"RECOGNITION OF FAR-FETCHED "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE" IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT FOR ARMENIAN DIASPORA THAN ARMENIA’S PROBLEMS"

Today
itics/68076.html
May 17 2010
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with member of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis
(Parliament) Anar Mammadkhanov.

How do you assess the outcomes of the Russian President’s latest
visit to Turkey? What impact can it have on resolution of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

Of course, it is difficult to give an unambiguous assessment of the
whole nature of the current Turkish-Russian relations. But the fact
that during Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Turkey, the to sides signed
nearly 20 bilateral documents, covering a wide spectrum of cooperation
from the construction of nuclear power plants and transition to a
visa-free regime, supply of Turkish poultry to Russia, as well as
Russia and Turkey’s intention to increase bilateral trade turnover
to 100 billion dollars over the next five years shows that the
Turkish-Russian relations are flourishing and have a tendency to
develop further.

Of course, the fact that two such large states as Turkey and Russia
build a relationship and there are no conflicts of interest between
them has a very positive impact on the overall atmosphere in our
region. At the same time, we must admit that Turkey’s influence on
Russia in terms of settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict can be great, but still not decisive.

You mentioned the overall atmosphere in the region. Why Armenia does
not want or can not be part of a peaceful, vibrant South Caucasus
and opts to play a destructive role?

Needless to say that Armenia has become object of international
politics rather than its subject long ago. Decisions are made on behalf
of Armenia by everyone who can including the Armenian diaspora and
the United States. Even Armenia’s budget in many ways is not coming
from the resources of this country, but from to outside assistance,
which comes either from the Diaspora, or from other sources that have
influence on this country.

So, as you see, it is not necessary to seriously think about why
Armenia does not want or can not be part of a peaceful, vibrant South
Caucasus, preferring to play a destructive role. It would be better
to ask this question those who make decisions for Armenia.

According to media reports, the total amount of money Armenians across
the world posess, is between $100 billion and above based on various
estimations. In your opinion, why these funds are not invested in
Armenia to the extent to ensure that this country solves its ever
deepening economic problems?

A true state should create its own budget not based on pockets of
its countrymen living in different parts of the world, but from its
own resources. Also, I think, by and large, statements about amount
of the world Armenians’ capital are voiced to give significance to
the diaspora while, in fact, these things are only craftiness aimed
at ignorant average citizens.

For example, according to Forbes magazine, Kirk Kerkorian, American
businessman, a billionaire of Armenian descent, had a wealth of $15
billion in 2007 and $5 billion in 2009. As we see, in just two years
Kerkorian’s wealth decreased threefold. So, it is wrong to indicate
a specific figure to shows amount of the capital of the Armenian
diaspora.

The capital of wealthy Armenians, as well as the capital of wealthy
people of any nationality, can both increase and decrease. In addition,
capitals of wealthy people are kept not at home or in the closet, not
even in banks. This money is put in circulation and invested in real
estate projects. So, it is wrong to assume that funds of the Armenian
diaspora including those invested in projects and real estate will
be spent to resolve Armenia’s economic problems.

Billionaires and millionaires of Armenian origin can provide donations
to Armenia. But its sum is unlikely to total $100 million a year. But
this does not promise a way out of the tough situation Armenia has
wound up due to its policy of isolation, which originates from the
territorial claims not only to Azerbaijan but also to other states
in our region.

The Armenian diaspora does not pay much attention to Armenia’s
problems. Recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide", which in
fact was deportation of Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire due
to betrayal to their own homeland, is much more important for them. It
is like a painting on the wall, left by great-grandfather for them.

They do not care about the UN estimates which show that 700,000 to
1.300.000 people emigrated from the Republic of Armenia since 1991.

Similarly, they are less and less concerned about the reasons that
force people to leave the country in large numbers.

Armenian leadership, regardless of who is in charge of the country,
should worry about these problems. In your opinion, can any Armenian
politician radically change the situation and eliminate the causes
of Armenia’s self-isolation once he reaches power?

To put it mildly, given my ambiguous attitude toward Armenia’s
current President Serzh Sargsyan, who was involved in the genocide of
Azerbaijani civilians in Khojaly, I do not think that he cannot address
causes of self-isolation of the country and de-occupy Azerbaijan’s
territories in particular. But to implement this step, he needs
solid guarantees that he will not be deposed from the presidency
by any rebels. He expects superpowers to make these assurances. But
apparently, Serzh Sargsyan has not yet received this kind of guarantee.