PM Nikol Pashinyan SHOULD NOT release a personal statement

Vaհe H Apelian

PM of Armenia should not release a public personal statement about the plight of Armenian prisoner’s haunting issue, even though Ruben Vardanyan's lawyers calls the PM to do just that.

 Strangely, the former FM of Armenia Vartan Oskanian continues to make ample use of his mastery of the English language and continues to attack the PM and calls Nikol Pashinyan to personally lead the haunting issue of the Baku Armenian hostages and prisoners. Not only that Vartan Oskanian continues to spill venom onto Diaspora urging us, such as citizens of the U.S., that has amicable state relations with Armenia, to do all we can not to “legitimize” the Armenian government’s policies. Vartan Oskanian simply takes as for a fool and and expects Diaspora support his Machiavellian pursuit of power grab, using the plight of the Baku Armenian hostages and the prisoners.  Vartan Oskanian does not represent the Baku Armenian hostages and prisoners. Their families and their supporters do. Today the supporters of Ruben. Vardanyan released his recorded statement from prison. (see note 1)

The last chapter of the Armenian history is being staged and played out. Much like any book, be it a novel or a play, the last chapter distills the story. That is where we are, at the last chapter of the Armenian statehood. We either close the book for a free, independent and democratic Armenia, or keep it open with an unfinished chapter for the upcoming generations to continue its narration.

This last chapter is titled “Free the Armenian hostages”. Naturally it is about the abducted Republic of Artsakh officials and other Armenian prisoners languishing in prisons in Baku. I do not believe that there is an Armenian who is not concerned about their welfare and fate.The issue in դհէ staging the last chapter is the following: who will direct the play's last stage? Will it be the PM Nikol Pashinyan and its government?  Or will it be the Armenian nation, spread across the globe.

On February 28, 2023, for the very first time the foreign minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan brought the plight, the sham trial of the Baku Armenian hostages and prisoners to the attention of the world.

FM Ararat Mizroyan is the highest Armenian government official who is primarily responsible for the state’s foreign relations, diplomic conduct. Naturally Ararat Mirzoyan, would not have released his lengthy statement (see note 2) about the plight, the physical and the emotional attrition of the abducted Artsakh Armenian officials and their sham trial to the attention of the world, without the approval of the PM Nikol Pashinyan. 

Consequently, the government of Armenia has given the green light for the Armenian ambassadors to pursue through diplomatic channels securing the release of the former Republic of Artsakh officials taken hostage and as well as other Armenian prisoners for. In other words, the Republic of Armenia has initiated all it can, towards securing the release of the Armenian hostages and prisoners, through diplomatic channels.

It is imperative that the PM of Armenia does NOT lead the Armenian prisoner’s sad issue. Naturally any statement by the PM of Armenia will take the issue away from the foreign ministry and make the PM personally lead his government for securing the release of the prisoners. That would inevitably result in the PM Nikol Pashinyan and the president Aliyev making a deal. We all know what that deal entails. The repercussions of which have consequential finality.  

How can then Armenians resolve the issue of the Armenian prisoners and still hold on to the territorial legacy from the Soviet Union or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.?

The only plausible way the Armenian prisoners may be released from the prisons in Baku is for the Armenian diaspora puts all its resources, lock, stock, and barrel, at the disposal of the Armenian foreign ministry and work hand in hand with and under the leadership of the Armenian ambassadors. 

Yes, it is the Armenian nation that will have to release the Armenian prisoners from Baku, putting its resources, lock, stock and barrel, under the only institution, that we have been able to bring about among the family of nations, the government of Armenia and its foreign ministry.

 Otherwise, we will remain haunted by our unwillingness to heed to Charents’s call, "Oh, Armenian people, your only salvation lies in the power of your unity," and will continue on looking for a culprit that was and is, us and no other.

                                          *** 

Note 1.  Ruben Vardanyan’s statement from prison in Baku.

https://www.aliqmedia.am/2025/03/07/186819/ 

Note 1.  Ruben Vardanyan’s statement from prison in Baku.

https://www.mfa.am/en/interviews-articles-and-comments/2025/02/28/mfa_statement/13096

 

 

From Baku Prison, Ruben Vardanyan Called for Real and Long-term Peace, in English, Armenian and the video

Today I received the following email from the FREE ARMENIAN PRISONERS  - contact@freearmenianprisoners.com . The subject of the message is the blog’s headline. 

