They were, are No More (Կային, Չկան): Avedis Aharonian (No. 9/9)

“They Were, (and) are no more” (Կային, Չկան) is the title of the last chapter of Antranig Zarougian’s “The Greats and the Others” (Մեծերը եւ Միւսները) book where he casts a glimpse of the way an intellectual group of writers related to each other, as poets, novelists, journalists, and editors who propelled the post genocide Western Armenian literature to new heights that subsided with their passing away. The attached is the last abridged translated segment from that chapter. Vahe H. Apelian

Aramazd

“After Paris I went to Marseille just and only just to visit Avedis Aharonian¹, whom Zabel Yessaian had likened to the Armenian pagan mythical god Aramazd².  He was bedridden for over a decade, due to a stroke, lying in bed immobile and unspeaking. All those who had heard him speak, vouched that he was regarded the most eloquent orator. But the wizard of the words could no more utter a single sentence. It was a gross tragedy.

It was a bright and a sunny day, in an upscale neighborhood, Hagop Babigian and I were heading to visit him. A considerate Armenian family, a husband and a wife, had vacated the upper floor of their beautiful villa and made room for the care of Aharonian, as they moved downstairs.

Right after receiving us, Mrs. Aharonian advised us not to enter his room to see him. Had I been by myself I would have most likely heeded to her advice and not entered his room. But Hagop Babigian was with me as his guardian. He insisted visiting him and thus we entered in.

A big bald head was resting over a white pillow, and on it two sparkling eyes, that is all to it, much like a dry clay jar the middle of which were two shiny lights. Mrs. Aharonian approached him shouting loud to his ear said:

- “Dear Avo, he is one of our ungers (comrades) from Syria, the poet….”

Suddenly the lights extinguished from his eyes, and I heard a voice as if coming from a deep grave:

 - “No, no, no…..”

Three times “no”. It is the only word he can utter and that one word is the whole lexicon for someone who was the king of the spoken words, the mythical god Aramazd of the Armenian literature. Do you have pain? No! Do you need anything? No!, and nothing else. A ravished body, but a sharp mind, and a single word, “no”, that is all to it. My God, I thought, what a miserable luck had been in store for him,  what a disaster!

- “Did I not tell you not to enter?” Gently reprimanded me Mrs. Aharonian at the same time caringly caressing my shoulder. 

I almost fled the scene feeling guilty. The whole visit had hardly lasted ten minutes. I was in a shock. Babigian who was more familiar with the situation was not affected. When we were in the street, he said:

- “ I think you need a strong drink to get you out of this state.” We entered a pub.

No less memorable was Avedis Aharonian’s wife. She was tall, graceful much like a palm tree, but emaciated and worn out, but beautiful in spite of her septuagenarian age. She was the sister of Mikayel Varandian³. In her youth, there wasn’t a young man who did not pursue her, like bees buzzing around her. Among them were two Avos – Avedis Aharonian and Avedik Isahagian³. Hagop Babigian, who had been close to Mikael Varantian, remembered her brother telling him that it’s only one of the two who could hold the rein of our  stallion.

The “Black Stallion” of the past had been transformed into a care giver for the past fifteen years. Not a single day had she left her critically wounded Aramazd. Every day, twice she would change his body posture in the bed with the help of a care giver or on her own, and take care of him, change the linens, wash them and then wait on him. She had been doing this daily for the past fifteen years. There still are people who look for saints in the Bible.

They were, are no more.

 

Notes:

1.   Avetis Aharonian (Աւետիս ԱհարոնեանՕ, January 9, 1866, Iğdır, Turkey - March 20, 1948, Paris, France. He was an Armenian politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary, also part of the Armenian national movement. In 1919, he was the head the Armenian delegation at the Paris Peace Conference with Boghos Nubar, where he signed the Treaty of Sèvres formulating the "Wilsonian Armenia" in direct collaboration with the Armenian Diaspora. (Wikipedia)

2.   Aramazd was the chief and creator god in pre-Christian Armenian mythology. The deity and his name were derived from the Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazda after the Median conquest of Armenia in the 6th century BCE. (Wikipedia)

3.   Mikayel Varandian (Միքայել Վարանդյան). 1870 Shushi – April 27, 1934, Marseille, France. He was an Armenian historian and the main theoretician of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Varandian was born Mikayel Hovhannisian in the village of Kyatuk in the Varanda canton of the region of Karabakh. He took the penname Varandian in honor of his home province. (Wikipedia)

4.   Avetik Isahakyan (Armenian: Ավետիք Իսահակյան; October 30, 1875 – Gyumri, Armenia - October 17, 1957, Yerevan, Armenia. He was a prominent Armenian lyric poet, writer and public activist.

