Non-Transparent Negotiations on Armenia-Turkey Relations. What’s next!
Posted on January. 20. 2022
BY APPO JABARIAN
Executive Publisher / Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine (English-language print edition)
USA Armenian Life E-Newsletter (Electronic Distribution — e-blast)
Hye Kiank Armenian Weekly (Armenian-language print edition)
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The ongoing negotiations on normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey are being held under a cover of darkness.
Recently, Political Scientist and Historian Levon Shirinian asked the following question on his Facebook page: “It is clear that in regards to normalization of relations with Turkey, the Republic of Armenia has insisted on the establishment of relations without preconditions. Recent reports indicate that Turkey has refrained from imposing preconditions and that the first meeting was held without preconditions. It turns out that Turkey finally accepted Armenia’s claim. Now my question. Who accepted whose preconditions? Has Armenia accepted Turkey? Or vice versa?”
In my opinion, the crucial objective must be the perpetual defense of the Armenian nation’s and Armenia’s national interests by all current and future leaders of the Republic of Armenia and the Diaspora. (* = At present, the wider Diaspora has not yet held a referendum to elect its representatives.
Of course, the Armenian statehood and the Armenian nation in dispersion must develop a long-term and short-term policy towards each neighboring country/global power and navigate according to the needs and goals of the day without violating the non-negotiable interests and rights of the Armenian nation.
Today’s Republic of Armenia- ROA (29,000 sq. km.) constitutes less than half of the 1918-1920 Democratic Republic of Armenia- DRA (60,000 sq. km.) and a small segment of historic Armenia (300,000 sq. km). Therefore, today’s Armenian republic and the forcibly uprooted Armenian Nation have territorial claims against both Turkey and Azerbaijan over the illegally-occupied Armenian lands in both Western and Eastern Armenia; demands for the blood money of the victims of the 1915-1923 Turkish-executed Armenian Genocide; and the return of illegally confiscated personal real and personal properties of the victims.
It is an amply known fact that the Armenian people in the Homeland and around the world consider their pursuit of Justice non-negotiable.
As long as Turkey is not brought to justice, Ankara will erroneously encouraged to commit the “second and last genocide” against the last remnants of historic Armenia, the Republic of Armenia and the Armenians of Artsakh Republic.
It is now vividly remembered that, a few months before the large-scale and unprecedented terrorist attack in the fall of 2020 against Armenians of Artsakh Republic, Turkish Pres. Erdogan openly threatened to seek the ‘finally solution’ by completely annihilating the Armenian people.” Without hesitation, he openly boasted that Ankara and Baku had “all possible means” to “successfully” carry out the “second and final genocide” against the twin Armenian republics.
Why is Turkey pursuing such an obvious and unhindered state criminal policy?
Because Ankara continues to remain unpunished in connection with the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide, omni-scale looting and dispossession.
During the anti-Armenian offensive in Fall 2020, Ankara and Baku used a large army of ISIS – Islamic State terrorists against the Armenians of Artsakh. In 1915, Turkey used thousands of convicted criminals “bash-posuks” by releasing them from Turkish prisons. These Turkish convicted criminals served as the precursors of today’s ISIS terrorists.
The current and future ROA authorities and the leadership of the Diaspora must accept the above-mentioned as non-negotiable national rights.
While nobody knows the final outcome of the ongoing negotiations, world Armenians need to focus on seeking solutions to a number of urgent national issues. Below are the top eight such national priorities.
1) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DEFENSE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA.
Even if Turkey agrees to normalize relations “without preconditions,” Armenia and the Armenian Nation should be vigilant in preventing the dumping of Turkish goods into Armenia. In such an eventuality, Turkey can systematically destroy the fledgling Armenian industry.
On the contrary, Turkey must allow Armenia, without preconditions, a free and unimpeded access to the Black Sea over Western Armenia illegally occupied by Ankara.
2) THE SO-CALLED TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN.
Armenia and the Armenian Nation should never recognize the so-called “territorial integrity” of Turkey and Azerbaijan as long as the artificially created Turkic republics continue to forcibly occupy Armenian, Greek, Assyrian, Kurdish and Syrian Arab lands.
3) JUSTICE AND RESTITUTION.
Armenia and Armenians around the world need to constantly remind the world, the plight of Western /”Wilsonian” and Eastern Armenia’s occupied Armenian ancestral lands, among other illegal appropriations by Turkey and Azerbaijan.
4) CITIZEN-ARMY.
The successive governments of Armenia and Artsakh need to develop and implement a permanent policy of arming the people as a birthright to self-defense. During World War II, Nazi Germany’s Hitler did not dare to invade Switzerland because the entire Swiss people were and still are armed to the teeth. VOMA (Voghj Mnalu Arvestu – “The Art of Remaining Alive”) has created a growing movement providing free armed training in Armenia, giving more impetus to the state level policy. Are we sure “We are our mountains”? Talk is cheap. Armenians must get to work! Law-abiding citizens of Armenia need to be armed to the teeth and become well-trained.
5) ORGANIZATION OF HUMANITARIAN BRIGADES IN ARMENIA AND DIASPORA.
There is now a regional dialogue for peace between Armenia and Turkey; and Armenia and Azerbaijan. But no one knows what will happen tomorrow and no one should try to give “assurances” that from now on Turkey and Azerbaijan will not attack Armenia and/or Artsakh. We need to start working urgently and support the formation of humanitarian brigades.
The American Armenian Institute for National Security of America (AANSI) and its founding Armenian and American supporters, led by U.S. Army Major General (Ret.) Mark McCarley, have initiated the formation of HUMANITARIAN BRIGADES.
According to (Ret.) Major Gen. MacCarley, the first humanitarian brigade of five hundred people, has already begun. AANSI (www.aansi.org/) and will be mobilized within 96 hours of a national emergency or disaster and will be deployed to Armenia to provide all kinds of emergency assistance through voluntary humanitarian brigades. It is necessary for the world Armenians and non-Armenian friends of Armenia everywhere to pursue this lofty goal together.
6) MASSIVE REPATRIATION OF ARMENIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND GRANTING OF ARMENIAN CITIZENSHIP TO QUALIFIED NON-ARMENIANS.
Make Armenia the “Hong Kong” of the region.
Armenia and the Armenian Nation have all the prerequisites to make Armenia-Artsakh the economic, military, multifaceted economic engine of the South Caucasus region; a functioning and powerful law-abiding and socially just state and an exemplary Democracy.
7) ARMENIA-ARTSAKH-DIASPORA: ORGANIZATION OF FAST-TRACK DEMOGRAPHIC GROWTH.
For the last 1000 (thousand) years, and especially for the last 30 years, Armenia and Artsakh have become the target of depopulation and forcible uprooting by external and internal enemies. Enemies of Armenians are obstinately pursuing an “Armenia without Armenians.”
The massive Armenian presence on the mother soil is vital for the recovery, functioning, strengthening and survival of the Armenian statehood.
The proposed means: Economic development and multiplication of large families through job creation and financial support.
8) NATIONAL SECURITY AND PENALIZATION OF TRAITORS
Armenia-Artsakh and the Diaspora have serious national security issues. External enemies and internal parasites are fast at word. If Armenia is ever able to withstand external dangers, Yerevan must first strengthen its internal security, keep suspected traitors under watch, and bring the culprits to justice and accountability.
It is only then that Armenia and the Armenians can have a viable collective future.