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Centennial of Armenian Genocide out of context of latest geopolitical
developments - Garegin Chugaszyan
16:30 * 27.07.14
In an interview with Tert.am, Preparliament Coordinator Garegin
Chugaszyan spoke of the Armenians' expectations after the centennial
of the Armenian Genocide has been marked.
According to him, inertia is dominating. That is, the Armenians are
going to mark the centennial of the Armenian Genocide without
considering epoch-making changes.
Mr Chugaszyan, the Preparliament's resolution entitled "The 100th
anniversary without the ruling regime" is known. However, will any
measures be implemented, what are your expectations about the 100th
anniversary about the Armenian Cause in the present moral and
psychological situation?
Of course, people can hold expectations, but it is the ruling circles
that have the levers at hand. And what we can hear about the
preparations for the centennial does not in any way meet our
expectations. More was done on the threshold of the 90th anniversary
than now.
As far as I know, much is not made public to prevent Turks preparing
countermeasures and so on. What has disappointed you?
I cannot say anything about secret measures. In the 21st century, in
the world of Wikileaks and Snowden, keeping diplomatic secrets is a
difficult task - if possible at all. That is, they are keeping it
secret from their own people. Therefore, there has been a need for
publicity. The question is that our domestic moral and psychological
situation is much more important than issues related to international
recognition. What is our perception of our destiny? Are our people
well aware of what they are going? The centennial is a symbol. But it
is also an epoch-making landmark. That is, it is important for us to
understand what epoch we are entering. The world and we have now
reached a phase of cool calculation of forces.
The Ukraine developments are the symbol of a new global situation,
when international guarantees do not mean anything. In Ukraine's case,
the superpowers gave guarantees of inviolability of borders. So what?
It is a matter of mere calculation of whether that state can defend
its borders by itself. The same can be said of other states. The
international situation is radically different, and it is on the
threshold of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, and the epoch
has changed. The large-scale changes both in the North and in the
South have caused destabilization, which, to an extent, is changing
our conceptions of expectations about the centennial, in the context
of the Armenian Cause. Have you ever heard anyone speak of it at the
state level? There is an impression that nothing has changed and we
continue marking the centennial. However, when the context is
different, the meaning of the event is different. Now that 100 years
have passed since the Armenian Genocide, we are witnesses to the
massive violence against and relocation of the 14-million-strong
Middle East Christian population, including Armenians. Why does not
Armenia raise the issue at the UN, it being the only eastern Christian
nation which is an international entity historically representing all
the eastern Christians in Jerusalem? Why does not it present what
happened to us 100 year ago in this topical context?
Mr Chugaszyan, at what level should the answers to your questions be
looked for - diplomatic, academic, diasporic?
At all the levels. Unfortunately, Armenia is represented at such a low
level now, and decision-makers are anti-national figures that such
issues are not being raised. That is, the problem of sovereignty is
becoming number one problem for us. For us to properly deal with the
issue of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we have to
resolve the sovereignty problem first. If we are unaware of what is
going on round us and incapable of implementing foreign policy, there
is no sense in speaking of expectations about the 100th anniversary.
That is, you expect events, without discussions or solutions.
I have no expectations because the ruling circles' representatives
have said the 100th anniversary is not anything significant, and no
problem will be resolved. So what expectations can we have?
But the issue may be raised later, on the 101st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
It is not a problem of consistency. It is a problem of change in our
attitude to the Armenian Cause. The present-day world is not the world
in which we have marked the Armenian Genocide for the past 50 years.
And the 100th anniversary is the best occasion to restore this
international context and specify our strategy. But expectations are
unnecessary without sovereignty.
May be the relevant work is being done through diplomatic channels.
I am not speaking of secret diplomatic channels. And even in this
sense, we should realize that in the 21st century, in the world of
Wikileaks and Snowden, keeping diplomatic secrets is a difficult task
- if possible at all.
That is, you are speaking of the need for a new concept.
I am speaking of a new situation in the world, which requires a new
approach, and the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide should be
the best occasion. My words do not mean that the 100th anniversary
would resolve the problem of the Armenian Genocide. But we need a
strategy in a new context.
May be, President Serzh Sargsyan's statement on September 3, 2013,
stemmed from this context? May be, it was the first step, the strategy
you have mentioned?
Are you sure that the Eurasian Economic Union will not one day turn
into a union of Turkic states? We have been told it is a solution to
our security problem. But the statement on Armenia's accession to that
union was followed by increased tensions on our border.
What's your opinion of our moral and psychological atmosphere in the
context of the 100th anniversary?
We should now change our moral and psychological atmosphere rather
than be discontented with it. But it will change only if the people
consider and realize the ways of improving their situation. The
problem is creating a platform for all the patriotic forces concerned,
which will act as bearer of sovereignty. The only issue in Armenia is
that of restoration of sovereignty. Once people rally round it, the
situation will radically change. Our attitude to our situation depends
on ourselves.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/07/27/Garegin-chugaszyan/
developments - Garegin Chugaszyan
16:30 * 27.07.14
In an interview with Tert.am, Preparliament Coordinator Garegin
Chugaszyan spoke of the Armenians' expectations after the centennial
of the Armenian Genocide has been marked.