The email had the following text. “Dear Supporters, During a phone conversation with his family, Ruben Vardanyan recorded an audio message and asked for it to be published. In the recorded voice message, he calls for peace based on fundamental human values and dignity: "I am an optimist, and I believe that despite everything, we will overcome all the challenges and difficulties before us. We will once again live in our homeland, in peace with our neighbor, respecting one another and overcome the mutual hate and resentment that has built up over the years – just as some other nations have managed to do. But if we truly want this, we need a real, stable, long-term peace – not just on a piece of paper, but a peace that is sustainable and is adhered to by all people on a daily basis." 

Ruben Vardanyan started his message in Armenian as follows: ““Dear compatriots! Today is March 5th. I want to say a few words to you as Ruben Vardanyan, just as I am: as an Armenian, who speaks and thinks in Russian. As a man of the world, who is happily married, loves everyone, who has dedicated himself to self-education, and who lives with faith in God.” The main text of the message is in Russian.

I have attached the English and Armenian translations of his message and the recording. 

1.     The Armenian translation of his message:

2.     https://www.aliqmedia.am/2025/03/07/186819/

3.     The English translation of his message:

4.   https://horizonweekly.ca/en/everything-will-be-alright-ruben-vardanyan-delivers-message-via-his-family/

5.     The full audio version of his message:

6.      The full audio version of the message is available here.

 

Արխիւային՝ Նախագահ Թրամփի The State of the Union զեկոյցը

 Նախագահ Թրամփին, երկրին վիճակին մասին զեկոյցին առթիւ գրուած, Արա Մխսեանին այս բանաստեղծութեան Անգլերէնի թարգմանութիւնը դժբախտաբար պիտի արժեզրկէ այս շատ տեղեն եւ դիպուկ բանաստեղծութիւնը՝ մեր լեզուին հարուստ բառամթերքին եւ Արա Մխսեան-ին. Հայերէն լեզուին բացառիկ հմտութեան շնորհիւ։ Վաhէ Յ Աբէլեան

Այս իրիկուն ճշմարտութիւնը զեղծուեցաւ

անկեղծութիւնը խարդաւանուեցաւ

ազնուութիւնը վարկաբեկուեցաւ

փափկասրտութիւնը արհամարհուեցաւ

բարեգործութիւնը ծանակուեցաւ

անխղճութիւնը փառաբանուեցաւ

յելուզակութիւնը օրինականացուեցաւ

ոճրագործութիւնը դրուատուեցաւ

խաբէութիւնը խրախուսուեցաւ

Այս բոլորը այս իրիկուն՝ երկու ժամուան պարփակին մէջ

Արա Մխսեան

 

 

 

The rebellious poet of the orphan generation, Antranig Zarougian

Բնագիրը կցուած է։ Jemaran’s 95^th anniversary is being celebrated. Its official founding date is March 3, 1930.  The celebration reminds me of what would have been, one of its first generation’s most prominent student, Antranig Zarougian. But he was expelled from the school ostensibly because of his rebellious and unruly nature. The attached is my translation of Garo Armenian’s posting about Antranig Zarougian he posted on his Facebook page on November 22, 2015. Vaհe H Apelian

“Antranig Zarougian – Antranik Tsarukian -  was the rebellious poet of the orphan generation, whose entire poetic legacy is summarized today in two thin poetry collections: the first, "Sails - Arakastner" (1939), and the other, "Letter to Yerevan – Tought ar Yerevan" (1945). Both were published in Aleppo, and both radiated poetic ferver. Zarougian also had a number of unpublished poems left out of "Sails" that never saw the light of day. At the time, he also began writing a long poem entitled "Saint Mesrop", only one part of which was published in the Aleppo "Arevelk" yearbook (I think in 1947).

His "Letter to Yerevan" was an unprecedented phenomenon in our literature. Hagop Oshagan ranked it on a par with Shahan Shahnour’s novel “The Retreat Without Song” and just as unprecedented. ​​Oshagan wrote a 120-page long monograph by, in his customary clustered hand writing, dedicated to this powerful literary work by the young poet. Oshagan titled his work “A Testimony” and wrote it in Jerusalem in November 1945, immediately after the reading “Letter to Yerevan”. Both, Zarougian’s work and Oshagan’s analysis are very relevant today from the perspective of understanding the evolution and destiny of the Armenian letter in the Diaspora and in interpretating  for crystallizing the imperatives of our future.

In the fifties, Andranik Zarougian had already settled in Beirut and began publishing the weekly "Nayiri", continueing the literary legacy of the monthly "Nayiri", which Zarougian had founded in Aleppo with the collaboration of a group of like-minded friends. During the monthly’s post-war years, it became the literary guiding pole for an entire generation. 

