May 13, 2007
PRESS RELEASE
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976; Email: [email protected]
Ambassador Tatoul Markarian’s Interview to The Armenian Weekly
May 17, 2008 issue
In the following interview, conducted exclusively for the Hairenik and
Armenian Weeklies, Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Tatoul Markarian speaks
about the current situation in Armenia, genocide recognition, and
Turkish-Armenian relations.
Armenian Weekly – All of us in the diaspora were troubled by the complex
post-election political situation in Armenia. What steps have been taken to
restore stability in Armenia? What are the main lessons of the February 2008
elections?
Tatoul Markarian – First, we should make a clear a distinction between the
election and the post-electoral developments. The February 2008 presidential
election was recognized by the 350-strong International Observers’ Mission
as being mostly in line with OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and
standards for democratic elections, as the international observers’ mission
noted in its initial and subsequent reports. The election is over, and the
Constitutional Court upheld the election results.
Unfortunately, the election was overshadowed by the post-electoral
developments that presented a serious challenge to democratic process and
state institutions. The basic dictum that nothing can justify threatening
the fundamentals of our statehood, the stability of our homeland, and the
security of Artsakh by creating artificial divisions was ignored.
President Serge Sarkisian’s dialogue with Armenia’s political forces and
civil society has begun, and such efforts will continue in the coming months
and years. Following his election, a new political coalition was formed in
the National Assembly that represents over 80 percent of the votes of the
Armenian electorate. The Armenian leadership believes that only through
constructive dialogue, inclusiveness, and tolerance of a variety of
constructive ideas and solutions will we be able to draw the right lessons
for all of us, and learn to make better choices and policies both
domestically and internationally.
The Armenian government realizes that the post-electoral developments in
Armenia have placed Armenia and its political process at the center of
attention of the international community. Post-electoral events in Armenia,
while very regrettable, do not represent a departure from Armenia’s
fundamental commitment to democratic development. And we will do everything
to restore domestic stability and our nation’s international reputation.
A.W. – The new Armenian government received a vote of confidence in the
parliament and started its activities. What are the main priorities and
goals set by this government?
T.M. – The new Armenian government, under Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian,
will of course continue the progress of previous governments that generated
a double-digit economic growth and reduced the poverty rate from 56.1
percent to 26.5 percent currently. President Sarkisian’s election platform
and the new government’s program that was approved by the National Assembly
on April 30, 2008, set ambitious but realistic goals and priorities. These
goals recognize the presence of economic and social challenges, and set out
realistic ways to address them.
Defending Armenia’s national security and promoting sustainable economic
growth will remain a top priority for the government, including
macroeconomic stability and high rates of growth, a reduction in poverty,
and further liberalization of the economy. Enhancing competition, and the
business and investment climate will work toward meeting such goals. Other
priorities include improved governance and public policies and fighting
corruption; investing in Armenia’s educational and scientific institutions;
focusing on the development of Armenia’s regions to ensure that the economic
growth in Yerevan continues to spill over to the rest of Armenia; and
addressing social welfare and social security issues.
The government’s targets for 2008-12 include an 8-10 percent annual economic
growth evenly spread out between urban and rural areas; reducing the poverty
rate to 11 percent and extreme poverty to 1.6 percent; and raising
educational spending to 3.5 percent of the GDP and health care investments
to 2.2 percent of the GDP. These goals can and will be met by channeling the
enterprising and creative potential of the Armenian people, and we
all – including the Armenian diaspora – have a role to play in Armenia’s
economic growth.
A.W. – How does the new president and government see the future of
homeland-diaspora relations?
