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Armenia Keeps Title to These Territories
Roza Hovhannisyan, Reporter
Politics - 31 January 2015, 22:28
To bring into being the pan-Armenian declaration on the centenary of
the Armenian Genocide, Armenia must revoke the Armenian-Turkish
protocols of Zurich, the head of Modus Vivendi Center Ara Papyan told
Lragir.am, pointing to controversies between the declaration and the
protocols.
"The declaration is a positive step because it brought some clarity as
to what we expect from the recognition of the Genocide and claims. The
most important thing, in my opinion, is the reference to the Treaty of
Sevres and Woodrow Wilson's arbitral award and their relevance as a
basis for claims. But this will have a meaning if the protocols of
Zurich are revoked with a view to significant controversies between
this declaration and the protocols. The protocols of Zurich are a
bilateral document and are relevant to both Armenia and Turkey. This
declaration is a bilateral document, in other words, only Armenia
assumes an obligation, hence Turkey does not assume a commitment under
this declaration. Therefore the signature under these protocols must
be withdrawn as soon as possible for such a declaration to be
relevant," Ara Papyan said.
What Ara Papyan highlights for this declaration is the role of the
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's arbitral award, noting that it is a
binding document.
"For whom is it binding? For all those who had called on the president
of the United States then. Who called on to him? The big three of the
Conference of Paris - the British Empire, France, Italy. However, they
acted on behalf of the Conference of Paris, which means it is binding
for over 50 countries," he says.
Papyan reminds that this award was fully legitimate, it was approved
by Turkey, it entered into force on 22 November 1920. It is another
issue that we have not been able to implement it.
"We have not been able to implement it because the stakeholder of the
award, the Republic of Armenia, was occupied by Bolshevist Russia and
Cemalist Turkey, or rather those were two forces because at that time
they were not states. As a result the country was divided. In the part
occupied by Russia the administrative territorial unit Socialist
Republic of Armenia was established. In the Turkish part nothing was
established. However, it does not mean that these territories de jure
stopped being part of Armenia. Armenia keeps its title to this
territory. Like North Cyprus which is occupied by Turkey remains part
of Cyprus, the part of Wilsonian Armenia which was occupied by Turkey
remains part of Armenia," he said.
Ara Papyan also said that the Russians of the Russian part decided
that some parts of Armenia, namely Nakhijevan and Karabakh, should be
given to other countries for their political purposes.
"They gave it away, they wanted to do a world revolution, bribe the
Muslims. It was the Soviet time. Now the Soviet Union does not exist,
the situation is different, today we must stick to the international
law. In other words, we need to see through this law where our
territories are. Hence, we must move forward, utter our claim, fight
for it, create relevant organizations to achieve something. It is
another issue whether we will achieve anything or not but if we do
nothing, we will not achieve anything," Papyan said.
According to Ara Papyan, the people in landlocked and tiny Armenia
surrounded by enemies, half of its territories being mountains and
gorges, cannot be safe, happy and welfare, even despite good
governance.
"Had it been possible, everyone would have done so, there are 33
landlocked countries in the world, larger than Armenia. Switzerland is
brought as an example but Switzerland has access to see. In our case,
our enemies use the fact that we have no access to sea as a lever of
pressure on us. Obviously, Turkey uses the blockade of Armenia as a
means of pressure on Armenia. It is possible to conduct a policy of a
shy bride and hope that someone will help you. However, if this
someone is Russia, it does not have the capability. If Russia could,
it would develop its regions, why would it develop Armenia? Today the
middle part of Russia is half-ruined, it is trying to populate its
territories with Armenians. Even if the West were willing to assist
and support Armenia, today there is no such possibility. In other
words, we remain dependent on Turkey's or Georgia's good will or the
Iran-West relations. And if this country is not able to manage its
bilateral relations directly, it bears the significant influence of
its neighbors, this is an obstacle to real development," he said.
Hence, according to Ara Papyan, restoring the territorial integrity of
the Republic of Armenia is highly important. Not claims but de jure
return of the territories belonging to Armenia is important. "It is
the anchor that will help us to form a well-off and safe country.