The weekly "Nayiri" was naturally different from its predecessor. Its connection with our people was more direct and more frequent. The intricate problems of our public life were summarized in its pages, often with great outbursts.

The editorial office of "Nayiri" was a beehive of writers and book lovers. Yetvart Boyadjian, Boghos Snabian, Jirair Attarian and many others were always there. Those informal gatherings were unparalleled moments of heated discussions around Antranig Zarougian’s editorial desk and under his inimitable "chairmanship." And for us, still freshmen from Jemaran, those meetings were a second school. There we would discover the active instincts of literary inclination. 

Zarougian’s words, seasoned with his witty stories, were always magical and educational. 

It is now that I realize that an entire culture that, the power of the living word, was being thrusted onto our growing consciousness day by day, and it was the Diaspora that was being perpetuated with its intricately woven forms and with a wonderful fatherhood. "

Garo Armenian fondly remembers Antranig Zarougian, who was expelled from Jemaran, the same school Garo Armenian attended. In his book “The Greats and the Others”, Zarougian has made a point that one day he may write about the reason/s as to why he was expelled from Jemaran after attending it for a good number of years as the promising lad from Aleppo. He apparently never wrote about it. There seems to be no record as to why Antranig Zarougian was expelled.

Those interested to read about Antranig Zarougian meeting his teacher Nigol Aghpalian for the last time, as he was being told to leave the school, may read Antranig Zarougian reminiscing his last meeting in the attached link (note 2).

                                             ***

Note 1. The picture of Antranig Zarougian is from Tzolag Hovsepian’s album “Familiar Faces” (page 83). Tzolag Hovsepian was a professional photographer but he did not claim ownership of the pictures of the “familiar faces” he took, claiming that they belong to the Armenian nation. The picture is taken along the Mediterranean coast in Beirut.

Note 2. Segment 5: Levon Shant and Nigol Agphalian: Ideology

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2020/03/levon-shant-and-nigol-aghpalian-ideolgy.html

                                                        *****

Բնագիրը՝  " Որբերու սերունդին ըմբոստ բանաստե՛ղծն էր ան, որուն քերթողական ողջ աւանդը այսօր կ՚ամփոփուի երկու վտիտ քերթողագրքերու մէջ. առաջինը՝ «Առագաստներ» (1939), իսկ երկրորդը՝ «Թուղթ առ Երևան» (1945)։ Երկուքն ալ լոյս տեսած՝ Հալէպի մէջ և երկուքն ալ բանաստեղծական խօսքի թէժ հուրերո՛վ ճառագայթող։ Ծառուկեան ունէր նաև շարք մը անտիպներ «Առագաստներ»էն դուրս մնացած, որոնք երբեք լոյս չտեսան, և սկսեր էր գրել երկարաշունչ բանաստեղծութիւն մը՝ «Սուրբ Մեսրոպ» խորագրով, որուն մէկ հատուածը միայն հրատարակուեցաւ Հալէպի «Արևելք» տարեգրքին մէջ (կարծեմ 1947-ին)։ 

Իր «Թուղթ առ Երևան»ը աննախընթաց երևոյթ էր մեր գրականութեան մէջ։ Յակոբ Օշական զայն դասեց Շահան Շահնուրի «Նահանջը Առանց Երգի» վէպին համահաւասար և -- նոյնքան աննախընթա՛ց – ան գրեց 120 օշականեան խիտ էջերու ծաւալով մենագրութիւն մը նուիրուած՝ երիտասարդ բանաստեղծի այս հզօր երկին։ Օշականի այս գործը կը կրէ «Վկայութիւն Մը» խորագիրը և գրուած է Երուսաղէմի մէջ 1945-ի նոյեմբերին, «Թուղթ առ Երևան»ի ընթերցումէն անմիջապէս ետք։ Թէ՛ Ծառուկեանի երկը և թէ՛ Օշականի վերլուծականը մեծ այժմէութիւն ունին այսօր Սփիւռքի գիրն ու ճակատագիրը հասկնալու, զանոնք ճիշտ մեկնելու և մեր վաղուան հրամայականները բիւրեղացնելու տեսակէտէն։ 

