VAHE KARAPETIAN: HOMELAND IS ON THE RIGHT PATH

Noyan Tapan
March 22, 2010

LOS ANGELES, MARCH 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The March 4
discussion on Resolution 252 recognizing the Armenian Genocide by the
Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives of the U.S.

Congress was the fourth discussion on this problem. However, as Vahe
Karapetian – a national benefactor, Armenian-American businessman,
member of the Advisory Board of the RA Ministry of Diaspora – told in
an interview with Noyan Tapan, this fourth discussion was much more
significant to the Armenians than the preceding ones and had a number
of noteworthy characteristics, regarding which our talk took place.

– What, in your opinion, was the peculiarity of the discussion of
Resolution 252?

– It was a much more difficult vote than the previous ones. Let’s not
forget that although last year on April 24 President Obama did not use
the word "genocide" (noting that his opinion of the 1915 events did not
change), in the past – prior to becoming president, he had repeatedly
characterized the acts committed against Armenians in 1915 as genocide.

The Speaker of the Congress and many others struggled for years for
adoption of that resolution, but today they all hold high positions.

In this situation Democratic Congressmen found themseleves in a double
position and they had difficulty joining the Armenians’ efforts to
achieve the adoption of the Genocide resolution by the U.S. Congress.

– Do you think this issue will be passed at the Congress?

– There is great danger that this issue will not be passed by the
Congress today because we are not so organized yet. We are not ready
yet. I am sure that next time we will succeed through this new joint
process.

– We all noticed that almost nobody denied the fact of the Armenian
Genocide.

– That was another peculiarity of the vote: almost all the Congressmen
who said no to the resolution noted: "Yes, the Genocide did take place,
but…" This "but" is a political, inadmissible "but" – allegedly for
America’s interests, a "but" allegedly powerless in the face of Iraq,
Afghanistan, and other problems.

After all, nobody accusses present-day Turkey and its people, we accuse
those who committed these actions in the past, and Turkey itself
sentenced many of them to death in 1919. So it is just a political
game by Turkey which condemned the criminals who had committed the
Genocide – because a lot of problems, for example, the problem of
compensation, will arise after its actual recognition.

– In your opinion, what role did the presence of delegates from
Armenia at the vote play?

– Yet another peculiarity of the vote was that it was for the first
time that the representatives of Armenian authorities were standing
during the discussion in that hall – before the eyes of the U.S.

Congressmen. It was an important circumstance as even those
Congressmen, who for years on end were backing the efforts on the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, witnessed for the first time that
the Diaspora was not alone but the Armenians are united with respect
to that demand. It was a powerful step on the path of perceiving the
unity of the Armenians and that force.

And it was not the first step towards building a bridge of mutual
understanding between Armenia and the Diaspora: the first step was the
open discussion that the president had in Diaspora colonies regarding
the numerous problems and suspicions which arose in connection with
the Armenia-Turkey protocols. We all in the Diaspora appreciated the
greatness and benevolence of the Homeland, and we realized that we
had misinterpreted the Armenia-Turkey protocols.

By taking a few steps, the president proved his aspiration: first,
ensuring longevity of Armenia, longevity and recognition of Artsakh,
improving the economic conditions of the people, and neither losing
the rights of Artsakh nor forgetting the demands of the Armenians
or the Genocide. The president proved this all, especially in the
message he issued in Geneva prior to the protocols’ signing, in which
he announced his determination.

The fact that the Armenian deputies attended the discussion of the
Armenian Genocide problem in the Congress served as an addition to the
presidential message and demonstrated to the Diaspora that Armenia
would support that problem and would not make concessions over the
protocols and any other issue.

– You said that we, the Armenians are not well-organized enough yet.

Do you believe that one day we will succeed in acting unitedly?

– I am convinced that we will become united all over the world. The
Homeland is on the right path. Our force is in our hands.