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Sensational Statement By Catholicos Aram I
Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 20 September 2014, 10:47
Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia announced during
Armenia-Diaspora Conference that he will claim return of lands that
used to belong to the Catholicosate of Sis and other church-owned
lands in Cilicia at the Constitutional Court of Turkey. He stated that
if the Constitutional Court dismisses his claim, he will apply o the
Constitutional Court.
The statement of Aram I is truly unique among statements made during
all the five Armenia-Diaspora conferences that concerns a practical
step with a pan-Armenian importance. Moreover, this step may have a
global importance, marking the beginning of court claims of Armenians
against Turkey in an international court.
The issue brought up by Aram I is related to the interest of Armenia
not in the way of the traditional hesitant approach that such claims
allegedly complicate the Armenian-Turkish relations and block the
prospect of avoiding regional blockade.
Time has proved that Turkey has not appeared willing to normalize
relations with Armenia when the Armenians set their claims aside.
Furthermore, it is growing cynical about the Armenian-Turkish issue,
which is becoming a hindrance for several geopolitical centers as
well.
At the same time, claims must have a sensible political packaging,
take into consideration the current geopolitical and regional
settings, be based on a long-term plan and not target a short-term
effect or steps.
In addition, the problem is not what we will get back from Turkey. No
doubt the process will last years, the initiative of Aram I may be
followed by other Armenian individuals or organizations. But the
process will be important, not what we will get back or whether we
will get or not.
What will matter is what kind of process we will ensure, whether we
will be able to keep it in the context of geopolitical modernism and
whether we will be able to use the process as a factor that boosts the
importance of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora on the international
arena.
Speeches, comments and statements by Aram I have always produced the
impression of a serious personality, so his decision is, most
probably, free from romanticism and determined by the current
geopolitical setting.
And the current setting is the following: Turkey has appeared in a
complicated situation and has to face to the North Atlantic community.
At the same time, having appeared in isolation due to economic and
political opposition with that civilization, Russia gets closer with
Turkey and Azerbaijan and is already announcing about this. This step
by Catholicos Aram I stems from the interests of not only the Armenian
Diaspora but also the Republic of Armenia. Armenia should consider
practical steps to oppose the Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani partnership.
By the way, legal claims to Turkey were first considered in Armenia.
The ex-prosecutor general, now the head of the Investigative Committee
Aghvan Hovsepyan had announced that Armenia must prepare the legal
grounds of claims to Turkey.
There is an interesting circumstance. A few years ago the founder and
chairman of the World Congress of Armenians, the chairman of the Union
of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan had announced about applying to
the international court against Turkey. However, the Congress chaired
by him never presented a claim against Turkey.
I wonder what Ara Abrahamyan's attitude to the initiative of Aram I
will be, considering that Russia will not be delighted. There is a
high probability that Turkey will try to block this initiative via
Russia. I wonder who Russia will use to help Turkey.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/32999#sthash.u027njnL.dpuf
Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 20 September 2014, 10:47
Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia announced during
Armenia-Diaspora Conference that he will claim return of lands that
used to belong to the Catholicosate of Sis and other church-owned
lands in Cilicia at the Constitutional Court of Turkey. He stated that
if the Constitutional Court dismisses his claim, he will apply o the
Constitutional Court.
The statement of Aram I is truly unique among statements made during
all the five Armenia-Diaspora conferences that concerns a practical
step with a pan-Armenian importance. Moreover, this step may have a
global importance, marking the beginning of court claims of Armenians
against Turkey in an international court.
The issue brought up by Aram I is related to the interest of Armenia
not in the way of the traditional hesitant approach that such claims
allegedly complicate the Armenian-Turkish relations and block the
prospect of avoiding regional blockade.
Time has proved that Turkey has not appeared willing to normalize
relations with Armenia when the Armenians set their claims aside.
Furthermore, it is growing cynical about the Armenian-Turkish issue,
which is becoming a hindrance for several geopolitical centers as
well.
At the same time, claims must have a sensible political packaging,
take into consideration the current geopolitical and regional
settings, be based on a long-term plan and not target a short-term
effect or steps.
In addition, the problem is not what we will get back from Turkey. No
doubt the process will last years, the initiative of Aram I may be
followed by other Armenian individuals or organizations. But the
process will be important, not what we will get back or whether we
will get or not.
What will matter is what kind of process we will ensure, whether we
will be able to keep it in the context of geopolitical modernism and
whether we will be able to use the process as a factor that boosts the
importance of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora on the international
arena.
Speeches, comments and statements by Aram I have always produced the
impression of a serious personality, so his decision is, most
probably, free from romanticism and determined by the current
geopolitical setting.
And the current setting is the following: Turkey has appeared in a
complicated situation and has to face to the North Atlantic community.
At the same time, having appeared in isolation due to economic and
political opposition with that civilization, Russia gets closer with
Turkey and Azerbaijan and is already announcing about this. This step
by Catholicos Aram I stems from the interests of not only the Armenian
Diaspora but also the Republic of Armenia. Armenia should consider
practical steps to oppose the Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani partnership.
By the way, legal claims to Turkey were first considered in Armenia.
The ex-prosecutor general, now the head of the Investigative Committee
Aghvan Hovsepyan had announced that Armenia must prepare the legal
grounds of claims to Turkey.
There is an interesting circumstance. A few years ago the founder and
chairman of the World Congress of Armenians, the chairman of the Union
of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan had announced about applying to
the international court against Turkey. However, the Congress chaired
by him never presented a claim against Turkey.
I wonder what Ara Abrahamyan's attitude to the initiative of Aram I
will be, considering that Russia will not be delighted. There is a
high probability that Turkey will try to block this initiative via
Russia. I wonder who Russia will use to help Turkey.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/32999#sthash.u027njnL.dpuf