Azg Armenian Daily
Aug 26 2004
ARMENIANS OF ARTSAKH AND THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA ARE THE ONLY
GUARANTEE FOR NAGORNO KARABAKH
CONSTRUCTION WORKS CARRIED OUT ON SCHEDULE IN TAVUSH
“GERMANY AND SECRET GENOCIDE” IN THE JEWISH FESTIVAL
BOOKS OF VAHAGN TATRIAN BEING TRANSLATED
“DAVID OF SASOUN” AND “BOOK OF MOURNFUL SONGS” IN UKRAINIAN
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ARMENIANS OF ARTSAKH AND THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA ARE THE ONLY
GUARANTEE FOR NAGORNO KARABAKH
Armenia’s Hopes for Russian Investments are Vain So Far
The regular meeting of the presidents of Armenian and Russia took
place in Sochi on August 20. At the press conference followed right
after the talks Vladimir Putin stated: “Russia is ready to be a
guarantee and mediator in Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement if
only Yerevan and Baku are willing”.
Mr. Putin never had promised during his tenure that “Russia is ready
to be a guarantee and mediator”. Since 2000 Mr. Putin has been
explaining Moscow’s position by saying that there should not be
winners or losers in the conflict resolution and that Russia will
support any project acceptable for Yerevan and Baku.
So what does it mean to be “guarantee in Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement”? Mr. Putin gave no further details on the matter and
that’s why it’s difficult to “decipher” the words of the Russian
president. But no matter what the promises are, neither Russia nor
other world powers can be a guarantee. Armenians of Artsakh and
Armenia are the only guarantee for Nagorno Karabakh. The Armenian
history and the Karabakh war come to testify to our words.
On the days of the World War I, when the Armenian nation was being
slain in its historic homeland, the English declared that the British
ships cannot climb the Armenian mountains. The British Prime Minister
Lloyd George noted: “If the Armenians are unable to defend their
territory then there is no use of such a nation”. This cynical
statement is partly true, as we preferred protecting our borders to
sending delegations to Europe and Russia. In 1991-94 the Armenian
nation proved that it’s able to defend its land and be the only
guarantee for the territorial wholeness and security.
The same Russia that left its ally Armenia alone with the Turkish
yataghan on the Eastern front only few years later became a guarantee
of the Karabakh conflict settlement as a Soviet Union. But the Soviet
government didn’t ask the will of Yerevan and Baku on the summer day
of 1921 as Mr. Putin did.
Decades later, in 1989, the Soviet government took the steer of
Nagorno Karabakh in his hands. Arkady Volski and his group left
Stepanakert in 1990. The Soviet Union, in its death agony, gave the
control over Nagorno Karabakh to anti-Armenian Polyanichko. The
events of these years also testify to the fact that Russia again
failed to be a guarantee for the Karabakh people and the Karabakh
issue.
It’s out of doubt that Russia is Armenia’s military ally. Moscow’s
role in the Karabakh conflict settlement is central. The role of the
US president is also vital. But Moscow and Washington can only be
guarantee for a short period of time.
Perhaps Armenia has other expectations from Russia too. The Russian
president noted during the meeting with Robert Kocharian that the
good circulation between the two countries is declining. During the
press conference the presidents tried to justify the reasons of this
declension. But Vladimir Putin preferred to keep silent about the
issue of the Russian investments, i.e. their absence, in Armenia.
At the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Armenia and Russia
some months ago Vartan Oskanian noted that the good circulation
between Armenia and Russia may increase if the latter is willing to
invest in the companies handed over to Russia by the “Asset for Debt”
program.
Armenia has settled 93.76 million dollars of debt by the
abovementioned program hoping for a flow of investments. There were
no investments in the five Armenian companies till now. The future of
the two other big plants, “Armenal” and “Nairit” is uncertain. Today
“Armenal” doesn’t function with the excuse of repair. In 2000 when
the “Russki Aalumini” handed over “Kanaz” Ltd it is said to be
engaged in money laundering.
The Armenian-Russian alliance may “vapour” with time if Moscow
continues neglecting the economical factor especially if there are no
investments.
By Tatoul Hakobian
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CONSTRUCTION WORKS CARRIED OUT ON SCHEDULE IN TAVUSH
RA Construction Minister States
In 2004 629 million AMD were allocated from RA State Budget for
capital construction in Tavush. 15 schools, a dwelling house in
Dilidjan, Tavush History Museum in Berd are being reconstructed at
present. After being fully renovated the library, having large
literature fund, will have all the required conditions for
comfortable reading. It is envisaged to allocate money from the state
budget for Dilidjan’s library in 2005 as well. The problem of the
town’s Kaghni Khach district’s two dwelling buildings that are to be
ruined will be settled by giving the dwellers apartments in the
Moldovakan district.
