Nalbandian Faces Barage of Criticism At Columbia University

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Posted on 02 October 2009.

NEW YORK, NY ` Confronted with a barrage of questions from a skeptical
audience, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on Tuesday
attempted to salvage the prospects of a controversial accord between
Turkey and Armenia. The accord, outlined in a series of protocols, has
set off considerable opposition among Diasporan Armenians.

Nalbandian’s appearance was organized by Columbia University’s School
of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and co-hosted by the
Columbia University Armenian Center. The program began with a clearly
uncomfortable Nalbandian delivering remarks entitled `Armenian Foreign
Policy: Challenges in the Region of the Caucasus’ then responded to
repeated questions about the secretly negotiated protocols, unveiled on
August 31st and set to be signed ` with no opportunity for amendment `
on October 10th.

In the face of considerable opposition, Nalbandian is joining Armenian
President Serge Sargisian in a whirlwind tour of Armenian communities
around the world, starting with meetings in New York and Los Angeles
scheduled later this week. Attendees asked a broad array of questions
focusing on the language, implications, and concessions the proposed
protocols would set forth, as well as Armenia’s decision to exclude
Diasporan organizations and civil society from input in the preparation
of the documents.

Inquiries were met with a series of heavily scripted and oftentimes
incredulous responses, leaving participants frustrated and distrustful.
In response to concerns that the establishment of a commission `on the
historical dimension,’ to `define existing problems’ between Turkey and
Armenia would cast doubt on the historical truth of the Armenian
Genocide, Nalbandian repeated. `In the protocols there is nothing
saying we’re putting under question the Armenian Genocide reality or
recognition.’

Nalbandian deflected follow-up questions about the specific focus of
the historical commission citing a laundry list of sub-commissions and
the timetable of negotiations `¦two months after opening the border we
are going to create sub-commissions in the framework of the
intergovernmental Commission dealing with different questions ` energy,
transport, communication, I don’t know, cultural, education, different
things, but also a subcommission to restore mutual confidence not
between two countries but two nations¦’

Confronted with questions about the secrecy of the Turkey-Armenia
negotiations, Nalbandian first claimed that Diasporan groups had been
consulted ` with no specifics of organizations approached ` then cited
the upcoming Armenian Presidential visits with the community as an
oppo
rtunity for dialogue. `But we couldn’t ignore also the opinion of
our Diaspora and that is why the Foreign Minister met in many countries
over the world with Diaspora communities and our president, yes, it was
announced that he will be in countries where we have major Armenian
communities to hear and to know their opinion,’ said Nalbandian.

Asked about the timing of the April 22nd announcement of a so-called
`roadmap’ for dialogue between the two countries, Nalbandian stunned
audience members, responding that `it was just a joint statement¦just
two days before April 24, commemoration of the Armenian genocide, or
one month before, this is the same.’ That move, of course, has been
widely seen as an attempt by Turkey to derail U.S. affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide on April 24th.