Either we will do it or we will not do it. We do not have an option in
between, so either we do it and succeed or we don't," Ara Papyan says.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/33566#sthash.NboQTG2s.dpuf
Roza Hovhannisyan, Reporter
Politics - 31 January 2015, 22:28
To bring into being the pan-Armenian declaration on the centenary of
the Armenian Genocide, Armenia must revoke the Armenian-Turkish
protocols of Zurich, the head of Modus Vivendi Center Ara Papyan told
Lragir.am, pointing to controversies between the declaration and the
protocols.
"The declaration is a positive step because it brought some clarity as
to what we expect from the recognition of the Genocide and claims. The
most important thing, in my opinion, is the reference to the Treaty of
Sevres and Woodrow Wilson's arbitral award and their relevance as a
basis for claims. But this will have a meaning if the protocols of
Zurich are revoked with a view to significant controversies between
this declaration and the protocols. The protocols of Zurich are a
bilateral document and are relevant to both Armenia and Turkey. This
declaration is a bilateral document, in other words, only Armenia
assumes an obligation, hence Turkey does not assume a commitment under
this declaration. Therefore the signature under these protocols must
be withdrawn as soon as possible for such a declaration to be
relevant," Ara Papyan said.
What Ara Papyan highlights for this declaration is the role of the
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson's arbitral award, noting that it is a
binding document.
"For whom is it binding? For all those who had called on the president
of the United States then. Who called on to him? The big three of the
Conference of Paris - the British Empire, France, Italy. However, they
acted on behalf of the Conference of Paris, which means it is binding
for over 50 countries," he says.
Papyan reminds that this award was fully legitimate, it was approved
by Turkey, it entered into force on 22 November 1920. It is another
issue that we have not been able to implement it.
"We have not been able to implement it because the stakeholder of the
award, the Republic of Armenia, was occupied by Bolshevist Russia and
Cemalist Turkey, or rather those were two forces because at that time
they were not states. As a result the country was divided. In the part
occupied by Russia the administrative territorial unit Socialist
Republic of Armenia was established. In the Turkish part nothing was
established. However, it does not mean that these territories de jure
stopped being part of Armenia. Armenia keeps its title to this
territory. Like North Cyprus which is occupied by Turkey remains part
of Cyprus, the part of Wilsonian Armenia which was occupied by Turkey
remains part of Armenia," he said.
Ara Papyan also said that the Russians of the Russian part decided
that some parts of Armenia, namely Nakhijevan and Karabakh, should be
given to other countries for their political purposes.
"They gave it away, they wanted to do a world revolution, bribe the
Muslims. It was the Soviet time. Now the Soviet Union does not exist,
the situation is different, today we must stick to the international
law. In other words, we need to see through this law where our
territories are. Hence, we must move forward, utter our claim, fight
for it, create relevant organizations to achieve something. It is
another issue whether we will achieve anything or not but if we do
nothing, we will not achieve anything," Papyan said.
According to Ara Papyan, the people in landlocked and tiny Armenia
surrounded by enemies, half of its territories being mountains and
gorges, cannot be safe, happy and welfare, even despite good
governance.
"Had it been possible, everyone would have done so, there are 33
landlocked countries in the world, larger than Armenia. Switzerland is
brought as an example but Switzerland has access to see. In our case,
our enemies use the fact that we have no access to sea as a lever of
pressure on us. Obviously, Turkey uses the blockade of Armenia as a
means of pressure on Armenia. It is possible to conduct a policy of a
shy bride and hope that someone will help you. However, if this
someone is Russia, it does not have the capability. If Russia could,
it would develop its regions, why would it develop Armenia? Today the
middle part of Russia is half-ruined, it is trying to populate its
territories with Armenians. Even if the West were willing to assist
and support Armenia, today there is no such possibility. In other
words, we remain dependent on Turkey's or Georgia's good will or the
Iran-West relations. And if this country is not able to manage its
bilateral relations directly, it bears the significant influence of
its neighbors, this is an obstacle to real development," he said.
Hence, according to Ara Papyan, restoring the territorial integrity of
the Republic of Armenia is highly important. Not claims but de jure
return of the territories belonging to Armenia is important. "It is
the anchor that will help us to form a well-off and safe country.
Either we will do it or we will not do it. We do not have an option in
between, so either we do it and succeed or we don't," Ara Papyan says.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/33566#sthash.NboQTG2s.dpuf