According to him, inertia is dominating. That is, the Armenians are
going to mark the centennial of the Armenian Genocide without
considering epoch-making changes.
Mr Chugaszyan, the Preparliament's resolution entitled "The 100th
anniversary without the ruling regime" is known. However, will any
measures be implemented, what are your expectations about the 100th
anniversary about the Armenian Cause in the present moral and
psychological situation?
Of course, people can hold expectations, but it is the ruling circles
that have the levers at hand. And what we can hear about the
preparations for the centennial does not in any way meet our
expectations. More was done on the threshold of the 90th anniversary
than now.
As far as I know, much is not made public to prevent Turks preparing
countermeasures and so on. What has disappointed you?
I cannot say anything about secret measures. In the 21st century, in
the world of Wikileaks and Snowden, keeping diplomatic secrets is a
difficult task - if possible at all. That is, they are keeping it
secret from their own people. Therefore, there has been a need for
publicity. The question is that our domestic moral and psychological
situation is much more important than issues related to international
recognition. What is our perception of our destiny? Are our people
well aware of what they are going? The centennial is a symbol. But it
is also an epoch-making landmark. That is, it is important for us to
understand what epoch we are entering. The world and we have now
reached a phase of cool calculation of forces.
The Ukraine developments are the symbol of a new global situation,
when international guarantees do not mean anything. In Ukraine's case,
the superpowers gave guarantees of inviolability of borders. So what?
It is a matter of mere calculation of whether that state can defend
its borders by itself. The same can be said of other states. The
international situation is radically different, and it is on the
threshold of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, and the epoch
has changed. The large-scale changes both in the North and in the
South have caused destabilization, which, to an extent, is changing
our conceptions of expectations about the centennial, in the context
of the Armenian Cause. Have you ever heard anyone speak of it at the
state level? There is an impression that nothing has changed and we
continue marking the centennial. However, when the context is
different, the meaning of the event is different. Now that 100 years
have passed since the Armenian Genocide, we are witnesses to the
massive violence against and relocation of the 14-million-strong
Middle East Christian population, including Armenians. Why does not
Armenia raise the issue at the UN, it being the only eastern Christian
nation which is an international entity historically representing all
the eastern Christians in Jerusalem? Why does not it present what
happened to us 100 year ago in this topical context?
Mr Chugaszyan, at what level should the answers to your questions be
looked for - diplomatic, academic, diasporic?
At all the levels. Unfortunately, Armenia is represented at such a low
level now, and decision-makers are anti-national figures that such
issues are not being raised. That is, the problem of sovereignty is
becoming number one problem for us. For us to properly deal with the
issue of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we have to
resolve the sovereignty problem first. If we are unaware of what is
going on round us and incapable of implementing foreign policy, there
is no sense in speaking of expectations about the 100th anniversary.
That is, you expect events, without discussions or solutions.
I have no expectations because the ruling circles' representatives
have said the 100th anniversary is not anything significant, and no
problem will be resolved. So what expectations can we have?
But the issue may be raised later, on the 101st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
It is not a problem of consistency. It is a problem of change in our
attitude to the Armenian Cause. The present-day world is not the world
in which we have marked the Armenian Genocide for the past 50 years.
And the 100th anniversary is the best occasion to restore this
international context and specify our strategy. But expectations are
unnecessary without sovereignty.
May be the relevant work is being done through diplomatic channels.
I am not speaking of secret diplomatic channels. And even in this
sense, we should realize that in the 21st century, in the world of
Wikileaks and Snowden, keeping diplomatic secrets is a difficult task
- if possible at all.
That is, you are speaking of the need for a new concept.
I am speaking of a new situation in the world, which requires a new
approach, and the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide should be
the best occasion. My words do not mean that the 100th anniversary
would resolve the problem of the Armenian Genocide. But we need a
strategy in a new context.
May be, President Serzh Sargsyan's statement on September 3, 2013,
stemmed from this context? May be, it was the first step, the strategy
you have mentioned?
Are you sure that the Eurasian Economic Union will not one day turn
into a union of Turkic states? We have been told it is a solution to
our security problem. But the statement on Armenia's accession to that
union was followed by increased tensions on our border.
What's your opinion of our moral and psychological atmosphere in the
context of the 100th anniversary?
We should now change our moral and psychological atmosphere rather
than be discontented with it. But it will change only if the people
consider and realize the ways of improving their situation. The
problem is creating a platform for all the patriotic forces concerned,
which will act as bearer of sovereignty. The only issue in Armenia is
that of restoration of sovereignty. Once people rally round it, the
situation will radically change. Our attitude to our situation depends
on ourselves.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/07/27/Garegin-chugaszyan/