DANGER TO LOSE INDEPENDENCE
Lragir.am
28/12/09
Interview with the doctor of history of art, publicist, Haji Nazeni
Gharibyan
We are summing up the year 2009. How it was in your opinion?
The year 2009 was the year of active return of Russia. Exactly 15
years ago, in 1994, the politician and thinker Tigran Hayrapetyan said
that Russia was returning. At that time, only he was feeling Russia’s
return because he had thoroughly studied what was happening in Russia
and understood the reforms happening there. In fact, beginning from
1994 until today, Russia is slowly returning. During the whole 2009,
I felt Russia’s breath in the region and in Armenia. I think it was
expressed in the home and foreign policies of Armenia.
I determine Russia’s fast return by changed happening in the world
and the deviation of the U.S. policy in Europe, Further and Middle
East, Middle Asia as well as the global economic crisis…all this
is directly connected with the happenings in our region. The latest
events crate grounds to think that Russia is trying to push Azerbaijan
to it. We saw that Azerbaijan started making some minor anti-American
statements when Aliyev met with Medvedev.
In the beginning of the last century, the Russian army made first
Azerbaijan, and then Armenia and Georgia become Soviet members. Now, I
thought that Georgia was to be the first, but now I see that everything
is going in accordance with the same scenario. Now in order to enter
Armenia, Russia has to pass through either Georgia or Azerbaijan. I
would like to stress that by saying our region I mean the Nearest
East which includes South Caucuses, minor Asia and Iran.
During the last twenty years, Turkey is trying to assume a hegemonic
role in this region, though it cannot be a pacifier in the region,
I see that both Russia and U.S. let it become a leading player in
the region. In 2009, the Russians and the Turks again came to an
agreement, and we know from history that their political agreements
come out bad for Armenians.
What do you mean by saying "it will be bad for Armenians"? Do you
mean the return of territories or loss of statehood?
Both can happen. Even genocide is possible: there can be a war,
opening of a new front say in Javakhk.
Factually we are approaching the loss of statehood.
Of course, because independence is not a border, an army, a flag…it
is psychology, conscience, behavior which is expressed in daily
minor things.
And now Russians are coming and we do not even resist, because there
is a vast sphere which says that it was good during the Soviet period.
The second important fact is that Russia is working in connection
with its return through financial aids to Armenia. There have been
numerous events in relation with the Russian-Armenian brotherhood.
What is expected for us without Russians?
The problem is not the friendship. Here we have to make a clear
difference between friendship, alliance and subordination, slavery.
Independence is the best guarantee for any nation to develop and
prosper. This is different from having a strategic partner. We have
witnessed this year what kind of a strategic partner Russia is which
negotiated with Turks in Yerevan with its back turned to us.
What is the reason why they do not see us as equals and our word does
not have a value?
The reason is that our third republic is not formed up to the end.
What do you wish for New Year?
I wish wisdom, return to God, and return to those values which we have
lost. I wish consciousness because the year 2010 is going to be an
Armenian-Turkish, Armenian-Azerbaijani as well as an Armenian-Georgian
year. We do not have the right to have a second Karabakh otherwise
our end will come.
Interview by SIRANUYSH PAPYAN