2008, Mr. Oskanian had reportedly appealed and
reportedly even engaged the lobbying services of second Pres.
Kocharyan in order to convince Pres. Sargsyan to grant him a cabinet
post. Back then despite Pres. Kocharyan's efforts with then newly
elected third Pres. Sargsyan; Oskanian was nixed.
Last week, belatedly speaking out against corrupt oligarchs, he
declared: `It seems that people in high echelons of power began to
realize that things cannot continue in this way.'
Commentators on A1plus.am questioned his honesty: `Some people asked
why he did not criticize the authorities when he was holding a
high-ranking position in the government?'
Oskanian stated: `When I was the country's foreign minister, I was in
no way related to the sectors I am criticizing today.'
But many observers are wondering, how come he has now closely
associated himself with PAP's Tsarukyan, one of Armenia's top
oligarchs?
Can anyone function in Armenia without being closely associated with
the oligarchs? Twenty years have passed since Armenia's independence
from the former Soviet Union. Yet, unfortunately Armenia has not been
able to free itself from the yoke of corrupt leaders and plunderers.
So why is Mr. Oskanian shedding crocodile tears and for whom? Is it
because the current powers-that-be refuse to co-opt him?
Now that he is elected as a Member of Parliament, it is widely
anticipated that he will milk to the max his new position by
constantly barraging Armenian readers and viewers with endless chains
of press conferences fueled by petty personal interests and political
vendettas.
As if his dismal popularity both in the homeland and Diaspora wasn't
worrisome enough, a few days ago, he himself triggered a new wave of
anti-Oskanian criticism. He said to Today's Zaman Turkish daily: `If
the problem over the Nagorno-Karabakh could be solved by Armenia and
Turkey, then Turkey could open its border with Armenia.'
Was he hinting at his 2007 anti-Armenian declarations as FM? Back then
he had ignited widespread indignation in Armenia, Artsakh, and the
Diaspora, when he expressed willingness to `hand' the liberated
Armenian Karvadjar in Artsakh to Azerbaijan.
Exposing ex-FM's true persona, in late 2011 the whistleblower website
Wiki Leaks released a classified cable sent by U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia Marie Yovanovitch on February 25, 2010 to report on a meeting
with former FM Oskanian.
During the meeting, the cable said, Oskanian accused Pres. Sargsyan of
`mishandling the entire process. In Oskanian's view, the controversy
surrounding the protocols has prevented any movement on Nagorno
Karabakh. ... Oskanian criticized the manner in which President Sargsyan
has handled the entire process. According to him, the President `put
the cart before the horse.''
`Oskanian did not understand why ... Pres. Sargsyan began the process
with Turkey so publicly, and how unprepared he was for the negative
public reaction. ... the President should have expended his political
capital with Armenian citizens and the Diaspora to persuade them that
some of the Nagorno Karabakh territories must be returned to
Azerbaijan. ... Oskanian said this had been his plan as Foreign
Minister,' the cable says.
In response to the ambassador's question on how to move the process
forward, Oskanian responded that the `protocols cannot be left in
abeyance. ... He truly hopes the protocols will be ratified by both
sides.'
Going further back, in a May 2000 article titled `Exchanging Meghri
With Karabagh: Good Idea or Political Suicide?,' Harut Sassounian,
Publisher of The California Courier blasted then FM Oskanian for the
latter's treasonous idea on giving Meghri to Azerbaijan. During a
community forum in Glendale, California, Oskanian had tried to `sell'
the Meghri Plan: `There are many rumors about the resolution of the
Karabagh conflict. There are criticisms alleging that the Armenian
authorities want to give Meghri to Azerbaijan. In fact, there is a
small degree of truth in those rumors. Such a proposal on the exchange
of territories has been made to the Armenian Republic, to the
President of Armenia. ... It has been rejected... But when people say that
it's treasonous to even think about it ... This proposal has a certain
logic. ... because this proposal is worth thinking about.'
To which Sassounian swiftly responded in his commentary: `There isn't
much to think about in this proposal. Armenia is basically being asked
to cede to Azerbaijan one of the most strategic parts of its already
tiny territory in return for (Artsakh) Karabagh. This would be
exchanging one Armenian territory with another. We would be cutting
off Armenia from Iran, strategically a very important access to the
outside world. By ceding Meghri, we would also be helping the Turks to
achieve their age-old dream of Pan-Turkism, linking Turkey through
Nakhitchevan and Meghri to the Turkic Republics of Central Asia. ... I
am confident that both Iran and Russia would strongly pressure Armenia
not to go ahead with it in order to safeguard their interests.
...Armenia has nothing to gain and much to lose from such an exchange.'
Why would any sitting President or future leaders re-engage his
services fully knowing that during his decade-long tenure as FM,
Oskanian has caused considerable political damage to Armenia?
