An interview with Stepan Petrosyan, Deputy Minister for Diaspora Affairs

-The Diaspora Ministry is putting together an agenda regarding Georgian-Armenians. What stage is it in?

-It’s now in the discussion stage. It will be presented to the government and we envisage a long list of measures in terms of how we can assist in resolving the cultural and education problems confronting the Armenian community in Georgia.

-After the recent incidents surrounding the Norashen Armenian Church in Tbilisi, the respective Diaspora Ministers of Armenia and Georgia had a series of meetings during which they expressed their readiness to collaborate on a resolution of the outstanding problems. What progress, if any, has been made on this front?

-Of course we must work to preserve the Armenian historical-cultural treasures that are located in the diaspora, and if possible transfer them to Armenia. We have contacted our Georgian colleagues and they have promised to raise the issue with the Georgian authorities. We are hopeful that the issue will be satisfactorily resolved. The problem, in general, is that the legal status of the Armenian Church in Georgia remains unresolved, leading to a tangled web of issues that must be tackled. There are church-related and diocesan issues at play here that fall under the jurisdiction of Etchmiadzin. Residents of Javakhk have already raised the issue of creating a separate spiritual diocese in Javakhk but they already are under the jurisdiction of Etchmiadzin.

-Understood, but has the Diaspora Ministry reacted in any way to the sale of the Tumanyan library in Tbilisi?

-Of course we lament the fact that an Armenian cultural center has been closed, that a school has been closed. They sold it in 1997 and it was possible at the time to prevent the sale but there was no diaspora ministry at the time. Sadly the issue was overlooked and the problem remained unsettled.  Now, Armenian organizations, the Ministry of Culture and the Writers Union have started to get involved. We too are getting involved and are hopeful that a resolution will be found, that benefactors will come forth who can buy it back.

-What activities does the Ministry of the Diaspora envisage for the Samtskhe-Javakhk region? What problems exist there?

-The issues facing Javakhk are somewhat unique in that we don’t seem to have problems concerning the preservation of Armenian identity, i.e. Armenian language, teaching, Armenian literature. In Javakhk, the problem we face is that of Armenians leaving the region. In other words, we must bolster the ties that bind the people of Javakhk to that region, we must be able to provide economic assistance and, of course, moral support. The situation isn’t so bad in Javakhk as compared to Marneuli. Twelve schools used to function there, now there are nine. Today, in Tbilisi, there are two Armenian schools while in 1976 there were thirty-two. The number of pupils has decreased. For example, there are practically no Armenian schools left in Tiflis and Armenians in the city go to Russian, not Georgian, schools. This serves as a cause for emigration. The issues are a bit different.

-The Ministry is planning to launch a correspondence studies program with the diaspora. Can the program be adapted to work in Samtskhe-Javakhk also?

-The situation in Javakhk is different because the Georgian government sets its own education curriculum. I don’t think they would permit the use of Armenian textbooks and other materials prepared outside in Armenian schools there.

-Are measures being taken to deal with this issue?

-This is a hard nut to crack, to tackle. We understand that learning with the use of Armenian textbooks makes more sense, but on the other hand the Georgian government is carrying out its policy. We can’t tell them that we’ll send physics or biology textbooks there, or even Armenian language textbooks. They tell us that they will prepare textbooks themselves. I don’t see how we can win in this situation. Of course, we must strengthen the ties with the Javakhk communities. We must reserve special spots in our colleges and universities for students from Javakhk, not only for specialization in Armenian studies but in all specialties. Finally, we must persuade our compatriots to master a number of languages, English and the local language so that they can integrate into the national life of Georgia. Since Javakhk-Armenians speak Georgian quite poorly they can’t integrate into Georgian society and serve in government offices. And if they can’t serve in an official government capacity it means that they are detached from the social and political processes taking place in the country. They can’t read and interpret Georgian laws correctly, neither news reports nor periodicals. It is for this reason that they often are unable to defend their rights. All these factors play a role in the emigration process.

-You have already pointed to a number of exisiting problems. Meanwhile, just days ago, the Georgian Foreign Minister was in Armenia and stated that the only problems in Javakhk are socio-economic ones. Does the Ministry of the Diaspora agree with this opinion?

-Yes, the problems confronting Javakhk are essentially of a socio-economic nature. This is because Armenians in Javakhk don’t change their last names, as they do elsewhere, they speak Armenian, hold on to family traditions and an Armenian lifestyle, their children attend Armenian schools and learn Armenian and they attend Armenian Church services.

-Armenian community workers have been charged with spying. How would you respond to this? Wouldn’t you say that there are political problems in Samtskhe-Javakhk?

-I really don’t know. Are they being charged or not. There will be a trial and the issue will be clarified. They have defense attorneys. We have spoken with a variety of compatriotic organizations there. Some say that charges have been brought against the two but I can’t say if they are substantiated.

-In other words, the Diaspora Ministry hasn’t investigated the matter?

-The Diaspora Ministry doesn’t engage in inter-governmental affairs or relations.

-But the Diaspora Minister constantly proclaims that all Armenians fall under the purview of the Ministry and that their interests will be protected.

-Yes, all diaspora Armenians fall within our operational purview but what we have in mind here are cultural and educational issues. It is the foreign affairs ministry that must deal with inter-governmental issues. Our area of activity deals with the cultural and educational issues that confront the diaspora, issues of identity retention, repatriation, preserving an Armenian spiritual element, etc.

-What specific programs have you drafted for Javakhk?

-One of the programs is to organize goal specific educational instruction in Armenia for Javakhk Armenians and ensure that they return; that young people do not leave the region. The second project is to find ways to get diasporan investment directed to Javakhk so that small-scale economic enterprises are created. We don’t rule out the possibility, and it would be wonderful, if Armenian entrepreneurs could buy property in Georgia, to start businesses there. We must try to strengthen the radio broadcasts beamed to the area so that people could tune in to these Armenian stations. The information link between Armenia and Javakhk must be expanded. Newspapers and news reporters must get there in greater numbers so we have accurate information on the problems that exist there, so that we can assist the schools. The economy must be developed so that people will have jobs and not leave the region.

-You mentioned the fields that fall within the purview of the Ministry, especially the cultural sector. In this regard, what programs is the Diaspora Ministry establishing for the theater and the arts?

-We intend to lend a great deal of assistance and support to various cultural centers in Javakhk. There are many song and dance ensembles there and they recently contacted us regarding the scarcity of appropriate costumes. We want to incorporate the children of Javakhk into one of our projects that will organize tours for their ensembles, to send cultural troupes from Armenia to Javakhk. We must provide information to local TV stations there and jointly develop television programs for Javakhk.