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Our State Is The Successor Of Armenia's First Republic - May 28 In T

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  • Our State Is The Successor Of Armenia's First Republic - May 28 In T

    OUR STATE IS THE SUCCESSOR OF ARMENIA'S FIRST REPUBLIC - MAY 28 IN THE EYES OF HISTORIAN AND LITERARY CRITIC

    10:47 * 28.05.14

    The First Republic of Armenia was proclaimed on May 28, 1918 following
    the heroic battles of Sardarapat, Bash Aparan and Gharakilisa.

    Ninety-six years ago today, the Armenian National Council of Tiflis
    (today's Tbilisi) adopted a declaration that laid the foundation of the
    independent statehood. "In view of the complete political collapse of
    the Trans-Caucasus and the new situation created by the proclamation
    of the independence of Georgia and Azerbaijan, the Armenian National
    Council declares itself the supreme and sole administration of the
    Armenian provinces. Due to certain grave circumstances that prevent us
    from forming an Armenian National Government, the Armenian National
    Council temporarily assumes all governmental functions in order to
    pilot the political and administrative leadership of the Armenian
    provinces," read the document.

    Though the First Republic had a very short life - only 2.5 years -
    its influence spread even on the third republic, says Professor Petros
    Hovhannisyan, the head of the Yerevan State University's History
    Chair. "If some people think that it didn't leave any trace at all
    on Soviet Armenia, they are sadly mistaken. I will say the simplest
    thing. The Yerevan State University was founded through the First
    Republic's efforts, but it continued its activities in Soviet Armenia
    as well, with the same professors and students; the only thing that
    changed was the regime. The army corps was among the key achievements
    of the first Republic, and that institute was transferred to Soviet
    Armenia. And the present-day Third Republic inherited very many things
    from it," he noted.

    The historian said it is important to develop an understanding of
    statehood, a feature which he said is not characteristic of all
    the nations.

    Asked what caused the First Republic to have such a short life,
    and whether there were any mistakes that could have been avoided,
    Hovhannisyan noted that Armenia's future was not in its own hands at
    the time. "[Armenia's] fate was being determined in Moscow. Russia was
    enjoying a period of upsurge at the time, after winning the domestic
    anti-revolutionists and restoring its borders. Caucasus was very
    important for it, because the oil of Baku was here. That oil was life,
    technology and science. Armenia's chances of survival were very little,
    so the country's fate was determined regardless of Yerevan's desire,"
    he added.

    Comparing the period with the present-day geopolitical arrangements,
    the historian noted further that Armenia's economic dependence on
    Russia remains very big today, with the Russian army's presence
    testifying to a considerably high level of influence. "The army is
    a strait jacket on the one hand, but it isn't of course good that we
    have another country's army in our country. It is the worst thing that
    affects independence, but I don't think any other option is possible
    to find today," he said.

    Commenting on the message of the day, Vardan Devrikyan, a writer,
    journalist and a deputy director of the National Academy's Institute
    of Literature, said both the first and third republics came into
    existence for reasons not absolutely depending on Armenia (the Russian
    Empire's downfall in the former case and the collapse of the USSR
    in the latter). "As Simon Vratsyan, the first republic's last prime
    minister, said on one occasion, 'the First Republic's birth was like
    the birth of a baby nobody waited for or desired'. We just came face
    to face with a fact, so the situation required self-organization and
    a commitment to the country's self-defense," he noted.

    Drawing parallels between the first and third republics, Devrikyan
    stressed the importance of learning lessons from history to never
    repeat the mistakes of the past. "The First Republic's history has
    to be studied not only as a history of past but also as a right
    orientation to help avoid the same mistakes. I just want to mention
    that both states were born in a period of war, and this, of course,
    produced its aftermath. Times can be said to be changing, with
    the challenges facing our people remaining the same. But the most
    important thing is that our people were able to taste the sweetness
    of independence," he added.

    Devrikyan refrained from any remarks on the country's current
    political situation. "I don't want to address Armenia's present-day
    domestic political situation. The First Republic was the parliamentary
    Armenia which didn't have a powerful president. To say what lessons
    the authorities should learn is a little bit wrong approach, because
    the authorities change; it is the society that forms the state. So
    instead of politicizing the issue, it is important for us to develop
    a collective understanding," he explained.

    http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/05/28/mayis28/

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