National Assembly (Parliament.am), Armenia
April 10 2010

HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN: `Our Friendship with Lebanon Has Sincere and Firm Bases’

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On April 11-14 the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of
Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan will pay an official visit to Lebanon. On
this occasion the reporter of Azg daily talked to the Speaker of RA
National Assembly over a number of issues:

`Mr. Abrahamyan, after the visit to Armenia in 1997 of the Speaker of
the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri it’s the first time that the
Speaker of the Armenian Parliament will visit Lebanon. The relations
of the two countries are very warm. In the friendly country we have
rather influential Armenian community. There are two Armenian
ministers in the Government of Lebanon, six Armenian MPs. How are the
Armenian-Lebanese parliamentary relations today?’

`First of all, I say that the friendly warm relations that exist
between Armenia and Lebanon, are based on mutual trust. That trust
exists at all levels between the political, economic peoples.

Regarding the parliamentary cooperation, it began in 1993. Today
parliamentary friendship groups are functioning in the parliaments of
the two countries, which contribute to the development of the
inter-state relations. In Armenia we warmly remember the visit of the
Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri to our country in 1997.
We cannot forget and not to remember with gratitude that on May 12,
2000 the Parliament of Lebanon presided over him recognized and
condemned the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire. And
on April 3, 1997 the National Council of Lebanon adopted a Resolution,
where it recognized April 24 as Commemoration Day of the Armenian
people’s tragic massacre.

The members of the Armenian-Lebanese Friendship Parliamentary Group of
the Parliament of Lebanon also took part in the events organized in
2005 within the framework of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian
Parliament.

It’s very good that the Armenian MPs are included in the Parliament of
Lebanon. I am sure that it is an additional impetus for the
development of the Armenian-Lebanese relations and inter-parliamentary
cooperation.’

`The traditional Armenian parties of Lebanon, despite the existing
competition among them cooperate, have united council, which often is
also able to have an influence on the decisions of the state
structures of Lebanon. How do you assess their role?’

`By your permission, I’ll begin from Armenia: any tension in the
motherland willy-nilly had an impact on the feelings of the Diaspora.

The Armenian authorities are for retaining stability and ensuring
development in the country, to which are directed their steps, as the
split after all did not benefit anybody. The traditional Armenian
parties in Lebanon are consolidated in national issues, which
testifies to the fact that they are led by that conscience. One of the
freshest expressions was the circumstance that the three Armenian
traditional parties in Lebanon made joint statements after the
initiation of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, claiming that the
Armenian-Turkish relations should be established without
preconditions.

In every country the issue of retaining Armenian identity is prior for
the Armenian community. The influential Armenian community of Lebanon
always was distinguished by good organizational skills and dignity.
Due to the existing friendly attitude towards them in Lebanon, the
Armenians don’t feel themselves alien. Moreover, the Armenians in
Lebanon are patriotic for Armenia and Lebanon. Irrespective of
different events I think that the role of the Armenian Lebanese has
not decreased in that country, i.e. they are the inseparable branches
of the Lebanese Cedar. The traditional Armenian parties of Lebanon
took a role of special small motherland on them, a link with the
motherland, attitude towards the motherland, preservation of language
and word, national identity and defence. In this aspect, their role is
invaluable, and also responsible. In honour of the traditional
Armenian parties of Lebanon, I’ll say that they deeply realize that
responsibility. To retain the roots becomes more complicated with
every new generation. But with Armenian scripts, in the name of the
Armenian newspapers, with Armenian voice in the name of the Armenian
radio stations, they are able to do that, as there is high perception
of self-conscience.’

`Referring to the Armenian-Turkish protocols mentioned by you, I’ll
say that the issue is especially painful in case of the Armenian
Diaspora¦’

`Today, some political forces are trying to use our people’s feelings
on their own personal interests. And the protocols referring to the
Armenian-Turkish relations’ normalization they have made, it will be
forgiven to say, a toy for their political ideas. It won’t seem to be
surprising but in the Diaspora in general, they refer to this issue
more reserved than some Armenian political forces. One thing should be
clear for everybody: the Armenian authorities won’t take steps, which
will be against the interests of our country, people, nation, which
will violate its history and feelings. That is, in 1915 the Armenian
Genocide perpetrated towards the Armenian in Ottoman Turkey is an
undeniable truth, is not subject of discussion, doubt and bargaining.’

`What will you say about the Armenian-Lebanese relations, taking into
account also the activation of Lebanon-Turkey contacts during the
recent period?’

`Every country decides itself the format of its relations emanating
from its political and economic interests. If Armenia and Lebanon have
no problems in inter-state relations, it means that we don’t build our
relations taking into account the relations with the third countries,
but we emanate from the friendship of our mutual sincere and firm
bases, and why not also bilateral interests.

Besides, the history documents that on the shores of the Mediterranean
Sea and in more deep, Genocide was perpetrated towards Armenians, and
on the other shore, in the name of Lebanon, our compatriots, who
hardly survived from the genocide, were warmly accepted. The thing
that the Parliament of Lebanon officially recognized the Armenian
Genocide, the thing that the Armenian Lebanese feel themselves in
Lebanon as at home, testifies to the attitude of this country. We
won’t forget that Lebanon is the state of the Arabic world with which
Armenia has a Friendship Agreement.’

‘Lebanon is considered a country of developed financial-banking
system, in the conditions of international economic crisis the banking
capital of that country has hundred fold increased. What field of
cooperation do you see?’

`First, I’ll note that in Armenia about 50 enterprises with Lebanese
capital function in different spheres, including, two banks with
Lebanese capital in the banking sphere. Especially significant was the
investment of Lebanon in the sphere of communication of Armenia.

With respect to deepening of economic relations it would be also
desirable that the Armenian businessmen have investments in Lebanon.
And here the activation of the works of the Armenian-Lebanese
Inter-Governmental Commission can have its role.

In the sense of confronting the economic crisis the banks in Armenia
showed high resistance, and today’s situation shows that their
balances are rather healthy. Nevertheless, the experience of the
banking system of Lebanon, especially in the conditions of economic
crisis is exemplary for Armenia. I think that we can initiate an
Armenian-Lebanese banking forum, which can become good opportunity for
the exchange of experience, business cooperation and involvement of
investments. By the way, as far as I know the Vice Chairman of the
Central Bank of Lebanon is Armenian.

In general, we have a big potential of developing economic relations
and we should work in that direction.

Source: Azg daily, interview by Marieta Khachatryan