Aram Haroutiunian, RA Construction Minister, said this during the
working visit to Tavush. Minister emphasized the importance of
establishing united control system for the improvement of the
dwelling conditions both in Dilidjan and in Idjevan. This will help
the ministry renovate the privatized buildings. The construction of
the half-built administrative building in Idjevan will begin next
week. It will be given to Idjevan’s Mayor’s Office and Tavush
Regional Administration. Minister stated that the construction works
in all the places are being done on schedule.
Visiting the landslide areas, minister stated that in Gosh, Achadjur,
Hovq communities and in Dilidjan the landslide areas will be studied
within the framework of “Program of Urgent Measures Taken against
Landslide” based on RA Government’s decision. The program will be
implemented thanks to the financial assistance rendered by Japan
Government. A united conference of the ministry’s officials and the
representatives of the local administration was included in the
program of the working visit to the region. The officials discussed
the construction problems existing in the region and elaborated some
programs.
By Nana Petrosian
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“GERMANY AND SECRET GENOCIDE” IN THE JEWISH FESTIVAL
“Germany and Secret Genocide” film by Mikael Hakobian was shown in
the Jewish “Saidbar” section of Road Island International Film
Festival on August 12, Armenian Mirror Spectator informed. This is
the third film of the triad entitled “The Witnesses” dedicated to the
Armenian Genocide. The triad is produced by “Armenian Film
Institution” established in South California. The film was
represented at the festival by Doctor Sharon Rivo, Executive Director
of the Jewish Film Festival at Brandeis University. He was deeply
impressed by the film when he watched it during its premiere
organized by Bellemonde Armenian Research Center and decided to show
the film to a larger audience. Glen Far, Co-Producer of the film,
expressed satisfaction and said that this “confirms the idea that the
genocide is the problem of the world, the humanity.” It’s worth
mentioning that Road Island Film Festival is the biggest cultural
event of New England that help the New York and Boston spectators and
cinema critics be present and express their views.
“Germany and Secret Genocide” took the first place and was awarded a
special price at “One world Of Human Rights” Prague Film Festival, as
well as American Feature and Video Film Festival.
By Hakob Tsulikian
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BOOKS OF VAHAGN TATRIAN BEING TRANSLATED
The books of Prof. Vahagn Tatrian, an eminent historian, author of
many researches into the Armenian Genocide, continue to interest
academical circles.
The Zorian Institute informs that one of Milan publishing houses,
“Edicioni Gerini” published Prof. Tatrian’s most famous book “The
history of the Armenian Genocide. The ethnic confrontation from the
Balkans to Anatolia and The Caucasus”. It was translated by Dr.
Alessandra Flores Darkais.
The book was translated in 2003 from the English translation provided
by the “Bergan Books” publishing house. The English version already
has six publications. “Prof. Tatrian’s book is the most convincing
from juridical point of view and the closest to the historic truth
from among all other books on this subject”, wrote Sheriff Basiuni,
president of the International Institute of Human Rights and the
International Association of Criminal Laws.
The book also had its second French publication and the Arabic
version was published in Damascus. Zorian Institute informs that the
collection of Prof. Tatrian’s articles on the Armenian Genocide is
translated into Turkish by Belji Yayinlari and is on sale in the
bookstores of “Dost”, “Kabile”, “Imje” in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara.
Dr. Taner Akcam’s review of the book that was published in Radical
made the Turkish intelligentsia interested.
Dr. Akcam highly valued the work of Prof. Tatrian and considered the
book a “precious contribution”, stressing that it enables the Turkish
reader to learn about a theme that is a “taboo”. He also noted that
for a country yearning for the EU it’s impossible to deny the fact of
the Armenian Genocide.
By Hakob Tsulikian
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“DAVID OF SASOUN” AND “BOOK OF MOURNFUL SONGS” IN UKRAINIAN
The Armenian epos “David of Sasoun” and Grigor Narekatsi’s “Book of
Mournful Songs” were translated into Ukrainian last year. The embassy
of Ukraine to Armenia and “Armenia-Ukraine” company initiated the
presentation of the book on August 24. “The translators did a great
work thus expressing their love towards the Armenian nation. The
language is so simple and comprehensible that the Ukrainians will
have no difficulty with understanding the philosophy of the works. I
know what Narekatsi means for the Armenians and that’s why I think
that his poem’s translation into Ukrainian is a great event in
Armenian-Ukrainian cultural relations”, said ambassador Vladimir
Tyaglo.
It’s a pity that the translators Victor Kachevski and Miron
Nesterchuk were not present at the presentation. Levon Mirinjanian,
Davit Muradian, Suren Muradian and others highly valued their work.
Suren Muradian said that Victor Kachevski began the translation in
Tsakhkadzor and amazed everyone by rejoicing at the deeds of the epos
heroes. He suggested the Writers’ Union of Armenia to invite Mr.
Kachevski to Tsakhkadzor for a holiday.
By Ruzan Poghosian