ALEK YENIKOMSHIAN – "ARMENIA HAS TAKEN THE ROAD OF CAPITULATION"
Kristine Aghalaryan

hetq.am/en/politics/aleq-yenigomshyan/
2009/04/23 | 17:04

Politics

At a press conference held today, Alek Yenikomshian and Zaruhi
Postanjyan, members of the "Miatsum Initiative" sounded off regarding
the International Crisis Group report on Armenia published on April 14.

Mr. Yenikomshian lamented the fact that neither there was any reaction
from the Armenian press or civic political circles even though the
ICS report included a number of specific directives for Armenia.

In his view these included an acceptance and implementation of the
package now being considered which includes such points as the opening
of the border, the establishment of diplomatic relations as well as
the creation of a bipartisan committee to discuss outstanding issues
like the events of 1915. It also calls on Armenia from refraining
from making statements and steps regarding the recognition of the
Genocide that might incite a backlash in Turkish public opinion.

He also stated that the ICG report urges Armenia to accept the Karabakh
settlement principles as proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and
the removal of Armenian forces from the liberated territories.

Furthermore, Mr. Yenikomshian noted that the ICG urges that Armenia
unreservedely accept the conditions as laid out by the Treaty of Kars,
a step that would mean that Armenia forever renounces any territorial
claims on Turkey. Lastly the ICG advises Armenia to continue research
regarding the events of 1915 in various scientific institutions and
universities and that Turkish scholars should be included as well.

Mr. Yenikomshian noted that the ICG report contains the statement of
a high Armenian government official and that it can be expected that
in the future Armenian-Turkish agreement there will be one point in
particular specifying that the two nations recognize the current
borders. The speaker noted that this is of great concern because,
"reference was made to a top official and in the span of nine days
there has been no official rejection that we have seen from the
Armenian side."

Mr. Yenikomshian stated that a preliminary agreement has been
drafted and that it appears that Armenia has taken the road of
capitulation. "Sadly, we must note that Armenia accepts the present
border with Turkey, as drawn by the 1921 Treaty of Kars, as valid. At
the least Armenia thus accepts the territorial integrity of present-day
Turkey."

Zaruhi Postanjyan commented that on the eve of the anniversary of
the 1915 Genocide, the joint declaration of the Armenian, Turkish
and Swiss foreign ministries is a act of treachery on the part of
the Armenian authorities since much hard work has been carried out
by representatives of the Armenian people in the parliaments of other
nations to see to it that the Genocide is officially recognized."