Յիսունական թուականներուն, Անդրանիկ Ծառուկեան արդէն հաստատուեր էր Պէյրութ և սկսեր էր հրատարակել «Նայիրի» շաբաթաթերթը, որ կը շարունակէր գրական աւանդը «Նայիրի» ամսագրին։ Այս վերջինը ինք հիմնեց Հալէպի մէջ խումբ մը գաղափարակից ընկերներու գործակցութեամբ և յետ-պատերազմեան այդ տարիներուն ան դարձաւ գրական խօսքի քաշողական բևեռը ամբողջ սերունդի մը։ Շաբաթաթերթ «Նայիրի»ն բնականաբար տարբեր էր իր նախորդէն։ Անոր կապը մեր ժողովուրդին հետ աւելի անմիջական էր և աւելի յաճախակի։ Անոր էջերուն մէջ հանրագումարի կու գային մեր հասարակական կեանքի կնճռոտ խնդիրները յաճախ մեծ պոռթկումներով։ 

«Նայիրի»ի խմբագրատունը մեղուաբոյնն էր գրողներու և գրասէրներու։ Հոն էին միշտ Եդուարդ Պոյաճեանը, Պօղոս Սնապեանը, Ժիրայր Աթթարեանը և շատ ուրիշներ։ Անպաշտօն այդ հաւաքները բուռն քննարկումներու անզուգական պահեր էին Անդրանիկ Ծառուկեանի խմբագրական գրասեղանին շուրջ և իր անկրկնելի «ատենապետութեամբ»։ Իսկ մեզի՝ դեռ ճեմարանական նորերուս համար այդ հանդիպումները երկրորդ դպրոց մըն էին։ Հոն մենք գիւտը կ՚ընէինք գրական բեմի գործօն բնազդներուն։ Ծառուկեանի խօսքը իր սրամիտ պատումներով համեմուած՝ միշտ մոգական էր և դաստիարակիչ։ Հիմա կ՚անդրադառնամ, որ ամբողջ մշակոյթ մըն էր, որ ապրող խօսքի ուժականութեամբ օրը-օրին կը յանձնուէր մեր աճող գիտակցութեան և Սփիւռքն էր, որ ինքզինք կը մշտնջենաւորէր իր մանուածապատ ձևերով և հրաշալի հայրութեամբ մը։ "

Կարօ Արմենեան

Նոյեմբեր 22, 2015

 

Shant and Nigol: Zarougian's “Unlike Twins" remembered

"Հակադիր Երկուորեակներ"

"Unlike Twins - Հակադիր Երկուորեակներ": Nigol Aghpalian and Levon Shant

The chapter is titled “Unlike Twins” (Հակադիր Երկուորեակներ) where Antranig Zarougian paints a fascinating tale of a student’s - his -impression and a grown-up man’s appreciation of these two famed educators, Nigol Aghpalian and Levon Shant, who toiled side by side in the famed Jermaran of Beirut. The narration also gives a glimpse of the norms and values prevailing when these two educators pooled their knowhow and efforts in educating a cadre of Armenian students, naturally including Antranig Zarougian as one of their rebellious students. 

Levon Shant's, a Western Armenian, actual name is Levon Seghpossian (Nahashbedian), was born in Constantinople, in 1869, and passed away on November 29, 1951. While Nigol Aghpalian, an Eastern Armenian, was born in Tbilisi in 1875  died also in Beirut, on August 15, 1947. 

 Students are the best judge of the characters of their teachers. Zarougian reminisces episodes that reflect the characters of these two great educators, their pedagogical methods, their ideology and their devotion to education.

Vahe H. Apelian, July 15, 2021.

Segment 1: Levon Shant and Nigol Aghbalian: Contrasting Twins

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2019/12/levon-shant-and-nigol-aghpalian-no-1.html

Segment 2: Levon Shant and Nigol Aghpalian: Contrasting Twins

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2020/02/levon-shant-and-nigol-aghpalian-no-2.html

Segment 3: Levon Shant as an Educator

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2020/02/levon-shant-and-nigol-aghpalian-no-3.html

Segment 4: Levon Shant and Nigol Aghpalian: Anectordes

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2020/02/levon-shant-and-nigol-aghpalian.html

Segment 5: Levon Shant and Nigol Agphalian: Ideology

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2020/03/levon-shant-and-nigol-aghpalian-ideolgy.html

Emotional Debates: We are, in many respects, of two minds

A passage from The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez, a 2020 documentary about an eight-year-old boy who was killed from abuse. The narrator spoke about American dichotomy. The most liberal state, California has the largest death row and America as a whole struggles with upholding American citizen’s unalienable right for life but also put the person to death.  It reminded me of the emotional debate Americans are experiencing. Vahe H  Apelian

“California has the largest death row in the U.S. There are 740 people on California’s death row, and Southern California is currently sentencing more people to death than any part of the country.

In essence, the U.S. is the only western democracy that still has death penalty. It continues to pose a significant moral dilemma for the country.