  

There still are people who look for saints in the Bible

 “They Were, (and) are no more” (Կային, Չկան) is the title of the last chapter of Antranig Zarougian’s “The Greats and the Others” (Մեծերը եւ Միւսները) book where he casts a glimpse of the way Diaspora writers related to each other, as poets, novelists, journalists, and editors and in doing so propelled the post genocide Western Armenian literature to new heights that subsided with their passing away. The attached is my abridged translated segment from that chapter. Vahe H. Apelian

Aramazd

“After Paris I went to Marseille just and only just to visit Avedis Aharonian¹, whom Zabel Yessaian had likened to the Armenian pagan mythical god Aramazd².  He was bedridden for over a decade, due to a stroke, lying in bed immobile and unspeaking. All those who had heard him speak, vouched that he was regarded the most eloquent orator. But the wizard of the words could no more utter a single sentence. It was a gross tragedy.

It was a bright and a sunny day, in an upscale neighborhood, Hagop Babigian and I were heading to visit him. A considerate Armenian family, a husband and a wife, had vacated the upper floor of their beautiful villa and made room for the care of Aharonian, as they moved downstairs.

Right after receiving us, Mrs. Aharonian advised us not to enter his room to see him. Had I been by myself I would have most likely heeded to her advice and not entered his room. But Hagop Babigian was with me as his guardian. He insisted visiting him and thus we entered in.

A big bald head was resting over a white pillow, and on it two sparkling eyes, that is all to it, much like a dry clay jar the middle of which were two shiny lights. Mrs. Aharonian approached him shouting loud to his ear said:

- “Dear Avo, he is one of our ungers (comrades) from Syria, the poet….”

Suddenly the lights extinguished from his eyes, and I heard a voice as if coming from a deep grave:

 - “No, no, no…..”

Three times “no”. It is the only word he can utter and that one word is the whole lexicon for someone who was the king of the spoken words, the mythical god Aramazd of the Armenian literature. Do you have pain? No! Do you need anything? No!, and nothing else. A ravished body, but a sharp mind, and a single word, “no”, that is all to it. My God, I thought, what a miserable luck had been in store for him,  what a disaster!

- “Did I not tell you not to enter?” Gently reprimanded me Mrs. Aharonian at the same time caringly caressing my shoulder. 

I almost fled the scene feeling guilty. The whole visit had hardly lasted ten minutes. I was in a shock. Babigian who was more familiar with the situation was not affected. When we were in the street, he said:

- “ I think you need a strong drink to get you out of this state.” We entered a pub.

No less memorable was Avedis Aharonian’s wife. She was tall, graceful much like a palm tree, but emaciated and worn out, but beautiful in spite of her septuagenarian age. She was the sister of Mikayel Varandian³. In her youth, there wasn’t a young man who did not pursue her, like bees buzzing around her. Among them were two Avos – Avedis Aharonian and Avedik Isahagian³. Hagop Babigian, who had been close to Mikael Varantian, remembered her brother telling him that it’s only one of the two who could hold the rein of our  stallion.

The “Black Stallion” of the past had been transformed into a care giver for the past fifteen years. Not a single day had she left her critically wounded Aramazd. Every day, twice a day, she would change his body posture in the bed with the help of a care giver or on her own, and take care of him, change the linens, wash them and then wait on him. She had been doing this daily for the past fifteen years. There still are people who look for saints in the Bible.

They were, are no more.

 

Notes:

1.   Avetis Aharonian (Աւետիս ԱհարոնեանՕ, January 9, 1866, Iğdır, Turkey - March 20, 1948, Paris, France. He was an Armenian politician, writer, public figure and revolutionary, also part of the Armenian national movement. In 1919, he was the head the Armenian delegation at the Paris Peace Conference with Boghos Nubar, where he signed the Treaty of Sèvres formulating the "Wilsonian Armenia" in direct collaboration with the Armenian Diaspora. (Wikipedia)

2.   Aramazd was the chief and creator god in pre-Christian Armenian mythology. The deity and his name were derived from the Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazda after the Median conquest of Armenia in the 6th century BCE. (Wikipedia)

3.   Mikayel Varandian (Միքայել Վարանդյան). 1870 Shushi – April 27, 1934, Marseille, France. He was an Armenian historian and the main theoretician of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Varandian was born Mikayel Hovhannisian in the village of Kyatuk in the Varanda canton of the region of Karabakh. He took the penname Varandian in honor of his home province. (Wikipedia)

4.   Avetik Isahakyan (Armenian: Ավետիք Իսահակյան; October 30, 1875 – Gyumri, Armenia - October 17, 1957, Yerevan, Armenia. He was a prominent Armenian lyric poet, writer and public activist.