Oskanian was Foreign Minister for too long, without having achieved
any substantial gains for Armenia. Furthermore, Armenia squandered
away many valuable opportunities for diplomatic gains in the
international arena and even sustained self-inflicted damages thanks
to FM Oskanian's mishandling of several cases at the United Nations
and elsewhere. He repeatedly failed in giving timely guidance to
Armenia's ambassadors. On many occasions, Armenia's succeeding
Permanent Representatives at the UN were deprived of effective
political orientation because of their incompetent FM's chronic
inaction. And as a result, they have missed golden opportunities to
cast important votes. Yet they simply abstained from voting causing an
Armenian political retreat in the international arena.
It is also absurd that on countless occasions, as the foreign minister
of a land-liberating state - Armenia - Oskanian obstinately mislabeled
the liberated Armenian lands as `occupied' territories!
In reference to Oskanian's 2007 championing of the so-called Madrid
Principles, David Boyajian, a leading Armenian American activist
asked: `Does Oskanian have any guiding principles at all?'
In 2004, when UK Amb. Thorda Abbott-Watt denied the Armenian Genocide
there was total silence at the Armenian Foreign Ministry. When
criticized for his timid muteness then FM Oskanian claimed that he had
given a diplomatic note `strongly criticizing' the British amb.'s
denial. But later it became clear that contrary to his allegations
Oskanian had simply given a friendly note advising the denialist UK
Ambassador to ignore the Armenian Genocide issue.
One wonders if Oskanian is more sensitive to his own personal
interests at the expense of the Armenian people. His over-zealous
attempts to appease Turkey and its cronies make Armenians wonder if he
is qualified to hold any diplomatic or government post. Recently over
2000 students in Turkey were poisoned by toxic milk provided free of
charge by Ankara. Is it possible that Oskanian too drank tainted
Turkish milk?
http://www.armenianlife.com/2012/05/11/is-former-foreign-minister-oskanian-on-a-pathway-to-political-self-destruction/
- May 11, 2012
By Appo Jabarian
Executive Publisher/Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine
There is absolutely no doubt that the May 6 Armenian parliamentary
elections were marred by serious irregularities, large-scale bribes
and outright fraud. Many political leaders and observers criticized
the tainted polls - some with healthy, and some others with ulterior
motives.
Soon after the elections ended, Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) came under fire by Armenian former
President Levon Ter-Petrossyan. Interestingly, former Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian, a ranking member of the rival Prosperous Armenia
Party agreed expediently.
Oskanian's all-too-willingness to appease the former Pres.
Ter-Petrossyan seems to have back-fired among his fellow PAP members.
They questioned Oskanian's allegiance.
Exacerbating the situation for Mr. Gagik Tsarukyan the leader of PAP,
Oskanian arbitrarily declared that he `would strongly object to
Prosperous Armenia's establishing a coalition with the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia again.' Naira Zohrabyan, the spokeswoman
of PAP refuted Oskanian's statement.
Committing one political fiasco after another, he erroneously boasted:
`The reason for my leaving the government is that I was discontent
with the situation. Do not think that the authorities longed for my
resignation, rather, they (Pres. Sargsyan's administration) not only
offered me a post, but also begged me to stay.'
In reality, in early 2008, Mr. Oskanian had reportedly appealed and
reportedly even engaged the lobbying services of second Pres.
Kocharyan in order to convince Pres. Sargsyan to grant him a cabinet
post. Back then despite Pres. Kocharyan's efforts with then newly
elected third Pres. Sargsyan; Oskanian was nixed.
Last week, belatedly speaking out against corrupt oligarchs, he
declared: `It seems that people in high echelons of power began to
realize that things cannot continue in this way.'
Commentators on A1plus.am questioned his honesty: `Some people asked
why he did not criticize the authorities when he was holding a
high-ranking position in the government?'
Oskanian stated: `When I was the country's foreign minister, I was in
no way related to the sectors I am criticizing today.'
But many observers are wondering, how come he has now closely
associated himself with PAP's Tsarukyan, one of Armenia's top
oligarchs?
Can anyone function in Armenia without being closely associated with
the oligarchs? Twenty years have passed since Armenia's independence
from the former Soviet Union. Yet, unfortunately Armenia has not been
able to free itself from the yoke of corrupt leaders and plunderers.
So why is Mr. Oskanian shedding crocodile tears and for whom? Is it
because the current powers-that-be refuse to co-opt him?
Now that he is elected as a Member of Parliament, it is widely
anticipated that he will milk to the max his new position by
constantly barraging Armenian readers and viewers with endless chains
of press conferences fueled by petty personal interests and political
vendettas.
As if his dismal popularity both in the homeland and Diaspora wasn't
worrisome enough, a few days ago, he himself triggered a new wave of
anti-Oskanian criticism. He said to Today's Zaman Turkish daily: `If
the problem over the Nagorno-Karabakh could be solved by Armenia and
Turkey, then Turkey could open its border with Armenia.'
