WHAT DOES SERGE SARGSYAN NEED?
James Hakobyan

hos15406.html
11:46:54 – 05/10/2009

Serge Sargsyan, who is visiting different communities of the Armenian
Diaspora and is discussing the Armenian and Turkish relations, says
his initiative is unprecedented from the point that he is engaged
in learning the opinion of all the Armenians in connection with
such an important issue for Armenia. We could agree with this if
really a format was chosen which would enable to learn the moods of
the Armenian Diaspora composed of more than 7 million Armenians. For
example, in Paris meeting with several hundred people it is impossible
to find out what several hundred thousand people think. But the
question is not this, in this case. After all, it is doubtless that
the Armenian-Turkish protocols are going to be signed and everything
will proceed the way it is needed and not the way the Diaspora or
the Armenian society wants. This is the problem. Does Serge Sargsyan
need the opinion of the others? Is he in reality interested in
opinions of the Armenians in Armenia and abroad? Does he need all
this to find out new things or to show to the whole world that he
can oppose the Armenian nation but take to an end this important
geopolitical question? Maybe this was the reason why before leaving
for his pan-Armenian trip in his interview with "Armenian Reporter"
newspaper, he said that if now the Armenian and Turkish process fails
no other figure will dwell on this topic for long time. In other
words, either no one or me. Anyway, if Serge Sargsyan was really
interested in someone’s opinion, if he really wanted to enhance the
effectiveness of his decisions by listening to a wider framework of
decisions, he would do that before signing the Armenian and Turkish
protocols or in general before initiating the football diplomacy,
holding public and pan-Armenian discussions. He did not have to hold
them now just for fun saying "I decided to do something, what do you
think about it Armenians?" This may weaken Armenia’s positions from
the diplomatic point of view in comparison with Turkey. But public
discussions to learn th!

e politic ods may be held. Moreover, if the government did it
indirectly without showing off its participation or interests so the
public-political circles would be more sincere and the atmosphere
would be calmer because the greater part of the Armenian public –
political circles, at hearing the name of the government, does what
would please the latter.

If the opinion of the Armenian nation was taken into consideration only
then we would be able to say that Serge Sargsyan in reality cares for
the public opinion. But when it is done after the statement that the
Armenian and Turkish protocols cannot be changed and at the same time
with another statement he says that "those who threaten him are naïve"
it becomes clear that Serge Sargsyan does not want to learn the opinion
of the public and Armenians but to defeat the public and the Armenians.