IT’S HIGH TIME TO REPRESENT KARABAKH ISSUE TO THE WORLD AS GENOCIDE
CONSEQUENCE, OPPOSITION MP ASSURES

NOYAN TAPAN
MARCH 29, 2005

YEREVAN

We should spare no efforts to persuade the world that Karabakh is not
only a territorial or self-determination problem but a problem of
survival, struggle against realization of Genocide for Armenians,
Stepan Zakarian, a member of NA Ardarutiun (Justice) faction, declared
during the parliamentary hearings dedicated to the ways of Karabakh
settlement. The MP assured that much might have been done for Karabakh
settlement in Armenia, Karabakh and abroad, in the spheres of
propaganda and diplomacy since the establishment of the cease-fire.
Without going into the details of the shortcom ings the speaker
touched upon the problems to be solved for improving the situation.

According to Stepan Zakarian, the actions are to be carried out in two
directions, in the way of Armenia’s obvious democratization compared
with Azerbaijan and implementation of propaganda proper to the
perception of the civilized world. In his affirmation, we should speak
about the dangers threatening the Karabakh people unless it is able to
defend itself. According to Zakarian, the Armenian party doesn’t take
a sufficient advantage of Turkey’s numerous problems in connection
with EU integration, as well as the fact that the European countries’
position to Turkey isn’t unequivocal. Armenia doesn’t make sufficient
use of the issue of recognition of Armenian Genocide by the world,
either.

In the MP’s affirmation, now, on the eve of the Armenian Genocide’s
90th anniversary, it’s high time to represent the Karabakh issue to
the world as the consequence of the Genocide, to speak about the
identical policy carried on towards Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan,
to stress the circumstance that until these countries haven’t
recognized the fact of the Genocide Armenians can’t believe the
guarantees of security given by them. Zakarian also mentioned that the
announcement about the danger threatening the Armenians by Turkey will
show the West the presence of a Russian military contingent in
Armenia, in difference to other countries. According to the MP, we
should also carry on propaganda in Russia speaking about the fact that
many Chechen fighters and representatives of other nations
participated in the Karabakh war on the part of Azerbaijan.

According to the MP, the establishment of democracy isn’t immediately
connected with Karabakh issue but it is very important for gaining the
West’s sympathy. According to him, the holding of elections
corresponding to European standards, balancing of the power wings as a
result of constitutional reforms, in the conditions of presence of an
independent judicial system and mass media will immediately improve
the West’s attitude to Armenia. Stepan Zakarian said that the presence
of Karabakh factor makes a possible revolution in Armenia
dangerous. That’s why the People’s Party of Armenia always speaks
about establishment of the constitutional order by avoiding shocks.