LEVON TER-PETROSYAN: DIASPORA SHOULD DRAFT ITS OWN GENOCIDE AGENDA; RECOGNITION NOT A CORNERSTONE OF ARMENIA’S FOREIGN POLICY

15:59, March 24, 2015

Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan has issued his version
of what Armenia’s official proclamation should be on the eve of the
100th anniversary of the 1915 Genocide.

Readers will recount that Ter-Petrosyanblasted the Pan-Armenian
Proclamationdrafted by Armenia’s State Commemorative Organizing
Committee last month as faulty and not in the best interests of
Armenia.

In his draft proclamation published today in the Chorrord Ishkhanutyun
newspaper, Ter-Petrosyan states that while Armenia should work to
the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide (a policy
enshrined in Armenia’s August 23, 1990 Declaration of Independence),
such recognition should not become a cornerstone of Armenia’s foreign
policy.

Ter-Petrosyan argues that Armenia’s obligation to work towards
international recognition must be regarded as a human rights issue
solely, and thus, in the context of obligations stemming from
international conventions.

The former president says that the Armenian government should not
assume to instruct the Diaspora regarding its agenda because the
worldwide Armenian community, as taxpayers and citizens, has the right
to lobby and pressure their own governments to recognize and condemn
the Genocide. Whether or not those governments accede to such demands
is an internal political matter.

Ter-Petrosyan writes that the Armenian government should not demand
that Turkey recognize the Genocide and come to grips with its history
as this too is an internal matter for Ankara.

He adds that the above does not refer to the restoration of
family/community property or to the compensation of Genocide survivor
descendants for the material losses sustained by their forbearers.

Ter-Petrosyan also calls on European governments not to regard
Turkey’s recognition of the Genocide as a prerequisite during ongoing
negotiations for its membership in the European Union. The former
president argues that Armenia is very interested when it comes to
the issue of Turkey’s integration in Europe for regional security
reasons and in terms of creating alternatives for cooperating with
the outside world.

In his draft proclamation, Ter-Petrosyan writes that “Armenia is
ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey based on the
Armenia-Turkey Protocols signed in Zurich on October 10, 2009 and to
cooperate in the economic, cultural and political spheres.

The only reservation, as underlined by Ter-Petrosyan, is the
appropriateness of a committee comprised of Armenian and Turkish
historians to study the historical reality of the 1915 Armenian
Genocide.

Ter-Petrosyan argues that there is not one international example where
any political issue has been resolved by a committee of historians
and that there is the fear that such a committee would descend into
platform for emotional outbursts and intense debates; something that
will complicate establishing mutual confidence between the two peoples
rather than fostering it.

In conclusion, Ter-Petrosyan says that his draft proclamation is a
personal initiative and in no way can be considered the final word
on the matter, and that he is willing to hear comments and critiques
from all interested parties.