We are, in many respects, of two minds because this is the country of great opportunity, of respect for humanity and at the same time, it’s a country that is highly punitive. The better angels of our nature want to get rid of death penalty. They have not prevailed.

We are a country of mercy, and we are a country of vengeance, and we live with both at the same time. 

California has the system where it can’t just be a murder, it has to be a murder special circumstance. Gruesome cases are really hard to decide and you’re going to have jurors who believe that this person should not be killed. Jurors has a choice. They have choice between life without a possibility of parole and the death penalty. And when it gets down to a person who does not think that a defendant should die, and jurors who think we have to kill this person in order to protect the society, you have extraordinarily emotional debates.

In the penalty case, deciding to have the person killed or prisoned for life, the instructions given to the jurors were different. The standards were different. 

At the stage, it just came down to personal beliefs and personal preferences. "

Not to dismiss the oceans remark

Vahe H Apelian

 

Regarding the Zelensky-Trump debacle, a reporter noted that Zelensky has repeatedly pointed out that the U.S., under the Biden administration provided substantial aid to Kyiv. But it is Ukrainian soldiers who did and do the fighting on the front lines to stop Russian aggression that poses a threat to all of Europe, which runs counter to the U.S. interests. Furthermore, he claimed that “Zelenskyy later said that under war, "everybody has problems, even you" and that the U.S. would feel the war "in the future."

But it was not quite like that. Zelensky said the following, “You have nice ocean and don't feel now, but you will feel it in the future". That remark angered Trump who said, "Don't tell us what we're going to feel. We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel."

Geography has favored the United States. It is flanked by two great oceans, on the East by the Atlantic Ocean and on the West by the Pacific Ocean. Even though U.S. has its own immigration issues, but strong man like Erdogan has not thus far threatened it by opening the flood gates of immigrants pouring onto it, as Erdogan did, exacting from West Europe major concessions. On its north and south, its neighbors have not been warring as European states were during the two great wars.

Consequently, isolationism became natural for the U.S. For the longest time FDR could not even interfere on behalf of Winston Churchill caught in frenzy of the “European War”. However, things changed. The spread of Nazism, the Pearl Harbor attack,  the growing might of the Soviet Union changed the political equation necessitating U.S. and England work hand in hand with the Stalinist Russia until, in Churchill’s words, a great curtain descended upon Europe.

After the second world war, the “Domino” theory became the foreign policy theory of the U.S., according to which the “fall” of a noncommunist state to communism would precipitate the fall of noncommunist governments in neighboring countries. Eisenhower is credited to have described the theory during a news conference on April 7, 1954, when referring to communism in Indochina. But the U.S. diligently exercised the cautionary policy right after the WWII. Unlike the Paris Peace Conference convened in January 1919 at Versailles just outside Paris, that imposed harsh terms on the defeated Germany, the U.S. took upon itself rebuilding the defeated Germany in the aftermath of WWII, fostering ideological and commercial ties. The U.S. also adopted the same policy dealing with Imperial Japan it defeated.

The results of the wise and benevolent policies of the U.S. resulted in the post WWII Pax Americana, that seems to be experiencing serious stresses that are threatening to tear the alliance apart from its seams. It is not communism any more but a variant of “Lebensraum”, meaning "living space.”

Does Zelensky’s remark have any merit, given the ICBM, the intercontinental ballistic missiles have rendered geography pretty much irrelevant and MAD, the mutually assured destruction, became the deterrent?

The 21th century witnessed the birth of BRICS. According to Wikipedia BRICS is an informal intergovernmental organization consisting of ten countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. The term is made by the initials of the first countries listed. It is the counterpart of G7, which, according to Wikipedia is an informal grouping of seven of the world's advanced economies, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as the European Union.

 G7, unlike NATO, may be informal, whatever the term “informal” implies. But countries engaged in economic cooperation cannot endure if not backed by military might both as a deterrent and for safeguarding markets.

At present, the U.S. of America has a southern neighbor - Brazil -  a member of the “informal” BRICS organization that represents over 3.3 billion people, which is more than 40% of the world's population. In my view, that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago.

 Yes, the oceans no longer can guarantee a splendid isolation, for the U.S.

It behooves the citizens of the U.S. and hence its government not to dismiss what Zelensky said that "You have nice ocean and don't feel now, but you will feel it in the future”. Let us be mindful that a more congested world is awaiting us and yes, U.S. may experience immigrant surges in ways it has not experienced before, and its southern neighbors may not be any longer open markets for merchandizing and manufacturing U.S. goods.