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Voice of Russia
Oct 12 2012
Quirks of Ukrainian election campaign
The Armenian Diaspora addressed the administration of the Kharkov
region offering financial support to the Party of Regions'
pre-election campaign. In exchange for that, the Armenians suggest
that the Ukrainian authorities should no less than consider
recognizing the genocide of the Armenian people. In any case, the
Ukrainian FORUM.GIGA.UA Internet forum asserts that information.
On the FORUM.GIGA.UA forum, journalists of our radio station came
across an alleged photocopy of a letter marked `secret', printed on
the letterhead of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and looking
rather like an internal document of the special services. The document
is not dated, and we can't confirm its authenticity. However, the
letter is addressed to President Viktor Yanukovych and is not
registered, that is, there is no incoming number, which is usually
written down by the Secretariat. The letter is signed `V.
Khoroshkovsky', and the position of the author is stated as `Golova'
(Head). Perhaps, this is the current First Vice Premier of Ukraine
Valery Khoroshkovsky. Previously, until this January, he was heading
the Ukrainian Security Service. At the top of the document there is a
visa `To Azarov N. Y.', apparently, pointing at the Prime Minister and
the first person in the Party of Regions' list for the upcoming
elections.
The document tells about certain representatives of the Armenian
Diaspora in Kharkov, who addressed the regional administration and
personally the head of the region Mikhail Dobkin offering financial
support to the Party of Regions at the parliamentary elections. In
exchange for this offer, Head of the Armenian Community Mr.
Khandemiryan suggested that a bill `on recognition of the genocide of
the Armenian people' should be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. The
Voice of Russia asked Head of the Kharkov region Mikhail Dobkin to
acknowledge the receipt of the letter, but he refused to comment on
the situation.
But the behavior of the Armenian Diaspora is a really interesting
nuance of this story, especially their ambiguous proposal. The letter
states that Khandemiryan `supports the political course of the Party
of Regions'. According to the document, representatives of the
Armenian community suggest paying attention `to the experience of
European countries' regarding the recognition of the genocide, as well
as to regional initiatives of the Izium, Uzhgorod, Cherkassy and Kiev
city councils. The representatives of the Diaspora also refer to `the
official Yerevan', stating that in Armenia their initiative was
allegedly supported at the highest level.
By the way, the genocide of Armenians is recognized by several
European states, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.
Some countries have more than once passed resolutions condemning the
deeds of the Ottoman Empire. As for Ukraine, the fact of the
extermination of the Armenian people is officially recognized only by
the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. But the copy of the letter to the
SBU shows that the Armenian Diaspora by all means seeks to ensure that
the events of the beginning of the 20th century are recognized
throughout the country.
It is noteworthy that the solution of the European states was based on
the evidence, which took many years to collect and which persuaded the
parliamentarians that the massacre at the borders of the Ottoman
Empire was systematic and directed against a certain nation. However,
the Ukrainian Armenians have, apparently, chosen another way - based
not on the evidence, but on finances.
Unfortunately, we have failed to come in touch with the Armenian
National Community. But one of the Diaspora's representatives in
Ukraine, Armenian artist Boris Yeghiazarian, believes that it is
necessary to recognize the fact of the genocide:
`If states recognize the facts of the genocide that took place, if
many states recognize them, then Turkey will have to recognize this
fact, too. And this will lead to specific consequences. I mean, first
of all, to correcting historical injustice in order not to allow its
repetition. A lot of Armenians live in Turkey now. The genocide took
place and it was terrible, scary: one and a half million Armenians
were killed, who were living on their own land'.
The Armenian community of Ukraine has already appealed to the
authorities with the request to officially recognize the fact of the
genocide. In May 2011, the Narodna Rada, which unites four and a half
thousand organizations, wrote an open letter to the President of
Ukraine. If we are to believe the document posted on the Internet, now
the Diaspora has decided to take another approach to the problem.
Instead of letters it now offers financial support to the party in
power, and a peculiar one at that. The thing is that it will be
granted through purchasing some real estate from the Avantazh
investment-construction company, one of the sponsors of the Party of
Regions' local branch.
But such a step will not bring the members of the Diaspora closer to
their goal. Even hypothetically, a regional financing of the party in
power cannot outweigh the national interests of the country, the
political analyst at the Institute of Euro-Atlantic Cooperation
Vladimir Gorbach believes. According to him, as far as international
policy is concerned, relations with Turkey are of a higher priority
for Ukraine than relations with Armenia.
`Relations with Turkey are of a higher priority for us in respect of
both economy and politics, and even in respect of logistics. Of
course, Turkey is more important in respect of economy, than Armenia.
Turkey will not recognize the genocide of Armenians in the current
Turkish territory. For them, it is one of the priorities of their
foreign policy. Among other things, they build their relations with
other countries on the basis of this quite symbolic and important
issue. There are not too many links between Ukraine and Armenia as
regards both economy and relations. For example, let's take the
balance between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is a closer partner
of Ukraine, than Armenia. This is connected with oil and gas, and
military supplies, too. Moreover, friendship at the level of the
peoples should be regarded by itself, while such purely pragmatic,
first of all, economic and geo-economic, calculations make the
recognition of the genocide of Armenians in Turkey at the beginning of
the 20th century an undesirable risk for Ukraine.'
According to the copy of the document posted on the Internet, the
official Kiev advises the Kharkov authorities `to refrain from any
specific response' to such proposals, and first of all, consult with
higher authorities, and only then make final decisions. The Party of
Regions' election campaign is the most expensive one in comparison
with all other political forces of the country.
Kiev, Voice of Russia.
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_10_12/Quirks-of-Ukrainian-election-campaign/
Oct 12 2012
Quirks of Ukrainian election campaign
The Armenian Diaspora addressed the administration of the Kharkov
region offering financial support to the Party of Regions'
pre-election campaign. In exchange for that, the Armenians suggest
that the Ukrainian authorities should no less than consider
recognizing the genocide of the Armenian people. In any case, the
Ukrainian FORUM.GIGA.UA Internet forum asserts that information.
On the FORUM.GIGA.UA forum, journalists of our radio station came
across an alleged photocopy of a letter marked `secret', printed on
the letterhead of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and looking
rather like an internal document of the special services. The document
is not dated, and we can't confirm its authenticity. However, the
letter is addressed to President Viktor Yanukovych and is not
registered, that is, there is no incoming number, which is usually
written down by the Secretariat. The letter is signed `V.
Khoroshkovsky', and the position of the author is stated as `Golova'
(Head). Perhaps, this is the current First Vice Premier of Ukraine
Valery Khoroshkovsky. Previously, until this January, he was heading
the Ukrainian Security Service. At the top of the document there is a
visa `To Azarov N. Y.', apparently, pointing at the Prime Minister and
the first person in the Party of Regions' list for the upcoming
elections.
The document tells about certain representatives of the Armenian
Diaspora in Kharkov, who addressed the regional administration and
personally the head of the region Mikhail Dobkin offering financial
support to the Party of Regions at the parliamentary elections. In
exchange for this offer, Head of the Armenian Community Mr.
Khandemiryan suggested that a bill `on recognition of the genocide of
the Armenian people' should be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. The
Voice of Russia asked Head of the Kharkov region Mikhail Dobkin to
acknowledge the receipt of the letter, but he refused to comment on
the situation.
But the behavior of the Armenian Diaspora is a really interesting
nuance of this story, especially their ambiguous proposal. The letter
states that Khandemiryan `supports the political course of the Party
of Regions'. According to the document, representatives of the
Armenian community suggest paying attention `to the experience of
European countries' regarding the recognition of the genocide, as well
as to regional initiatives of the Izium, Uzhgorod, Cherkassy and Kiev
city councils. The representatives of the Diaspora also refer to `the
official Yerevan', stating that in Armenia their initiative was
allegedly supported at the highest level.
By the way, the genocide of Armenians is recognized by several
European states, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.
Some countries have more than once passed resolutions condemning the
deeds of the Ottoman Empire. As for Ukraine, the fact of the
extermination of the Armenian people is officially recognized only by
the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. But the copy of the letter to the
SBU shows that the Armenian Diaspora by all means seeks to ensure that
the events of the beginning of the 20th century are recognized
throughout the country.
It is noteworthy that the solution of the European states was based on
the evidence, which took many years to collect and which persuaded the
parliamentarians that the massacre at the borders of the Ottoman
Empire was systematic and directed against a certain nation. However,
the Ukrainian Armenians have, apparently, chosen another way - based
not on the evidence, but on finances.
Unfortunately, we have failed to come in touch with the Armenian
National Community. But one of the Diaspora's representatives in
Ukraine, Armenian artist Boris Yeghiazarian, believes that it is
necessary to recognize the fact of the genocide:
`If states recognize the facts of the genocide that took place, if
many states recognize them, then Turkey will have to recognize this
fact, too. And this will lead to specific consequences. I mean, first
of all, to correcting historical injustice in order not to allow its
repetition. A lot of Armenians live in Turkey now. The genocide took
place and it was terrible, scary: one and a half million Armenians
were killed, who were living on their own land'.
The Armenian community of Ukraine has already appealed to the
authorities with the request to officially recognize the fact of the
genocide. In May 2011, the Narodna Rada, which unites four and a half
thousand organizations, wrote an open letter to the President of
Ukraine. If we are to believe the document posted on the Internet, now
the Diaspora has decided to take another approach to the problem.
Instead of letters it now offers financial support to the party in
power, and a peculiar one at that. The thing is that it will be
granted through purchasing some real estate from the Avantazh
investment-construction company, one of the sponsors of the Party of
Regions' local branch.
But such a step will not bring the members of the Diaspora closer to
their goal. Even hypothetically, a regional financing of the party in
power cannot outweigh the national interests of the country, the
political analyst at the Institute of Euro-Atlantic Cooperation
Vladimir Gorbach believes. According to him, as far as international
policy is concerned, relations with Turkey are of a higher priority
for Ukraine than relations with Armenia.
`Relations with Turkey are of a higher priority for us in respect of
both economy and politics, and even in respect of logistics. Of
course, Turkey is more important in respect of economy, than Armenia.
Turkey will not recognize the genocide of Armenians in the current
Turkish territory. For them, it is one of the priorities of their
foreign policy. Among other things, they build their relations with
other countries on the basis of this quite symbolic and important
issue. There are not too many links between Ukraine and Armenia as
regards both economy and relations. For example, let's take the
balance between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is a closer partner
of Ukraine, than Armenia. This is connected with oil and gas, and
military supplies, too. Moreover, friendship at the level of the
peoples should be regarded by itself, while such purely pragmatic,
first of all, economic and geo-economic, calculations make the
recognition of the genocide of Armenians in Turkey at the beginning of
the 20th century an undesirable risk for Ukraine.'
According to the copy of the document posted on the Internet, the
official Kiev advises the Kharkov authorities `to refrain from any
specific response' to such proposals, and first of all, consult with
higher authorities, and only then make final decisions. The Party of
Regions' election campaign is the most expensive one in comparison
with all other political forces of the country.
Kiev, Voice of Russia.
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_10_12/Quirks-of-Ukrainian-election-campaign/