Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
June 9 2006
The Meaning of the Mount Agri (Ararat) in the Armenian Issue Print
By Dr. Sedat Laciner
Friday , 09 June 2006
Mount Aðri (Ararat) is like ‘the Ergenekon’, or ‘the Gokturk
Scriptures of the Armenians’. The Armenians believe that they are the
descendants of the Noah’s children. According to an ancient Armenian
belief, the Deluge was not only a tragic catastrophe for the
Armenians, but also a great punishment and a test which came from the
God. There are similar approaches in other Christian sects as well.
But there are only a few who identify themselves with the Mount Aðri,
or Ararat as they call it, as much as the Armenians do. First of all,
the geographical proximity led to emotional proximity. This devotion
may be, regardless of religion, due to the genetic transmission of
the tradition of worshipping to the mountain.
This adoration can be observed in the Ottoman period or even before.
The Mount Aðri, arising with its splendor, was perceived by the
Armenians as a place to gather on its ‘skirts’. But none of the
moments in history has this adoration to the Mount Aðri been as
`exalted’ as today. The contemporary Armenians, so to say, deify the
Mount Aðri. They only remember Armenianness and revenge fever when
they see the Mount Aðri.
The current situation is not a good one and it is also not the result
of a natural process. The secessionist Armenian movement that started
before 1915 has sought help from many instruments such as terrorism,
assassinations, military coup, riot and collaboration with the
occupiers. The movement has never admitted defeat and the more it was
defeated, the more aggressor it became. It wanted to stand up as it
fell down and some time later, it turned out to get delight from
pain. The Armenians were first exiled to the Middle East, then to
Cyprus, to Europe and to other small regions. The feeling that the
journey was not complete did not perish as the Armenians arrived at
the final destinations like the U.S. and France. Perhaps, there has
left no place to arrive at geographically, but the journey in the
minds has severely continued. Some of them migrated first to the
Caucasus and then to Russia. Moreover, their exodus still continues.
The number of Russian Armenians who emigrated to the Western Europe
and the Northern America after the end of the Cold War increases day
by day.
Where is the motherland, where is the foreign land?
These two became fully mixed. An Armenia which doesn’t include the
Mount Aðri is not perceived as a motherland.
It is hard for the Armenians to say `motherland’ to an Armenia which
excluded Van adn Agri.
Well then, will these wounds heal if Turks give Van and Ararat (the
Mount Aðri)?
Is the issue that simple to say `what would you lose if you give us
Aðri?’ as the Armenian-origin French singer Charles Aznavour asked.
In Turkish daily newspaper Milliyet (May 14, 2006), the answer of
Levon Ananyan, the chairman of the Armenian Writers Union, to Ece
Temelkuran’s question reflects the same points:
`If you knew the meaning of Ararat (the Mount Aðri) to us, you would
carry it here by lorries! It is a mountain for you, but it is our
roots. We are an emotional community. You fear that we will demand
Ararat, but it is a hearty issue for us.’
In short, we also see in Ananyan’s speech that Armenia is not viewed
as the real motherland. He sees the issue as `the motherland is where
Ararat is’. And what he doesn’t see is the fact that the Mount Aðri
is very important to the Turks as well; that it is a hearty issue for
the Turks too. This is because the Mount Aðri is also a homeland for
the Turks. Just like Istanbul, Van or Izmir…
Frankly speaking, I find the Turkish approach much more sounder. The
Turks know that they came from the Altay Mountains and the Central
Asia. But they don’t need a mountain or a scripture to make somewhere
homeland. They embrace and pay respect to the place they live in as
homeland. Even if you carry lorries of soil from the Central Asia, it
will not compare to Izmir for Turks. Same logic is also true in
religious aspect. The Turks will not differentiate between Gallipoli
and Mecca. Afyon is sacred, so is Ordu.
Another dimension of Armenian `disorder’ is the Ararat compassion of
Armenians in the Diaspora. The Ararat, which is seen from Armenia,
can not be seen from California or Marseille (Diaspora). An
overwhelming majority of Armenians in the U.S. or France have never
seen Ararat and sat by the Van Lake. Most of them believe that they
will be slaughtered if they come to Turkey. They dream of Van and
Agri in such an `ignorance’. They name their shops with Anatolian
cities. They set up football teams and name it Malatyaspor. I don’t
know what the name of this disorder in psychology is. I call it
`disorder’, because the words `homesickness’ or `nostalgia’ are weak
for this situation.
***
The Armenia’s situation is lamentable today. Unemployment is over
30%. The population is still decreasing. The unemployed youngsters
still emigrate. The Armenians, who have migrated at least 3-4 times
since 1915, keep on moving. They not only seek job or food but also
homeland. However, the homeland is the abandoned Armenia. They don’t
even care about it. If millions of Armenians around the world had
invested some billions of dollars each year, Armenia would have
revitalized. Not only the emigration would have stopped but it would
also have attracted migrations from Turkey.
As long as the Armenians look at the Turkish territories from Armenia
and sigh, they will never have a homeland because the true homeland
is where you live. It is where you show your sympathy for homeland.
It is where you earn a living and live peacefully. The Armenians
perhaps will gather, if not today, on the skirts of the Mount Aðrý in
the future. But it will be never possible with this mentality. Let’s
assume that they were able to obtain some land from Turkey through
violence and fraud. They will not have a homeland even in this case
because the Armenians don’t know what homeland means. If Turkey had
given Ararat to Armenians, the Armenians would have only had a
mountain, but they would have lost Ararat. If they had been given
Van, they wouldn’t have settled there. They would have only had a
lake but they would have lost `Vaspurakan’, because they don’t know
the value of Van. Can those who don’t grasp the value of Armenia
grasp the value of new lands? They live in a world of dreams. The
yesterday’s pains are more appealing than today’s peace for them.

