“THE DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY IN RUSSIA IS HIGH RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME”
Ruzan ISHKHANIAN
Tuesday, 05 June 2012 11:22
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of
Armenia to the Russian Federation Oleg YESAYAN was also invited to the
May military parade in Artsakh. Following is an exclusive interview
with him:
– Mr. Ambassador, today you are in your homeland sharing the joy of
the May victories with us. What feelings are overwhelming you and
what are your impressions on the military parade?
– The military parade was organized perfectly, in accordance with all
the modern standards. The real scope of the spirit of the Artsakh
people was presented here. I was thinking what other element could
be introduced in the parade to make it more complete, but I failed to
find it. Next to me were guests from Moscow and other countries, and
their impression was exactly the same. I would conditionally divide
all the participants of the parade into three groups: the first were
those whose activities were reflected by this military parade, that is,
those who were mostly on the stands; the second group comprised the
children of our independence. No matter how we are connected with
this Movement, even representing, perhaps, its authors, however,
we are not its children. They are the 18-20-year-old young men who
were proudly marching across the Renaissance Square. The third group
comprised the Great Patriotic War veterans.
The military parade was dedicated also to the 67th anniversary of the
Victory at the Great Patriotic War. I should note that for me and for
anyone of my age it was a holy war. My parents took part in this war,
and I was born just after the war, that is, I am the first post-war
“issue” (1946), so I treat this victory with full holiness.
Again, recalling the young participants of the military parade,
I must say that these are the children of the Artsakh War. The
youth, which currently serves in the Army, defends the generation
that welcomed those marching with the state flags of Karabakh. For
me, the military parade is not just the movement of the military
equipment across the square. I saw three generations, standing next
to each other – one as continuation of another. Military parades
will take place in the future as well, and they will be organized
in accordance with the latest technology, but this parade will be
remembered by the fact that all those who led the struggle of our
people over the past 20 years were standing on the tribune. This
is more than symbolic. In the future we will have new leaders, but
they will be related to May 9, 1992, so as I am to May 9, 1945. The
concert was also quite impressive. I’d like to point out two facts:
earlier, our songs were rather a cry about the past than a hope
for the future. At the Stepanakert stadium, I heard songs and saw
dances that inspired to the achievement of our goal. In this case,
the art of performance was not so significant. People were dancing
enthusiastically. During the concert, next to me was the primate of
our diocese in Russia, father Ezras. He said, “Mr. Ambassador when
else could so many Armenians rejoice together?”
– I take your words as philosophical generalization of our people’s
way passed. What would you say about the triple holiday itself?
– On my way here I kept thinking that with the passage of years the
liberation of Shushi as a holiday becomes more impressive and has more
powerful impact. They say that the large is seen from a distance. This
truth is fair for the historical, military and political realities.
But, I’d like to substantiate the greatness of Shushi liberation
as a phenomenon in my own way. Surely, we are talking about three
separate holidays, but in our case May 9 coincided with the Day of
Victory at the Great Patriotic War. I think that the three independent
holidays still have an internal logical connection: who else if not
the descendants of the winners of the Great Patriotic War had to
liberate Shushi? It is not accidental that at the beginning of the
parade portraits of famous Armenian military leaders, in particular, of
Karabakh origin, were carried across the square. It is not accidental
that the Day of our Army was supposed to be the day when the Army
liberated the ancient Armenian town of Shushi. Being in a logical
successive link, these three holidays make a whole. That is why this
holiday is celebrated by the Armenians all over the world: some focus
on the liberation of Shushi, some – on the Day of the Army, and some
– on the Victory at the World War II, depending on what prevails in
terms of their own perceptions.
In any case, I’d like to mark out the liberation of Shushi. Why? From
the standpoint of a purely military and political terminology, the
liberation of a town would mean liberation from those who previously
lived in this town, or elimination of a regime that ruled there. In
our case, perhaps both facts took place, but, nevertheless, if this
event had been limited just with this, it would have not been so
significant. The brilliantly conducted military operation, as a
result of which the town built by Armenians again became Armenian,
had a deeper meaning. Was it possible to liberate other Armenian
settlements without liberating Shushi? Surely, not. Thanks to the
victory in Shushi, we, first of all, have got rid of the psychological
complex coming from centuries. Almost every geopolitical phenomenon
related to the Armenian people certainly led to the death of its
part and to the loss of the homeland. The nation seemed to come
to terms with its fatal destiny, having lost Western Armenia,
Nakhichevan and Karabakh… And the years of 1915 was the apogee of
our people’s tragedy. With the liberation of Shushi, we got rid of
the psychological complex of humility with our grief. I have always
regarded this phenomenon in this way, but I say this for the first
time. There is another fact, which I must note. A significant result
of the national-liberation struggle was the release of Tigranakert
from the bosoms of the earth. We returned our history in the literal
and figurative sense. If we had not liberated Shushi, Tigranakert
would have remained in the bosoms of our history. I pronounce the
word “bosom” and remember the words of Hovhannes Shiraz: “The Lake of
Van should be searched at the gleam of the Lake of Sevan”. Following
the same logic, we can say that we found Tigranakert at the gleams
of Shushi. Finally, Shushi was one of the factors consolidating
the nation.
– Mr. Ambassador, I want to continue with your last thought and to note
that the liberation of the ancient Armenian fortress-town poses new
challenges before Armenians. After the military parade, I spoke with
many of our compatriots from different communities of the Diaspora,
and they all agreed that it would be nice if young Armenians living
abroad, of course, if they wish, would be allowed to serve at the
Armenian Army. They say there are many young people wishing this.
Are there such moods in Russia?
– I am very pleased that such moods are prevalent among the Armenians
who live far away from the Motherland. Hundreds of our compatriots
living in the Russian Federation and representing citizens of Russia
apply to our diplomatic missions (we are represented not only in
Moscow) for getting the RA citizenship, which is permitted by the RA
legislation. To remind, the RA legislation allows dual citizenship.
Those wishing can apply to our diplomatic missions, prepare the
corresponding documents, and apply to the President of the Republic
of Armenia for giving the citizenship. Becoming citizens of Armenia on
a simplified procedure, our compatriots can serve at the Armenian Army.
There are many similar examples. I take this opportunity to reiterate
that service in the army is the sacred duty of every young man,
regardless of the place of residence. It is an indisputable truth
and an indispensable condition for the existence of our army, and,
consequently, of our independence.
– Being at the origins of the Artsakh state building, you basically
dealt with the domestic issues of the country. Now you are assigned
to the diplomatic mission: you are the Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the RA to such a superpower as the Russian
Federation, but on the other hand, you are a native of Karabakh,
which imposes additional responsibility on you…
– June 1 marks the six years of my diplomatic career: the first four
years I was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the
RA to Belarus and the RA Permanent Representative to the statutory and
other bodies of the CIS, as the CIS headquarter is situated in Minsk.
And I have been Armenia’s Ambassador to the RF for already two years.
One of the features of the diplomatic activity is that not everything
takes place openly. Everything related to the Karabakh conflict
settlement and the ensuing issues require collaboration of the RA
Embassy and NKR Mission to Moscow, which is done in an atmosphere
of mutual understanding and high sense of responsibility. President
Sargsian qualified the diplomatic activity of the RA abroad related to
the resolution of the Karabakh issue as the responsible and immediate
task of every Ambassador. So, for every Ambassador, and especially
for me, it is a paramount task and I take it with an extremely high
sense of responsibility.