RUSSIA COMMITS TO NEUTRALIZATION OF ARMENIA
Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 16 March 2015, 15:54
March 16 is one of the most shameful and outrageous pages of the
Armenian history the reason of which is the Russian-Turkish treaty
signed on that day. In 1921 Russia and Turkey actually divided the
Caucasus by this treaty in prejudice of Armenia. Kars, Surmalu and
Nakhijevan were annexed by Turkey and Azerbaijan. This treaty is
still in force.
Moreover, the sides reaffirmed their commitment to the treaty in
2011, and the Turkish President Erdogan, then prime minister, passed
to the Russian prime minister Medvedev, then the Russian president,
a copy of the treaty in a solemn ceremony.
Later last year Putin commented on the relations with Turkey, noting
that the period of Ataturk, despite minor problems, had a positive
development for the Russian-Turkish relations. Now too, Russia
and Turkey continue this positive development, building a strategic
relationship. They are doing it in accordance with the Russian-Turkish
treaty, which is still in force, at least it has not been cancelled
so far. In addition, Russia’s actions, particularly towards Armenia,
indicate Moscow’s loyalty to the treaty.
Evidence to this is the similarity of the Russian state policy to
Article 8 of the Russian-Turkish treaty of 1921 which states that
the parties commit to banish in their countries the occurrence and
existence of organizations and groups which aspire to assuming the
role of government over the other country or a part of it, as well
as the existence of such groups which intend to fight against the
other country. In addition, the parties assume a similar obligation
towards the soviet republics of the Caucasus.
Armenia is not a soviet republic any more but it is a “Eurasian”
republic which is stripped of its sovereignty by Russia, with the
connivance of the Armenian government and the majority of the political
forces. And the abovementioned article of the Russian-Turkish treaty
is but a commitment to elimination of Armenia as an undesirable
“organization” for Turkey because, obviously, Armenia has a problem
with Turkey.
Hence, under the Russian-Turkish agreement Russia has committed to
depriving Armenia of an independent state policy and is currently
implementing its obligation. The most essential and reliable form is
to deprive Armenia of its sovereignty, which Moscow is up for.
This situation is especially dramatic ahead of the centenary of the
genocide, particularly in the context of the Pan-Armenian Declaration
which refers to Wilson’s arbitral award. Of course, this reference
is declarative and does not suppose any obligation in terms of the
state policy of Armenia. In other words, the arbitral award is not
referred to by official Yerevan which would thereby assume a state
responsibility for it. It is mentioned in a pan-Armenian wrapping,
acquiring a moral importance rather.
However, this importance is also doubted if the declaration mentions
Wilson’s arbitral award but there is no word about the Russian-Turkish
treaty. Meanwhile, the rejection of this treaty would be evidence
to the state and national dignity of the Armenian people and an
indicator of Armenia’s sovereignty. Armenia cannot be considered a
sovereign state unless it rejects the Russian-Turkish treaty of 1921,
at least at the political level, if it is not going to challenge this
agreement in terms of international law.
By way of its silence Armenia actually recognizes this shameful and
outrageous treaty which covers not only the Armenian-Turkish issue
but also the conflict in Artsakh and the regional developments in
general because currently the Russian-Turkish relationship covers a
broader range of issues.
The political prisoner Shant Harutiunyan announced in court that
Moscow is the representative of Turkey to the OSCE Minsk Group as long
as the Russian-Turkish treaty has not been declared null and void,
and Moscow and Ankara solemnly celebrate anniversaries.
Article 1 of the Russian-Turkish treaty states that the Russian
government agrees not to recognize any international act that
concerns Turkey and is not recognized by its new national government
representing the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. In fact,
according to the treaty, Russia shall not recognize what Turkey does
not recognize. As to what Turkey will not recognize, particularly in
terms of the benefit and security of Armenia, it is not hard to guess.