Was he hinting at his 2007 anti-Armenian declarations as FM? Back then
he had ignited widespread indignation in Armenia, Artsakh, and the
Diaspora, when he expressed willingness to `hand' the liberated
Armenian Karvadjar in Artsakh to Azerbaijan.
Exposing ex-FM's true persona, in late 2011 the whistleblower website
Wiki Leaks released a classified cable sent by U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia Marie Yovanovitch on February 25, 2010 to report on a meeting
with former FM Oskanian.
During the meeting, the cable said, Oskanian accused Pres. Sargsyan of
`mishandling the entire process. In Oskanian's view, the controversy
surrounding the protocols has prevented any movement on Nagorno
Karabakh. ... Oskanian criticized the manner in which President Sargsyan
has handled the entire process. According to him, the President `put
the cart before the horse.''
`Oskanian did not understand why ... Pres. Sargsyan began the process
with Turkey so publicly, and how unprepared he was for the negative
public reaction. ... the President should have expended his political
capital with Armenian citizens and the Diaspora to persuade them that
some of the Nagorno Karabakh territories must be returned to
Azerbaijan. ... Oskanian said this had been his plan as Foreign
Minister,' the cable says.
In response to the ambassador's question on how to move the process
forward, Oskanian responded that the `protocols cannot be left in
abeyance. ... He truly hopes the protocols will be ratified by both
sides.'
Going further back, in a May 2000 article titled `Exchanging Meghri
With Karabagh: Good Idea or Political Suicide?,' Harut Sassounian,
Publisher of The California Courier blasted then FM Oskanian for the
latter's treasonous idea on giving Meghri to Azerbaijan. During a
community forum in Glendale, California, Oskanian had tried to `sell'
the Meghri Plan: `There are many rumors about the resolution of the
Karabagh conflict. There are criticisms alleging that the Armenian
authorities want to give Meghri to Azerbaijan. In fact, there is a
small degree of truth in those rumors. Such a proposal on the exchange
of territories has been made to the Armenian Republic, to the
President of Armenia. ... It has been rejected... But when people say that
it's treasonous to even think about it ... This proposal has a certain
logic. ... because this proposal is worth thinking about.'
To which Sassounian swiftly responded in his commentary: `There isn't
much to think about in this proposal. Armenia is basically being asked
to cede to Azerbaijan one of the most strategic parts of its already
tiny territory in return for (Artsakh) Karabagh. This would be
exchanging one Armenian territory with another. We would be cutting
off Armenia from Iran, strategically a very important access to the
outside world. By ceding Meghri, we would also be helping the Turks to
achieve their age-old dream of Pan-Turkism, linking Turkey through
Nakhitchevan and Meghri to the Turkic Republics of Central Asia. ... I
am confident that both Iran and Russia would strongly pressure Armenia
not to go ahead with it in order to safeguard their interests.
...Armenia has nothing to gain and much to lose from such an exchange.'
Why would any sitting President or future leaders re-engage his
services fully knowing that during his decade-long tenure as FM,
Oskanian has caused considerable political damage to Armenia?
Oskanian was Foreign Minister for too long, without having achieved
any substantial gains for Armenia. Furthermore, Armenia squandered
away many valuable opportunities for diplomatic gains in the
international arena and even sustained self-inflicted damages thanks
to FM Oskanian's mishandling of several cases at the United Nations
and elsewhere. He repeatedly failed in giving timely guidance to
Armenia's ambassadors. On many occasions, Armenia's succeeding
Permanent Representatives at the UN were deprived of effective
political orientation because of their incompetent FM's chronic
inaction. And as a result, they have missed golden opportunities to
cast important votes. Yet they simply abstained from voting causing an
Armenian political retreat in the international arena.
It is also absurd that on countless occasions, as the foreign minister
of a land-liberating state - Armenia - Oskanian obstinately mislabeled
the liberated Armenian lands as `occupied' territories!
In reference to Oskanian's 2007 championing of the so-called Madrid
Principles, David Boyajian, a leading Armenian American activist
asked: `Does Oskanian have any guiding principles at all?'
In 2004, when UK Amb. Thorda Abbott-Watt denied the Armenian Genocide
there was total silence at the Armenian Foreign Ministry. When
criticized for his timid muteness then FM Oskanian claimed that he had
given a diplomatic note `strongly criticizing' the British amb.'s
denial. But later it became clear that contrary to his allegations
Oskanian had simply given a friendly note advising the denialist UK
Ambassador to ignore the Armenian Genocide issue.
One wonders if Oskanian is more sensitive to his own personal
interests at the expense of the Armenian people. His over-zealous
attempts to appease Turkey and its cronies make Armenians wonder if he
is qualified to hold any diplomatic or government post. Recently over
2000 students in Turkey were poisoned by toxic milk provided free of
charge by Ankara. Is it possible that Oskanian too drank tainted
Turkish milk?