OPEN LETTER REGARDING KARABAKH CONFLICT

KarabakhOpen
31-05-2007 16:10:40

Dr. I. Babajanian
USA
May 29, 2007

Dear Mr. President Kocharian:

I am writing as an Armenian from the diaspora, which boasts 5 million
people in touch with their heritage.

Since we have been shortchanged with treaties throughout history, we
wish you caution in your upcoming trip to Saint Petersburg regarding
negotiations of Karabakh on June 10, 2007. We ask that you refrain
against strong pressures from the West nor the East, as they have
repeatedly trampled on our rights and freedom in the past. I would like
to convey the opinion of the vast majority of the Diaspora Armenians.

Your stance on this issue will determine the fate of our people in
Karabakh as well as the legacy you’ll leave in the future. As a nation,
we have suffered throughout the centuries, having experienced Genocide
in 1915 and the massacres in Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

For the first time won our just war, due to the perseverance and
sacrifice of our sons. We won the war and we cannot lose the peace
talks.

For the overwhelming majority of Armenians, the following fundamental
minimal circumstances should exist in any peace treaty:

1. That Karabakh achieve full independency, including the Latchin
corridor and Kalbejar.

2. That the surrounding territories should have a 5-10 kilometers
have a neutral unarmed zone.

3. The remaining liberated lands would be returned as a token of peace.

4. Without the above minimum, any negotiation is absolutely not
acceptable to the Armenian people of the world, considering the
senseless bloodshed we have experienced.

II. Regarding our adversary, Mr. Aliyev, we extend a message of peace
as neighbors. You do realize that Karabakh is not yours ancestrally
and you will never gain it. We ask that you think twice in your
intimidating threats to invade or dare to invade Karabakh. Officially,
Mr. Oskanian, minister of foreign affairs, has already responded to
you–that your third attempt will be your last one and you will lose
even more lands. Marsel Hayk Ghogasian, one of the freedom fighters
in Karabakh, has invited you to confront his people in Karabakh once
again, confident that your fate will be the same as before. Your
father, despite being better experienced and trained than you,
suffered losses to Karabakh at the expense of his greed for land
and election. There is no way you can outdo him. Be also aware that
300,000 of our 5 million patriotic Armenians from the diaspora are
ready to come and defend Karabakh in a time of need.

Once more we advise you to choose a peaceful path and do away with
aggressive and threatening rhetoric.

Armenians will never ever accept that Karabakh will never ever come
under Azerbaijani rule.

III. I want to convey a few words to the OSCE Minsk Group, notably
Mr. Merzlyakov, Mr. Fassier, and Mr. Bryza so they may approach this
matter impartially. We are not sure how much you know about the
Armenian history throughout centuries in the South Caucausus. We
have suffered for centuries due to our neighbors because we are
Christian Armenians. For 70 years under Soviet regime, Azerbaijan
took advantage of the times and discriminated, tortured, and seized
Karabakh’s human rights. You should be aware that we have been forced
into this recent war with Azerbaijan, having to protect our infants
and mothers from being launched out of high-rise windows during the
massacres of Sumgayit and other cities in Azerbaijan and Karabakh.

We triumphed in preserving our existence but lost lots of our
sons and people. In order to ensure peace we want to return the
surrounding liberated territories, which have been our ancestral
lands. I hope you are aware of the indomitable will of the Armenian
people and their value of their ancestors. If you don’t consider
these realities in the south Caucausus, then we assure you that the
area will experience massive bloodshed and resistance for many years,
like Ireland, Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. We don’t want the world,
including the West and the East, to mistaken and regret the aftermath
for a new conflict and bloodshed in the South Caucausus.

I sincerely hope all parties involved will take the time to consider
the above reality.

Respectfully yours,

Dr. I. Babajanian USA May 29, 2007.