THE ARMENIAN OLIGARCHS AND LIBERATED TERRITORIES

Lragir
KarabakhOpen
07-06-2007 15:39:54

The president of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghukasyan righteously
complained the day before that the Armenian oligarchs or the Armenians
worldwide do not assist in the reconstruction and resettlement of
the liberated territories, and tiny Karabakh has to cope with this
challenge all alone, whereas it has so many more vital problems
to solve. Tiny Karabakh cannot solve the problem of resettlement
of the territories because it takes a lot of money. Actually, the
problem can be solved through the Armenian oligarchs. If each of them
abstains from renewing their motorcades for at least a month, a small
community can be set up in the liberated territories with dozens of
families. So, the principle "one oligarch, one village" set forward
by Arkady Ghukasyan is quite rational. It is also obvious that the
Armenians worldwide do not use their potential fully, not even one
quarter of it, to reconstruct the victory in the war of Karabakh.

However, besides voicing protest it would be helpful to ask why it
is so.

Why the oligarchs and the Diaspora do not take an active part in the
reconstruction and resettlement of the liberated territories. The
answer is obvious. If the statesmen, from the president of Armenia
to the president of Karabakh, announce that after settling the issue
of status they are ready to discuss the question of territories,
which means they are ready to return the territories, no one will
agree to give money for their resettlement. The Armenian oligarchs
should be pushed to take this step by the government they serve. The
government must advise the oligarchs to make investments or donations
to create infrastructures in these territories. Hence, the concern of
the NKR president is relevant but misaddressed. Before complaining
it is necessary to ask what the government of Karabakh and Armenia
do to ensure donations and investments for the reconstruction and
resettlement of these territories.

Are there guarantees that the Diasporan who is expected to assist will
not run into the business interests of a general or a high-ranking
official in making investments or donations for the liberated
territories, trespass on their estate and have to apologize and
leave? Have the government of Armenia and Karabakh conveyed to the
oligarchs and Diasporans their plans regarding the territories? Have
they presented a clear-cut action, what they expect after each step,
and how much money these expectations require to come true?

The government of Karabakh and Armenia avoid attending to these
issues on a government level to avoid problems with the world. Arkady
Ghukasyan is also speaking about it. But do the problems with the
world disappear when the officials of Armenia and Karabakh state
their readiness to return the territories? Does the world appreciate
this modesty and tolerance and say "no, dear Karabakh, or Armenia,
or Armenians, you can have these territories. We appreciate your
readiness to return them, but you can keep them." No, of course. The
world can see that the Armenian side does not need these territories,
otherwise there would be life in these territories.

Nevertheless, the world gives us a chance. It gives a chance without
imposing a solution. Meanwhile, we again face up to the Armenian
problem of understanding the world.