AZG, March 11, 2005
Not to be allowed to step on Armenia’s soil even as a tourist..
Today the name of French Armenian Alexander Varpetyan is well known in
Armenia. With his books and lectures he is known in the Motherland.
However, as it appears from his open letter addressed to the
leadership of our country, which is published with slight reductions
below, Alexander Varpetyan is being denied not only a special
residency status, but also an entry visa to Armenia. The editorial
board is expecting a detailed response.
Honorable President and State Officials,
I, a French Armenian, after returning to my birthplace Marseille on
1975, continued my national cultural and patriotic activities, and
parallel to my French citizenship kept the citizenship of Soviet
Armenia, which by my own will on 1990 was reregistered as a
citizenship of independent Armenia.
However, on 1997 because of some unknown reasons I was deprived of it;
although my passport was valid until 1998, while the law banning
double citizenship was accepted still on 1994.
Nevertheless, highlighting the importance of my “patriotic heritage
and contribution to Armenian scientific and cultural life,” based on
the application of initially Armenia’s Ministry of Science and
Education, and later Ministry of Culture, I twice was awarded with a
free status of temporary and regular residency in Armenia. However,
the third such application of the Minister of Culture on 2002 was
denied without any explanation, which was equivalent to exile. The
open letter of about 250 prominent representatives of intelligentsia
to the President of Armenia (“Aravot”-03/29/2002), and the discussions
in other newspapers (“Iravunk”- 03/21/2002, “Zhamanak”-03/28/2002,
“Golos Armenii”-03/23/2002, “Haykakan Jamanak”-03/13/2002 and others)
did not find any reaction.
Later consistently were denied:
– On 2003 – By the apparatus of the President via the Armenian
Consulate in France my application for paid special residency status;
– On 2003 – The invitation by Artur Varpetian, my son and the citizen
of Armenia, for my three-month-long visa;
– On 2003 – My 21-day-long internet visa application;
– On 2004 spring – the legal appeal of the same application, this time
with motivation of absence of an invitation;
– And immediately after that again the invitation application by my
son for my 3-month visa, but this time even without a written
rejection, which makes this matter not only strange but also very
conspirative and unique issue.
It appears, that for my 30-year-long devoted national cultural and
national preservation activities I can be hosted in all Diaspora
colonies and freely visit any country (including Turkey, as in summer
of 2004, historical sites), except the Motherland; I can be invited
and deliver lectures regarding the 12,000 years-old heritage of
Armenians in foreign universities (Azad-Iran 2002, UCLA-USA 1999 and
2005, and elsewhere); with my Armenian language publications achieve
international recognition and appreciations (ABI-“Great Thinkers of
21st Century”, USA, 2004; IBC-Blue book of “Who is who” , Cambridge,
Great Britain, 2005, etc.); appear in the website of
<; “Famous people of Armenia”; but have no right
to step on the Armenia’s soil even as a tourist.
And all this is being done without any justification or an
explanation. So what has changed in the Motherland during the recent
years? I and my national activities have not changed at all; simply my
scientific achievements and discoveries developed further.
Parallel to spreading of the ideological theories of “Eutyun”, this
nonsense matter and the strange circumstances around it, cause
numerous questions and different speculations, thus first of all
shadowing the image and respect of the Republic of Armenia in the eyes
of both Armenian and foreign realities.
Thus, Honorable President and respectful statesmen, I sincerely urge
you to examine this problematical appeal, and if it is not an
“extremely secret state matter”, disclose to me the reasons of all
these consistent rejections; or otherwise allow me at least shortly
visit my relatives, as well as the graves of my dead, who because of
their patriotism immigrated to the Motherland and departed from this
life prematurely.
I am taking up an obligation to respect all laws and regulations of
Armenia, not to attend any gathering, even a social or scientific
meeting, not to seek any status of residency anymore, and if necessary
respond to any questions related to this matter, as well as to my
national cultural activities, even though they always have been open
and transparent, and I regularly, with high civil responsibility, in
verbal and written forms always reported to YOU ALL.
With optimism and deep respect
Alexander Arordi Varpetyan
,
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress