BEYOND INDEPENDENCE: AN INTERVIEW WITH ARTSAKH PRIME MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ARTAK BEGLARYAN
Wednesday, February 11th, 2015
Artsakh Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan spent the nights of August
3 and 4, 2014 visiting with soldiers on the front line. (Photo:
Artak Beglaryan)
BY RUPEN JANBAZIAN >From the Armenian Weekly
Today, nearly 24 years after declaring independence, the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) is home to a thriving democracy; holds
regular free and fair elections (both presidential and parliamentary);
is determined to attract foreign investment; and most recently, served
as a safe refuge for a growing number of Syrian-Armenian refugees.
Yet, according to analysts, 2014 was the deadliest year for the
Karabakh conflict since the ceasefire with Azerbaijan in 1994, with
33 Armenian and 39 Azeri casualties.
“The troops serve with the understanding that they are protecting
their homeland and that the entire Armenian nation stands with them
in support–not only the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh [Karabakh],
but the diaspora too,” Artak Beglaryan, spokesperson for NKR Prime
Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, told the Armenian Weekly.
Beglaryan has been with the office of the prime minister since August
2012, and has joined Harutyunyan on multiple tours of the front lines.
He has also worked as a political analyst and columnist for several
Armenian newspapers and journals, commenting on the latest development
in the republic and the South Caucasus.
The Armenian Weekly sat down with Beglaryan on Jan. 30, to discuss the
current situation in Artsakh and what he expects for its future. Below
is the full interview.
* * *
RUPEN JANBAZIAN: According to reports, 2014 was the deadliest year in
the Karabakh conflict since the 1990’s. What do you think contributed
to the escalation in violence, and is this trend likely to continue?
ARTAK BEGLARYAN: Unfortunately, 2014 was quite a bloody year for the
conflict. Azerbaijan continues to take small yet aggressive steps to
escalate the violence. Considering how this year began, we can already
assume that the bloodshed will likely continue. Throughout January,
the Azerbaijani Army made several attempts to breach the border at
different points of the contact line, but were held back by Armenian
troops. Azerbaijani troops have also been attacking points on the
internationally recognized and protected border of the Republic of
Armenia. In doing so, Azerbaijan continues to try to draw Armenia
into the conflict, as they do not recognize NKR.
Given that 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
Azerbaijan has been working closely with Turkey to counter Centennial
commemorations. It is evident that Turkey supports Azerbaijan and
continues to encourage the escalation of violence in order to distract
Armenians and turn international attention away from the commemoration
and onto the Karabakh conflict.
It is safe to assume that this will not be an easy year; Azerbaijan
will continue its policy of provocation. What is important to note,
however, is that the Armenian side is fully prepared to respond
accordingly when necessary, and do its best to ensure that the conflict
does not escalate any further.
R.J.: On Aug. 2-4 last year, you joined Prime Minister Harutyunyan on
an overnight tour of the front lines. The visit came after a string of
attacks from Azerbaijan that started on July 28, and left 5 Armenian
and 13 Azeri servicemen dead, according to official figures provided
by the defense ministries of both sides. What was the morale of the
NKR troops at the time and how do such visits affect the soldiers?
A.B.: I have actually joined the prime minister on multiple tours.
Most recently, we visited the front lines on Dec. 31, to bring moral
support to the troops and to wish them a happy New Year. A few weeks
later, I led a group of journalists and spokesmen from Yerevan on
a tour to the contact line. After multiple visits, I am convinced
that both our soldiers and commanders are in high spirits. There is a
real sense of family in our army, and that has only increased in the
last few years. The troops serve with the understanding that they are
protecting their homeland and that the entire Armenian nation stands
with them–not only the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh, but the
diaspora too. They understand their responsibility and are willing
to carry out the important task of protecting the Armenian homeland.
A part of Azerbaijan’s policy is to intimidate both our troops and the
Armenian people, to try to show that they are stronger, more capable
and better prepared than the Armenian side. They continue to threaten
that they will attack and take control of Artsakh, but these threats
are baseless. Our troops and commanders are ready to protect Artsakh.
As we saw in recent months, we were not only able to protect our lands,
but also retaliate as necessary. Moreover, society is also ready to
mobilize its potential for the same purpose.
In this sense, the moral support extended to the troops by the public
and authorities is an important component of our strength. Personal
visits from the prime minister have a direct and substantial effect
on the soldiers; they are able to communicate face to face and stand
at the front lines together, which is very encouraging to them. When
such a high-ranking official stands with the troops–and even spends
nights there–it proves to the soldiers that the leaders of the
country fully support, encourage, and commend their efforts.
R.J.: The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group–Ambassadors Igor Popov
of Russia, James Warlick of the United States, and Pierre Andrieu
of France–met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
in Krakow on Jan. 27. In their statement, the co-chairs called on
Azerbaijan to observe its commitments to a peaceful resolution of
the conflict and also urged Armenia to take all measures to reduce
tensions. Has the stance of the OSCE Minsk Group changed over the past
year? How fair have they been in their assessments of the conflict?
A.B.: The latest statement was quite interesting. Over the years,
there have been both official and non-official criticisms in the
Armenian media of the Minsk Group, stating that they have been
wrongfully neutral in their assessments of the conflict. During times
of escalated violence, the co-chairs would urge both sides to respect
the ceasefire, ignoring the fact that the aggression came from one
side. This was the case in the statement released [in November 2014]
regarding the shooting down of an unarmed Armenian helicopter. Even
after Azerbaijan admitted to the attack, the Minsk Group’s statement
failed to condemn one side and chose to approach the situation with
a blinded sense of “neutrality.”
The Jan. 27 statement is different, however, since it targets mostly
one side. I believe this is an important step in the right direction.
Perhaps the co-chairs realize that their watered-down and often unclear
statements rooted in neutrality only encourage the Azerbaijani side
to continue its aggression. By not calling a spade a spade, they are
indirectly telling the aggressor that their policy of provocation and
belligerence is fine, that they can carry on. But when they call out
Azerbaijan’s aggression, as they have done in the mentioned statement,
it helps decrease the probability and intensiveness of future attacks.
However, it is important for the co-chairs to voice these concerns
during their regular meetings with the Azerbaijani authorities. While
these are good first steps, we will have to see if there are any real
changes in their approach in future statements.
R.J.: Talk about the situation in the border villages, and some of the
challenges they face. What are some of the efforts that the government
is engaged in to address their needs?
A.B.: While there are only a few villages in Artsakh that are situated
directly on the border, the government believes that it is important
for them to be economically and socially strong. Although both the
government and the diaspora have helped these villages over the years
financially, the time has come for there to be real investment, so
that villagers can have sustainable incomes and proper progress. If
the border villages are able to grow and evolve in an efficient and
effective manner, then the population will stay there and naturally
increase.
It seems as though important steps are being taken in this direction.
Over the past year, a number of new business projects have begun in
Talish and Chartar, particularly in the agricultural and recycling
sectors. Just a few weeks ago, the first advanced irrigation system
was implemented on a hundred-hectare [0.386-sq mi] plot of land, which
was given to the people of Talish and is ready for cultivation. This
came after an irrigation system was installed on a thousand-hectare
plot of land in the same village. In January, the first agricultural
cooperative of Artsakh was established in Chartar, which aims to
mobilize its members’ resources and develop agricultural and recycling
capabilities in the town. We expect these projects to bear fruit in
the coming years.
In this context, I believe it is important to have similar projects
throughout the country. Proper investment is key so that villagers
can have work and prosper.
R.J.: A growing number of Syrian Armenians are fleeing the violence in
Syria and resettling in Armenia and Artsakh. How many have settled
in Artsakh so far, and what are some of the challenges in their
resettlement?
A.B.: It’s tough to give a concrete number, but around 35-40
Syrian-Armenian families have moved to Artsakh so far. They have
predominantly settled in the southern regions of the country; most
of them live in the city of Kovsakan, since the climate and terrain
are similar to Kamishli’s, where most of the settlers are from.
The NKR government has provided them with special dwellings, as well
as plots of land and agricultural equipment, all free of charge, so
that they will be able to live off the land. The government has not
spared any effort in ensuring that the Syrian-Armenian families settle
in a comfortable environment with every possible opportunity given to
them. There have been at least a couple of examples of families who,
over the past two years, have created viable, thriving businesses in
Artsakh as a result.
The main challenge that the Syrian Armenians face in Artsakh is the
problem of social integration. For example, the kids have an especially
difficult time adjusting to the Eastern Armenian dialect.
Luckily, there haven’t been many problems regarding finding work and
employment, because of the assistance granted by the government.
R.J.: What is the role of the Armenian Diaspora in the future of
Artsakh? Where does the diaspora fit in this discussion?
A.B.: We are all aware of the large amount of donations that come from
the diaspora every year, both on organizational and individual levels.
Artsakh and its people are forever grateful for this assistance.
However, I believe that the time has come for the diaspora to
shift its focus mostly to investing in Artsakh, rather than direct
assistance. Artsakh is developing at a rapid rate and has now entered
a new stage of progress. Direct assistance can cause certain problems
of misspending or mismanagement of funds. We need people to invest
in Artsakh’s future. For example, the development of a factory can be
much more fruitful than a single large donation–factories create jobs
and allow people to earn their own wages and make a comfortable living.
I can think of a few examples of how investments from the diaspora
have been both beneficial for the country and its people, while
being profitable for investors. Yes, there may be some risks involved
in such investments, but they pay large dividends and are far more
effective in the long run when compared to benevolence.
R.J.: Armenians throughout the world will commemorate the Centennial
of the Armenian Genocide in 2015. What are some of the ways the 100th
anniversary will be commemorated in Artsakh?
A.B.: Artsakh and its people will be joining Armenians across the
world in commemoration of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.
There has been work on erecting a monument in memory of the genocide
victims in Stepanakert [the capital of NKR]. There will also be several
commemorative events taking place in the country on a state level,
including exhibitions, conferences, and concerts. Artsakh’s population
is part of the Armenian world; it will join the commemorative
initiatives and efforts around the globe.
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