Ara Papyan: “Serzh Sargsyan will not only create new political opponents but numerous personal enemies”
[ 2009/11/02 | 17:30 ]
Ara Papyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to Canada from 2002-2006 and the Director of the “Modus Vivendi Center” replies to questions of “Hetq”.
If the parliaments of both Turkey and Armenia ratify the protocols, in your opinion, what impact and consequences will it have for Armenia, in terms of the international recognition of the Genocide?
It will create fundamental for the Genocide recognition process. Regardless of the issues to be discussed, the subcommittee, in and of itself, will be viewed as an attempt to subject the Armenian Genocide to an “impartial and scientific study”. I would like to call to your attention to one factor – those who claim that it will have a negative impact are specialists who have had practical experience for many years in the process of Genocide recognition. Those who state that it will have no impact haven’t even spent a day working towards its recognition. At best, they have written articles about the Genocide. But they have never done any practical, nitty-gritty work, in the field. If the protocols are ratified they will become a part of Armenia’s legal system and will take effect immediately. In other words, no state official would be able to evoke the Armenian Genocide and there could be no official assistance provided for recognition of the Genocide or its study, even within Armenia itself, without violating the seventh paragraph of the protocols dealing with the establishment of diplomatic relations. This obligates the parties to “avoid incorrect policies anathema to the spirit of neighborly relations”.
I would like for one thing to be crystal clear. We have no territorial claims against Turkey. Our sole demand is that Turkey ceases its occupation of lands belonging to the Republic of Armenia under international treaties. Just as the Cypriots demand that Turkey withdraw from northern Cyprus, this doesn’t mean that they have territorial demands against Turkey. Presently, we have a fairly strong legal base on which to make territorial claims. Till today, the Republic of Armenia still retains title to a large portion of the Ottoman villayets of Van, Bitlis, Erzeroum and Trabizon. From a legal perspective, a Turkish presence in those regions is nothing more than annexation. In other words, it’s the same status that Turkey has in northern Cyprus. Thus, the protocols mean that we are legalizing the consequences of the Armenian Genocide, given that today’s de facto state of affairs is a result of the Genocide.
What will the ratification of the protocols by the two nations mean for Armenia in terms of the Artsakh conflict?
Turkey, thinking that it has resolved its problems with Armenia, will concentrate its attention on Karabakh. Turkey will have had obtained new instruments of leverage in Armenia and consequently it will exercise more influence in terms of the Karabakh question.
The protocols recognize “the principles of territorial integrity and inviolability of borders” not only bilaterally but also when it comes to international relations (Protocol 1, Point 3). This stipulation will allow Turkey to directly intervene in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
If only one the nations ratifies the protocols, what will the consequences be then? In your estimation, what will happen if neither Turkey nor Armenia ratifies the protocols?
If only one of the countries ratifies the document, or neither does, they will not take effect. Nothing more will happen. We will continue as we did before the protocols ever appeared on the scene. We will avoid large future losses and convulsions. I want to emphasize that these protocols aren’t your normal, run of the mill, inter-governmental documents. They are a set of international obligations that have a direct bearing on the fundamental interests of the Armenian people. If and when the protocols take effect, Serzh Sargsyan will not only create new political opponents but numerous personal enemies. There will many who will believe that their whole life’s work has been handed over to the Turks free of charge.
In your view, of the four possible versions cited above what is the most probable?
Most probably, both nations will ratify the protocols. The Turks recognize full well that such an opportunity comes around once every hundred years. In one fell swoop, they will have received more than they could have ever dreamt of receiving up till recently – and all at no cost to them.
The RoA National Assembly is, generally speaking a collection of individuals bereft of scruples and convictions. They will never endanger their personal well-being in the name of the homeland. They will sell the country and package the deal with some nice sounding patriotic expressions.
The situation is so ludicrous that at times it appears not to be reality. I want to wake-up from the nightmare but I can’t.
October 29th, 2009 at 14:12
HALAL E DZER NMAN HAYIN VOR ANHNGSTACAC E HAYRENIQI CHAKATAGROV
October 29th, 2009 at 16:54
Nerka vartchakargin tchpetq e tuyl tal gnalu davatchanutyan,petq e enddimadir miasnakan tchakatov hardzakvel,petq e herachrdzum kazmakerpel
October 29th, 2009 at 20:23
S.Sargyanin arden isk shat hayer en ATUM Spyurkum.
Es inks, andzamb, S.Sargsyani en E.Nalbandiani asats voch mi xosk chem kardum kam lsum-es irents batsardzakapes chem vstahum kam havatum.
October 29th, 2009 at 20:46
Cankacac hayrenaser hay ov gitakcum e ardzanagrutyuneri vtang
uzum e ardnanal u tesnel vor da eraz e.Aveli lav kliner azgovin krveinq u korcnelov amen inch vochnchanainq, qan @nduneinq turqeri naxapaymanner@.
Erevi HH-i ishxanutyunerin haskacrel en vor ete chanen ays zichumner@ apa Arcaxum kriv ksksvi u kkorcnenq Arcax@.Lave krvov u mahvamb korcnenq amen inch u vochnchananq ashxarhi eresic qan aprenq strkutyan mej.