  

A chronology of Armenia related events between 1915--1923

1915 to 1923 is a crucial period in Armenian history and is a very convoluted era. In order to give a structure to that period and facilitate its visualization, I listed pertinent dates in a chronological order to personify. Vaհe H Apelian

1914 – 1915 July 28, 1914,  a Tuesday On this day, World War I formally started, when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. February 19,1915,  a Friday On this day, the Gallipoli campaign (also known as the Dardanelles campaign) officially began during World War I when British and French naval forces started a long-range bombardment of Ottoman fortifications in the Dardanelles, located in present-day Turkey. Historian claim that the Ottoman victory at Gallipoli did not cause the Armenian Genocide, but the wartime crisis surrounding the campaign created a climate of fear that the Committee of Union and Progress used to justify the massacres. April 24, 1915,  a Saturday On this day, Ottoman authorities arrested over 200 Armenian community leaders, intellectuals, and professionals in Constantinople, marking the beginning of the Armenian Genocide. 1918 May 28, 1918, a Tuesday On this day, the Armenian National Council in Tiflis, Georgia, declared the independence of Armenia, marking the establishment of the First Republic of Armenia. June 4, 1918, a Tuesday. On this day, and a week after declaring Independent Armenia, the First Republic of Armenia, signed the Treaty of Batumi. Turkey recognized Armenia's impendence. The treaty left Armenia with a severely truncated, landlocked territory, including (10,400 square km) areas like Yerevan and Etchmiadzin. June 13, 1918, a Thursday On this day, and two weeks after declaring independence, a Republic of Armenia delegation, comprised by Avedis Aharonian, Alexander Khadisian, and Mikayel Papajanian left Tiflis on an official visit to Turkey as the Republic Of Armenia’s maiden visitation to friendly Turkey. June 19, 1918,  a Wednesday On this day, the Avedis Aharonian, Alexander Khatisian and Mikayel Papajanian, delegation arrived in Constantinople, where it was received in a manner appropriate to dignitaries representing a state. They remained until November 1, that is, approximately 4 and a half months. https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2025/11/republic-of-armenia-first-official_26.html   August 1, 1919,  a Thursday On this day, the inaugural session of the National Assembly of Armenia convened, while Avedis Aharonian and his delegation were in Constantinople. https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2026/08/august-1-1918-inaugural-session-of.html   October 30, 1918, a Wednesday On this day, Armistice of Mudros was signed. Armenians did not formally participate in the Armistice of Mudros. The agreement was made exclusively between representatives of the victorious Allied Powers (represented by Great Britain) and the defeated Ottoman Empire. It enabled the Allied powers to begin partitioning the Ottoman Empire.  The armistice of Mudros led to the Treaty of Sèvres, the little ally to the allied powers. November 1, 1918, a Friday On this day, The Avedis Aharonian, Alexander Khatisian and Mikayel Papajanian, delegation, having spent almost four and half month in Constantinople, left the capital city Constantinople around November 1, 1918, following the signing of the Armistice of Mudros on October 30, 1918. November 11, 1918, a Monday. On this day, the World War I formally and famously ended on the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. 1919-1920 January 18,1919,  a Saturday On this day, the historic Paris Peace Conference of 1919 formally opened on January 18, 1919, though preliminary meetings and arrivals began on January 12, 1919. January 21,1920, a Wednesday On this day, the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 officially ended. August 10, 1920, a Tuesday On this day, the Treaty of Sèvres was signed after the main formal sessions of the Paris Peace Conference concluded, though it was part of the overall peace process. The Treaty of Sèvres promised a post-World War I independent Armenia with a territory on the Armenian Highland, including provinces like Van and Erzerum, and an outlet to the Black Sea. However, this treaty was never implemented because it was rejected by the emerging Turkish nationalist movement led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who waged a war against the Allied Powers and established the Republic of Turkey. Consequently, the Treaty of Sèvres was replaced by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, which made no provisions for an Armenian state and set back the prospects for Armenians. November 29, 1920 Monday On this day, Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed by local revolutionaries. December 2,1920, a Thursday The leadership of the First Republic of Armenia (the ARF government) agreed to cede power to the communists. The 4th PM of the first Republic of Armenia Simon Vratsian was in office between November 23, 1920 to December 2 of 1920 when he ceded power to the Bolsheviks. Armenia became part of the Russian dominated Soviet Union. December 2, 1920, a Thursday On this day, the Treaty of Alexandropol, signed on. It was a devastating accord between the First Republic of Armenia and Turkey. For Armenia, the treaty was a capitulation that forced the country to cede over half of its territory, including the Kars region, renounce the Treaty of Sèvres, and accept severe military restrictions that left it a vulnerable, de facto protectorate of Turkey. The treaty was never ratified due to Armenia's Sovietization. The treaty's terms, particularly concerning borders, were largely confirmed by the subsequent Treaty of Kars. 1921-1923 13 October 1921, a Thursday On this day, the signing of the Treaty of Kars took place that established the borders between Turkey and the three Transcaucasian Soviet republics, which are now the independent republics of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. The treaty was signed in the city of Kars. June 24, 1923, a Saturday On this day, the infamous Treaty of Lausanne, the “granddaddy” of all Turkish Armenian treaties, took place. The treaty effectively ended the Armenian Cause / Hai Tahd, by abolishing the Treaty of Sèvres, which had envisioned an independent Armenia. While the treaty did not explicitly mention Armenians, it granted amnesty to perpetrators of past crimes, including those related to the Armenian Genocide, and codified the borders of modern Turkey consolidating Turkey's control over the historic Armenian lands and resulting in expulsion of the Armenians and the confiscation of their properties.