T.M. – Homeland-diaspora relations were an important focus in President
Sarkisian’s election platform and they are also addressed in the program of
the new government. Strengthening these ties will thus remain a priority for
the Armenian government, especially since these ties have been dynamic
across many areas. Underlying this dynamism is our mutual belief that in
order to effectively pursue our national goals in the international arena,
we should work together to further strengthen Armenian statehood and
continue Armenia’s successful democratic transition. And this requires us to
be even stronger and unified as ever, especially in the face of recent
developments in Armenia. I would like to use this occasion to extend my deep
appreciation to all the leading Armenian-American organizations throughout
the diaspora for their wisdom, their great sense of national unity and
solidarity, and their unreserved support to the leadership and the people of
Armenia.
Since the early years of its existence, the young Armenian state embraced
and promoted national issues, including the defense of Artsakh and genocide
recognition, and we are proud to see how the diaspora has embraced the newly
independent Armenian state and has shared the responsibility through the
difficult times in Armenia. National unity is undoubtedly the best guarantor
for success in achieving our national goals, such as building a strong and
prosperous Armenia, defending the freedom of Artsakh, and achieving
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
A.W. – What is Armenia’s position on the international campaign to recognize
the Armenian Genocide? Has Armenia’s policy changed after the election of
President Sarkisian?
T.M. – Armenia’s official position on genocide recognition has been stated in
public on many occasions over the previous years. The recognition of the
Armenian Genocide is not just about addressing the historic injustice, but
it has a direct bearing on current developments and prospects for peace and
stability in the South Caucasus region. Turkey continues to deny the fact of
the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire and continues to deflect from
addressing the important issues of the present, such as lifting the blockade
they have imposed on Armenia for 15 years. This leaves us with no choice but
to pursue the recognition of the genocide and a solution of present-day
Turkish-Armenian problems internationally.
In his first public remarks on foreign policy, President Sarkisian
reiterated that the issues of international recognition and condemnation of
the Armenian Genocide would remain on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda. And
in his Genocide Day address, President Sarkisian noted that -When it comes
to genocide condemnation, the denial has no future, especially today, when
many countries of the world have added their voices to the voice of truth.-
The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is not just an Armenian issue.
Crimes against humanity have no statute of limitations and bear universal
significance and reverberation and must receive universal recognition.
A.W. – What are the prospects for the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations?
T.M. – Our policy toward Turkey will continue under Armenia’s newly elected
president. We are ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey, just
as we have offered consistently since 1991, meaning that Turkey has to
resolve all issues bilaterally with Armenia within normally established
inter-state relations. This readiness has been reiterated not only by the
newly elected president, but also by the newly appointed prime minister and
minister of foreign affairs.
Armenia’s position is open and transparent. We set no preconditions for the
normalization of bilateral relations. We are interested in concrete steps
and results, never in a vague process for the sake of process. In this
regard, we find that progress is possible.
A.W. – The increasingly aggressive tone in the Azeri official statements and
the Azeri incursion on the line of contact between Nagorno-Karabagh and
Azeri forces on March 4 generated grave concerns about the peaceful
settlement of the Karabagh conflict. Where do we stand in this process?
T.M. – Armenia’s position on the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict remains consistent
under the new Armenian leadership. As stated by President Sarkisian and
Minister Nalbandian, we believe that the fact and the right of
self-determination of the people of Karabagh must be affirmed and recognized
internationally. Armenia remains committed to a peaceful negotiated
settlement of the Karabagh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group.
A final settlement is still being negotiated but some realities are already
irreversible. The Nagorno-Karabagh Republic has existed since 1991 and
conforms to all definitions of an independent state. It has held several
presidential and parliamentary elections democratically. Furthermore, it is
clear that the Sumgait pogrom, the subsequent massacres and expulsion of the
350,000 Armenians living in Soviet Azerbaijan, as well as the armed
hostilities against the Karabagh Armenians and continuing hate rhetoric in
Azerbaijan against Armenians and Armenia have created a situation where
Azerbaijan can never claim to govern Karabagh. Many in the international
community recognize this. And the package on the table mediated by the Minsk
Group co-chairs recognizes the right of self-determination of
Nagorno-Karabagh.