DIASPORA IS MY POLITICAL PARTY
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
19 June 06
When the Armenian foreign minister announced in Stepanakert that Robert
Kocharyan’s Karabakhi origin allows him to represent Nagorno Karabakh
to the negotiations, many might have thought that Oskanyan curtseyed to
the first person of the Republic. However, very few people might have
thought that it was just another public appearance of the heir of the
president of Armenia. On June 17 the foreign minister announced in a
conference in Yerevan that the introduction of dual nationality in
Armenia would double the population of Armenia. "This opportunity
must be used," said Vardan Oskanyan. He announced that Armenia
cannot frustrate the Diaspora and adopt the law on dual nationality
after withdrawing the provision from the constitution. Therefore
in Stepanakert Vardan Oskanyan put forward the thesis on Robert
Kocharyan’s Karabakhi origin as a right to powers in government.
We should not forget that the recognition of the Genocide is on the
agenda of the foreign policies of Armenia. And which president would
have more rights to present this problem to the world according to
Vardan Oskanyan’s thinking? Of course, a president who was born in
the Diaspora. And naturally Vardan Oskanyan urges not to frustrate
Diasporans. In fact, it is not clear yet whether a Diasporan, who
becomes a national of Armenia, is eligible. This is the next step,
however. The profession of a diplomat teaches a lot. Therefore Vardan
Oskanyan did not become one of the favorites of the president at
once. In answer to his being favorite the minister already does
not say "no", although he has never said no. But he did not say
yes either. Perhaps it will happen immediately after settling the
questions with the Diaspora.
Vardan Oskanyan is the least discredited official of Armenia,
however, he also has a considerable share. People have not forgotten
the accident, when his son ran down a person, riding the car of
the ministry, but was not punished, in fact. And before people had
forgotten about it, another episode involving Vardan Oskanyan became
known. In one of the buildings of North Avenue the foreign minister
is going to have an entire floor accommodating some analytic center.
The minister neither refutes nor confirms this information. Therefore
the question must be asked where he will take the money to buy
space, which costs 1000 dollars per sq m. Maybe he gets support,
maybe also from the Diasporans, who might be enthusiastic about dual
nationality. Therefore the Diasporans standing in queue for dual
nationality must not be disappointed. Even if they are not eligible,
they can have a rather active influence in fulfillment of eligibility
of other voters. The least thing they can do is to analyze the chances
of Vardan Oskanyan among "single nationals." Perhaps Vardan Oskanyan
needs help in this matter, because as a foreign minister he can deal
with the outside himself.
From: Baghdasarian