Cankacac hayi nshanaban@ petq e darna ՄԱՀ ԿԱՄ ԱԶԱՏՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ-ը
October 30th, 2009 at 01:11
Eduard Ayvazyan:
Chem imanum- migutske aveli lav kliner “Azatutiun ev hzoratsum”, kam nman mi anun, kan te “Mah kam azatutiun”.Indz tvum e verjins mi kich sev-spitak e 21rd darum .
Chishtn asats, mek-mek arden sksum em hognel Hay lineluts. Shat ber ka Hayi usin.
Indz chi tvum te mets petutiunnerin dzerntu e paterazm Artsaxum.Tekuz Rusy Hayin misht el davachanel e amenakarevor paherin.
Indz tvum e sa hents S.Sargsyann e sksel, vorpezi ushadrutiuny sheghi marti 1-its ev nerkin iravchakits, u heto ynknelov yntatski mej hosanky iran kshets karav. Inky, vorpes manr kaghakakan gortsich, chhaskatsav te inchi het e xagh sksum.
Hamenayn deps, S.Sargsyany Hayastani patmutian mej amenavat presidenti atory gravats mardn e. Sranum VOCH MI KASKATS.
HARTS: ete naxapaymanner chkan, inchi en eskan mardik tsuytser anum Hayastanum ev Spyurkum?
October 30th, 2009 at 10:52
S.Sargsyan@ hastat inqn el e gitakcum vor ete xorhrdaran@ hastati ayd pastatuxter@ Hayastanum ishxanapoxutyun ksksvi.I tarberutun HH-i shat qaxaqacineri na gite te inch kazmakerputun e H.Y.D.
Na hastat gitakcum e vor ardnacnelov u ir dem hanelov ayd hzor karuyc verjum inch klini….
Bayc chgites te inchov en stipel nran ger terutyuner vor na vhat hogov hamadzaynvel e…
Es hamozvac em vor erb mer jakatagir@ vtangvum e mer hayoc ashxarh@ nor marmnavorum e talis Tehleryanerin,Arshavir Shirakyanerin,Serob Axbyurnerin u G.Njdehnerin, voronq ev kanen ayn inch@ kbxi mer azgi u cexi havaqakan ham@ndanur shaheric.
Mez mot bolor mi bern mi ban en asum
“che vor S.Sargsyann el krvac txa er…”
October 31st, 2009 at 23:51
Eduard Ayvazyan:
Inchkan gitem ev asum en, S.Sargsyany iskakan chi krvel, aysinkn chi eghel chakati gtsum. Inky inchkan gitem eghel e zorkeri kazmakerpman inch vor hartseri patasxanatu.
Du piti nayes te S.Sargsyany inch antsyal uni. Ir antsyaly Sovetakan komsomoli mej e. Arden parz e erevi.
Du libananahay es?
Batsi Njdehits, indz amenashaty dur e galis Hrayr Dzhoxky. Inky nuynpes Njdehi pes er: ev krvogh, ev herates mtatsogh. Mez irents nmannern en petk.
Ete paymanagrery vaveratsven, Hayastanum linelu e heghapoxutiun,kaghakan paterazm, kam nmam mashtabi mi ban. Im kartsikov ays amboghch protocolnery kaghakakan BLEF e. Ete vaveratsven, aylevs BLEF chi lini, ayl irakanutiun.
S.Sargsyani u ir shurjy xrnvats mardkants MIAK npataky ishxanutiany mnaln e. Aysinkn-kich actia hakarak koghmits.
Hato asem, vor Turkern el ski mi xelatsi azg chen. Misht nuyn teghits en brtum Hayerin. Sa el ski mi xelki nshan chi.
P.S. Spyurki tuytseri zhamanak ev Hatsadulneri zhamanak hetevnerun arden miayn Artsaxi droshn e. Xelok mardy khaskana te inch em uzum asel.
November 1st, 2009 at 11:16
Es Javakhkahay em
Aysinkn aprum em vochte spyurkum ayl hayrenikum.
Mer bolor herosnern el mecutyun en ev erevi chi kareli mekin sht mecarel isk myusin kij.
Es uxaki mi kain anuner greci,bayc ete sksenk tvel nranc tiv@ 1000 aveli e.
November 3rd, 2009 at 02:37
Eduard Ayvazian:
Es ughaki nshetsi nrants ovker im srtin AVELI motik en.
November 3rd, 2009 at 20:00
Glory to all Armenian freddom fighters past and present.
Staring from the Armenakans, to Chello, Arapo, Chavoush, Hrayr Dzokhk, Armen Garo all the way down the line to Avo, Commandos and the thousands of other swho have sacrificed so much.
WE MUST DEFEAT THESE PROTOCOLS IN THEIR MEMORY
February 8th, 2010 at 13:53
Հայոց խորհրդարանը, ընդհանուր առմամբ, սկզբունքներ եւ համոզումներ չունեցող մարդկանց հավաքածու է: Նրանք երբեք անձնական բարեկեցությունը չեն վտանգի հանուն հայրենիքի: Նրանք կծախեն հայրենիքը եւ դա կփաթեթավորեն հայրենասիրական բառերով:………. ampagorgor barer@ arden ancyalum en,bereq mi pah morananq mer andznakan shah@,ev ancneq gorci…hamaxmbvenq,tev-tikunq kazmenq ev shprtenq aystexic,Hayastan@ irenc biznes kentron dardzrac Doderin,Lfiknerin,Levonnerin,Robertnerin u dranc nmannerin,mez petq chen dranc kexc u ampagorgor baregorcutyunner@…..Astvac Mez Pahapan