HOMELAND IS NOT DECIDED IN A REFERENDUM

Lragir.am
12 July 06

Jirayr Sefilyan, the head of the Initiative for Defense of Liberated
Areas, announced July 12 at the National Press Club that the Karabakh
issue will not be resolved, and there is no danger of losing the
liberated areas. Jirayr Sefilyan believes that all the variants
of settlement discussed after the armistice contained return of
territories, and in this sense Bryza’s revelations and information
on a framework agreement are not a novelty. Jirayr Sefilyan thinks
that dangers thereof are superficial.

The real danger, according to the former soldier of the liberation war,
is inside the country, in the policy of the government. Jirayr Sefilyan
points to the willingness for compromise in the statements of the
ministers of defense and foreign affairs. The head of the Initiative
for Defense of Liberated Areas is amazed that the foreign minister
of Armenia upholds the principles involving return of territories and
recently he has been announcing about it rather often with regard to
Bryza’s revelations on the talks.

"I can see two reasons for Vardan Oskanyan’s activity, namely his
statements on every other day. One of them is that he wants to tell the
Americans on Kocharyan’s order that he is ready for everything. Second,
tasked by his lords, Oskanyan has started preparing people, as they
think," says Jirayr Sefilyan. According to him, these statements about
a compromise are intended to instill certain moods in the society.

"So, they keep repeating day and night that we must cede, we must
cede, we must cede. This may not affect established people like us,
but there is a new generation in Armenia, and this may eventually
affect them," says Jirayr Sefilyan. He is against a new referendum
on the status of Nagorno Karabakh, saying that the homeland cannot
be decided in a referendum, it is betrayal.

Generally, Jirayr Sefilyan thinks that the purpose of Bryza’s
statements is regional developments and the problem of Iran rather
than the Karabakh conflict. The head of the Initiative for Defense
of Liberated Areas believes that the United States uses the Karabakh
issue to put pressure on the Armenian government, to separate Armenia
from Russia. On the other hand, Jirayr Sefilyan thinks it is bad
that Armenia faces Russia only. "Because there is no Russia today,"
says Jirayr Sefilyan.

According to him, there is not a political force, which represents
the opinion of the public, therefore Jirayr Sefilyan does not wonder
why the political forces remained silent about the recent statements
on Karabakh, failing to express the reaction of the society.

"Today’s political sphere in Armenia has nothing in common with our
public," says the head of the Initiative for Defense of Liberated
Areas. "Our people have one opinion. We are the lords of our land,
our homeland. This is the dominant opinion. The real reaction will
be when this wretched government decides to act. There will be a
reaction at that time and you will see what a reaction it will be. I
tell you for sure, because I will be one of the initiators of this,"
announced Jirayr Sefilyan. He also thinks that the danger of igniting
of the war is greater under the present government, whereas "we are
not ready for war with this government" and the way of avoiding it
is, according to Jirayr Sefilyan, is "to get rid of this government
as soon as possible."