Comments on: Armenia’s Roadmap to Disaster

By: Stephen T. Dulgarian

Stephen T. Dulgarian — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:31:42 +0000

No diplomatic relations should be established with denialist Turkey on the Armenian Genocide. Up to 30 nations around the world have recognized the well documented Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 by the Turkish Government, but what bothers me is that the Armenian Government has made no effort to get the U.S. to come on board. America must wake up to the fact that 5 Jewish Organizations are doing the dirty work for the Turkish Government to not recognize this well recorded tragedy. Pres. Obama as well as other past presidents have failed the Armenian People and Nation.

By: Diana

Diana — Fri, 01 May 2009 21:37:11 +0000

The Armenian Government must FIRST commit itself to open and honest elections with outside monitors. Without it, those of us who support them in the Diaspora, will continue to do so with serious limitations.

Secondly, we MUST get involved. Protests help only when they are large enough to garner attention in order to educate the public around the world.

I would like to see 1.5 million people show up at night with candles in Washington DC . . . it has to be something big.

Finally, we should write letters and express our concern over the “Roadmap” to the Government in Armenia:

Republic Square
Government House 1
0010 Yerevan
Republic of Armenia

Ultimately we Americans hold a greater responsibility because the “roadmap” was pushed by the Obama Administration that was widely supported by the Armenian American community.

By: Grish Begian

Grish Begian — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:16:33 +0000

Armenian Government should resign quietly.
Turks have a “new road map” regarding the Genocide of Armenians.

By: Berge Jololian

Berge Jololian — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:03:12 +0000

It is perfectly normal to disagree and criticize the present administration, government and the president.

However, it is wrong and out of line to call the government and the president as “illegitimate”.

The current government and president are the legitimate authority in Armenia.

It is way out of line to call the authorities “illegitimate”; it plays straight into the hands of those who bode ill to Armenia.

It is all in the approach – feel free to disagree and criticize the authority. At the end of the day, we have to sort it out with the authorities without risking the security and the safekeeping of the country.

We will not become a lawless country and we will not sink into chaos, and we refuse to become another Sierra Leone or Somalia.

By: Taline

Taline — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:45:51 +0000

The voice of reason can be found in the following press release. All homeland and diaspora organizations and individuals should see about co-signing this as a formal letter, and send it to the Armenian government as well as Armenian Embassies around the world.

Press release – Communiqué de presse – Medienmitteilung

April 24, 2009

Switzerland – Armenia Association
Association Suisse – Arménie
Gesellschaft Schweiz – Armenien

Case postale 497
3000 Berne 14
Email: asa@armenian.ch

Joint statement issued by the Foreign Ministries of Armenia, Turkey
and Switzerland

The following statement is a declaration of disaccord whereby the
Switzerland-Armenia Association (SAA) expresses its deep concern over
the perfunctory joint statement issued by the Foreign Ministries of
Armenia, Turkey and Switzerland late on the evening of April 22nd,
2009. The undue haste with which the statement was drafted, and its
lack of transparency, can only be met with grevious reservation and
skepticism.

The vague nature of the alleged “agreed basis”, and the disadvantaged
position from which the Armenian government was obliged to negotiate
from, leaves no alternative but to immediately renounce any agreement
which relinquishes the fundamental rights of Armenians world-wide.

The April 22, 2009 Armenian – Turkey – Switzerland joint statement is
unacceptable for the following reasons:

1. The statement’s timing is grossly inopportune as it falls just
two days before April 24 ─ the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide:
on this day, Armenians worldwide commemorate the Genocide perpetrated
by the government of Young Turks in 1915 against the unarmed, civilian
population of Armenians within the Ottoman Empire.
2. The urgency in announcing said joint statement, feeds further
suspect that Armenia has been pressured to make concessions which
could compromise the Armenian Republic’s national security. Such
concessions are unacceptable, most especially with regards to the
process of recognizing the right of Karabakh’s self-determination.
3. The government of Armenia was put under pressure by major powers
seeking to advance their own (narrow) interests; presently Armenia’s
leadership is struggling to establish its legitimacy at a time of
political, economic and financial crisis.

The Switzerland – Armenia Association is in full favor of
normalization of ties between Armenia and Turkey, but, along with
other Armenian communities within the Diaspora, Republic of Armenia
and Karabakh, unequivocally rejects any agreement that compromises the
fundamental rights of the Armenian nation. This is a formal
declaration to the officials of the Republic of Armenia who engage in
the alarming and undeniably questionable settlements leading to the
mentioned joint statement.

http://www.armenian.ch/index.php?id=saa_pr&L=2

By: Seta

Seta — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:48:17 +0000

President Sargsian said in a recent Wall Street Journal interview that he is agreeing to a historical commission. He said that Armenia could bring up the issue of historical monuments in Turkey, and that Turkey could bring up the genocide. It really does not matter, therefore, what the Roadmap formally says. Sargsian has agreed, in effect, that the studies up to this time may not be adequate. Once he conceeded this, Armenia lost the battle. This is the sort of “president” that Armenia has. God help us.

By: Aram

Aram — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:18:01 +0000

Protests don’t do anything. Only physical and mind-set revolutions. The revolution of human rights, democracy, and ultra-nationalism.

By: Berch

Berch — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:42:23 +0000

I hope and pray that there is more to this agreement than what meets the eye. I implore the influential members of Armenian decision-making circles to require of the president to provide full disclosure of the conditions of the agreement. We may be jumping the gun here, the president, whether elected or not must speak on behalf of the Armenian interests. If there is any legitimacy to my opinion, I think that the president may be making secret agreements with the Turkish President in favor of the Armenian interests with the concession of our strong position of the Obama government not using the term “genocide”, which we all know Obama fully supports. This game of politics may be kept from the general masses, so that the overall agreements between the leaders of Armenia and Turkey are not derailed before they happen, and so that the Turkish president may save face with his people. Again this is my hope and prayer that there is more to this Armo-Turk “brotherly love”. If not, than the selling out of the Armenian interests must be stopped, even at the cost of a presidential recall, a last resort to the problematic situation out homeland finds itself.

By: Ararat

Ararat — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:08:11 +0000

such rubbish.
president was not elected by people?
well we all know that but why say it now? and why did you not say it few month ago when he came to power?
happy to say dashnaks are on their own. you can organize what you want but rest assure the Armenian’s will not participate in your scams.
dashnaks out

By: Ara

Ara — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:55:37 +0000

This is a good article. President has created a dangourace situation, which easily Armenia can be blamed for failure of talks and so called “reconciliation” !

Armenian political parties ( i do not speak of Artur Badasayan) better do not act with “emotions” and should avoid aggressive statements, without analyzing the whole situation…