UNKNOWN PERSONS STEAL MAINLY THINGS CONTAINING INFORMATION FROM
MULTINATIONAL GEORGIA ORGANIZATION’S OFFICE

AKHALKALAK, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. At night on June 7,
unknown persons robbed the office of the Multinational Georgia
movement organization in Tbilisi.
According to organization head Arnold Stepanian, they mainly stole
things containing information – computer processors, diskettes.
According to the A-Info agency, A.Stepanian said that among the stolen
things numerous facts and documents on rights of national monorities,
as well as on their violation were kept. There were also many
materials on violation of the Javakhk inhabitants’ rights by the
authorities in the documents. The organization was going to present
them to the international instances.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CATHOLICOSATE OF GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA DONATES 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS
FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW CHURCH IN KARABAKH

ANTELIAS, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. It’s envisaged to
build a Cathedral in Stepanakert, the capital of the Republic of
Armenia. Construction works have already been started. As significant
expression of entity and unity of the Armenian church as well as of
active participation in national work of building the Fatherland, the
Great House of Cilicia Catholicosate donated 100 thousand dollars for
construction of the Stepanakert Cathedral.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Services of the Great House
of Cilicia Catholicosate, Aram I Catholicos of the Great House of
Cilicia wrote in his letter addressed on that occasion to Karekin II
Catholicos of All Armenians and NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian: “We
once again prove the initiative of the Great House of Cilicia
Catholicosate and personally our one to support all works addressed to
strengthening and progress of Armenia and Karabakh.”

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER HAS MEETINGS IN BEIRUT WITH LEBANON PRESIDENT AND
FOREIGN MINISTER

BEIRUT, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Emil Lahud, the
President of the Republic fo Lebanon received on June 6 NKR Foreign
Minister Georgi Petrosian who was accompanied by the delegation of the
ARF Dashnaktsutiun Central Committee of Lebanon. RA Ambassador to
Lebanon Vahan Ter-Ghevondian participated in the meeting as well.
As the “Azdak” daily of Beirut informs, Georgi Petrosian presented the
President of Lebanon the present stage of Nagorno Karabakh and works
being done in the direction of solving problems of Armenian refugees
from Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
The NKR Foreign Minister accompanied by ARF Central Committee of
Lebanon and Parliament Deputy of Lebanon Hakob Bagratuni visited his
colleague of Lebanon Fauzi Sallukh on June 5. Issues relating to the
Karabakh conflict settlement were discussed at the meeting in which RA
Ambassador Vahan Ter-Ghevondian participated as well.

DAYS OF ARMENIA ORGANIZED IN CITY OF TORUN, POLAND

WARSAW, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The third Days of
Armenia were organized on June 3-4 in the city of Torun, Poland, by
the “Armenian Researches Center” and the Torun University Humanities
Department, in which RA Ambassador to Poland Ashot Galoyan, RP Senate
Deputy Mikhal Voytchak, Kuyavsko-Pomorski province Sejm Marshal
Valdemar Akhramovich, Armenians of Poland and representatives of the
Armenian community participated.
Reports dedicated to present problems of Armenians living in Poland as
well as to historic past of Armenians in Poland were presented during
the Days of Armenia. “Noah’s Heirs,” “Solomon’s Trial” and “Shades of
Forgotten Ancestors” films were shown.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, within the framework of the visit paid to
Torun, RA Ambassador Ashot Galoyan had meetings with RP Senate Deputy
Mikhal Voytchak and Seim Marshal of Kujavsko-Pomorski province
Valdemar Akhramovich.
The RA Ambassador attached importance at the meetings to the existence
of the “Armenian Researches Center” functioning attached to the Torun
University and to the fact that Poles of Armenian origin cooperate
with the center. The Polish side is interested in holding joint
research works with Armenia, particularly, in the sphere of
archeology, ethnography, problems of modern social development as well
as problems of new migration during the last 10-15 years. The RA
Ambassador proposed to promote cooperation between the Torun
Copernicus and Yerevan State Universities as well as considered
possible the prospect of establishing sister-cities between Torun and
one of cities of Armenia.

AGO’S MONITORING GROUP OF CE MINISTERS’ COMMITTEE PAYS TWO- DAY VISIT
TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Ago’s Monitoring
Group of the Ministers’ Committee of the Council of Europe headed by
Roland Wegener, the Permament Representative of Germany to the Council
of Europe, pays two-day visit to Yerevan on June 9-10.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, during their visit to Armenia, the group
members will have meetings with RA President Robert Kocharian, NA
Speaker Tigran Torosian, Justice Minister David Haroutiunian,
Ombudsman Armen Haroutiunian as well as representatives of the RA
delegation to the PACE, Armenian political parties, public
organizations.
The meeting of Ago’s Group members with RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian will take place on June 10. Ago’s Group head Roland Wegener’s
and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian’s joint press-conference will
take place immediatly after the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BUCHAREST MEETING AGAIN DEMONSTRATES ARMENIA’S STRIVING FOR PEACE, RA
PRESIDENT’S ADVISOR STATES

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The Armenian
authorities’ striving for the conflict settlement is quite obvious,
there is one main issue here: the political heads’ renponsibility in
front of generations,” Seyran Avagian, the RA President’s Advisor
stated at the June 9 discussion in the “Mirror” club dedicated to the
present situation of the Karabakh conflict settlement.
He emphasized that military statements of the Azerbaijani heads are in
essense a blackmail to which neither people of Armenia nor authorities
give way. “The international community knows well that the military
stage of solving the conflict finished,” Seyran Avagian
stated. According to him, Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents’ last
meeting in Bucharest again demonsrated Armenia’s striving for peace.
Another participant of the discussion, head of the “Academy of
Political Researches” NGO, politician Alexander Manasian stated that
Azerbaijani leads propaganda much more actively than the Armenian
side, and this circumstance may not avoid influencing on the whole
process of the Karabakh conflict settlement.
According to A.Manasian, he is not at all anxious with postponing of
the problem solution, as the main issue here is best use of these or
other arguments, the thing that has never been done by now by Armenia
which allowed that territories under control of Armenian military
formations started everywhere to be called “occupied” what gives basis
to Azerbaijan to start military actions. “We must prepare such
approached and arguments owing to which postponing of the process on
settlement will bring us benefit,” Alexander Manasian stated.

DILIJAN PREPARES FOR TOURIST SEASON: CITY’S CENTRAL HOTEL TO BE
DELIVERED FOR USE WITH 5 MLN-DOLLAR INVESTMENT

DILIJAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Thanks to a 5 mln-dollar investment of
an Armenian benefactor residing in Moscow, the 101-room central hotel
of Dilijan will be delivered for use soon. The city mayor Armen
Santrosian told NT correspondent that the small hotel and two
buildings of the tourist center of the Impulse Plant will be available
to travelers in June and August. The repaired Dilijan rest home is
ready to receive guests. 15 local families can also accomodate
tourists.

AZERBAIJANI POLITICIAN CALLS ON ARMENIAN PRESS TO TOLERANCE AND
REFUSES TO RESPOND FOR PUBLICATIONS OF THEIR COLLEAGUES OF BAKU

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Media representatives
must support solution of conflicts but not draw attention to
conflicts. Asaf Hajiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary
delegation addressed to Armenian journalists with such a call at the
press-conference dedicated to results of the BSEC PA 27th plenary
session held in Yerevan.
Responding the Noyan Tapan correspondent’s question about his attitude
towards the recent publication in the “Zerkalo” newspaper in which, as
quotings from Armenian writer Zori Balayan’s book (not existing in
reality), brutalities as if conducted by Armenians against Azeris are
described, Hajiyev stated that he is a deputy and may not be
responsible for the ones press of his country writes.
Russian delegation head Alexander Dzasokhov mentioned in his turn that
there are two viewpoints in dialogues between the two sides of
conflicts: either to postpone all issues till settlement of the
conflict, or, not waiting for the final settlement, to solve all
possible issues. The Russian politician quoted President of Armenia
Robert Kocharian who mentioned in his address to participants of the
Assembly that joint regional projects will support settlement of
conflicts. According to Dzasokhov, though there are small and big
conflicts in the region, the principle of tolerance was chosen in the
BSEC PA work, and it is one of important results of the Yerevan
convention.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: EVERYBODY REMEMBERS LESSONS OF WAR, AND IT WILL NEVER
RE-START

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Everybody remembers
lessons of the Karabakh war, and that’s why it will never re-start.
Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian expressed such
confidence at the press-conference dedicated to results of the BSEC PA
27th sitting held in Yerevan. Responding the question how the
statements of the Azerbaijani side about possibility of re-starting
military actions among the conflicting sides on the Karabakh issue may
influence on the negotiation process, Torosian mentioned: “We all know
very well what the war is. Nobody seriouly thinks that similar issues
may be solved with the help of a war.”
According to him, all conversations about war are propaganda
statements. “I hope that there will never be a war between Azerbaijan
and Karabakh,” Torosian stated.
According to Asaf Hajiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary
delegation, his country finds that possibilities for a peaceful
settlement are not exhausted yet. When it happens the situation will
change what in its turn will bring to search of other ways of
settlement. But, according to Hajiyev, it does not mean that there
will be a war.