HOLY MASS FOR THE DEAF
Leonid Martirosyan

Azat Artsakh Newspaper NKR
February 09, 2010

As it is known, in January of this year the former head of Armenian
diplomatic mission Oleg Essayan has been appointed in Minsk Ambassador
Plenipotentiary of Armenia in the Russian Federation. It is known
also, that on that post he has taken the place of Armen Smbatyan,
who in the end of 2009 was elected as executive director of the
Interstate fund of humanitarian cooperation of the CIS countries. It
seems, that appointment of the ambassador – a usual event, concerning
internal affairs of this or that state, but as it turns out – not in
the given concrete case. It would be rather strange, if Azerbaijan has
not reacted to similar rotation of the Armenian diplomats. Especially
in so important state for our region, as Russia which, besides, is the
country-co-chair of the OSCE Minsk group. Reaction was, certainly,
negative. In Azerbaijan, as it is known, memory is selective. Here
they can even "forget" absolutely about the bloody crimes of rather
recent past, as in a case with "Sumgait", "Baku" and other Azerbaijan
genocide actions. But here, however, they remember well, that in due
time Oleg Essayan headed the NKR parliament, that in understanding
of Azerbaijanians in itself is already criminal.

But whether only the person of the new ambassador of Armenia in
Russia has displeased Azerbaijan? It has turned out, no. Prospects of
adjacent processes, like not even Karabakh settlement, but notorious
national diplomacy, cause not less alarms. Readers certainly remember,
that in the beginning of July of the past year ambassadors of Armenia
and Azerbaijan in Russia Armen Smbatyan and Polad Byul-Byul oghly,
representatives of both countries’ parliaments and the public visited
Nagorno-Karabakh. This mission rather loudly, with unjustified pathos,
has been named peace-making. Our irony may seem to someone excessive,
but in this case it is more than pertinent. But about it – then, but
now about anxieties of Azerbaijan in connection with Oleg Essayan’s
new appointment.

In Baku they find, that after appointment of Oleg Essayan as the
head of a diplomatic mission of Armenia in Moscow, the peace-making
initiative of ambassadors thereby has been practically destroyed. And
thus with nostalgia and grief they remember Armen Smbatyan. It
turns out, in Azerbaijanians’ opinion, if it is possible to
carry on a dialogue with the second, so with the first it is
impossible basically. Moreover, in Baku they find, that in Armenia
with displacement of Smbatyan from the post of the ambassador,
"witch-hunt", that is representatives of "peace party" – the people
participating jointly with Azerbaijan in peace-making initiatives,
has begun. Ostensibly they cannot forgive Smbatyan in participation
together with Byul-Byul oghly in peace-making mission. Brad, of course,
if we don’t say more.

At all respect for the former ambassador who sincerely wished to adjust
dialogue between societies of the contradictory parties, nevertheless
we will remind them the known truth – don’t lie by kindness. First
of all, himself. After all if his Azerbaijan colleague behaved in
Nagorno-Karabakh extremely cynically and besides periodically urged
the fellow tribesmen to take the weapon and to "liberate" Karabakh,
so Armen Smbatyan should hardly assimilate to the hero of the known
song about "the fine marchioness" and to continue the mentioned
mission. It is obvious, that the similar line of conduct of the
Azerbaijan party with Oleg Essayan is simply impossible, which Baku
understands perfectly. From here non acception of the new Armenian
ambassador in Russia, as it suits Azerbaijan having such "peace-making"
partner, who is ready to be at his bidding.

Therefore this mission has initially been doomed to a failure as did
not comprise the main thing – respect of the Azerbaijan party towards
its opponent. Don’t build world, benevolent and confidential relations
with a stone in the bosom. And if in Azerbaijan they really consider,
that the peace-making initiative has died, first of all it is necessary
to blame itself for it and only itself, instead of to try to discover
the far-fetched reasons in Oleg Essayan’s appointment. Such position
is extremely unsteady.

If Byul-Byul oghly is sincerely interested in continuation of peace
initiatives, so what prevents him to throw away haughtiness and to
continue the mission so, as it is appropriate to the civilized head of
diplomatic mission? Let with his interests, but obligatory with pure
thoughts. If Baku wishes to establish mutual reliable and legally equal
dialogue with Nagorno-Karabakh, so why it trys to co-ordinate peace
initiatives to this or that person – diplomat or another else. Similar
simple truths should be known to politicians of Azerbaijan, and it was
spoken much about it. Who wishes to hear will also hear. And however,
let’s say, they don’t celebrate mass for the deaf two times.