Republic of Armenia: First official visit to Turkey From June 13 to November 1, 1918

 Avedis Aharonian on his meetings with Talaat, Enver, and other people in Constantinople: November 23, 1918, Yerevan. The post was a report that appeared in the ZANK newspaper, ARF organ, No. 75, Sunday, December 1, 1918. Tatul Hagopyan had posted the on his page - Ահարոնյանը իր՝ Թալեաթի, Էնվերի և Պոլսի մյուս հանդիպումների մասին․ 1918-ի նոյեմբերի 23, Երևան -. Vaհe H Apelian

 

«On the 23rd of this month [November 1918], unger Avedis Aharonian, the chairman of the delegation to Bolis (Constantinople), gave to a small group of friends, a very interesting report, the brief content of which we present here.

The members of the delegation were Aharonian, Alexander Khatisian and Mikayel Papajanian. On the 13th of June [1918], the delegation left Tiflis and on the 19th of the same month arrived in Constantinople, where it remained until November 1, that is, approximately 4 and a half months.

In the port of Constantinople, while still on the ship, the delegation was met by  the  makhmandar, the government representative acting as the host, Mukhtar Bey, who welcomed the arrival of the delegation “on behalf of the Ottoman imperial government.” To which the delegation responded that they thank the Sublime Port “on behalf of the Armenian government.”

From the seaport, our delegation was driven to the city in government cars and accommodated in the Tokatlian Hotel, while the Georgian and Azerbaijani delegations were accommodated in the Pera Palace. The delegation was provided with all kinds of amenities, as befits a representation of a state.

The arrival of the Armenian delegation in Constantinople made a stunning impression both on Turks and Armenians alike. The news of the delegation's arrival was published in the newspapers as a sensational news, because it was completely unexpected for all of Constantinople, for all of Turkey.

The Turkish public was simply stunned upon learning of the arrival of the Armenian delegation, because until then, the Turkish public was accustomed to reading that the Armenians had been exterminated in the Caucasus, that the entire Caucasus had been subjugated by Turkey. But now, it suddenly saw that the Armenians have not only not been exterminated, but, on the contrary, have found a separate state, whose representatives have come to Constantinople.

Sunday June 23, 1918

The Armenians of Constantinople were also stunned and completely astonished. They also thought that the Armenian element no longer existed in the Caucasus, that it had been exterminated as a nation, because the Turkish government and Turkish newspapers had convinced them so; and yet they suddenly heard that the Armenians not only exist, but on the contrary, have also founded a state and sent their delegation to Constantinople. At night, Armenians secretly went from house to house, whispering this, apparently unbelievable news to each other, to  convince themselves of its accuracy.

On the second or third day, the same makhmandar came to the delegation and presented a list of institutions and officials that the delegation was to visit. The strange thing was that there was no Armenian institution on the list, not even the patriarchate.

The first visit was to the Grand Vizier, Talaat Pasha. Of course it is understandable the difficult mental state that our delegation must have experienced at that moment.

After official introductions, the chairman of the delegation addressed the Grand Vizier with approximately the following words: “Your Highness, we are glad that we have come here under the auspices of your imperial government to work out the conditions of a good-neighborly alliance. Our people and country need to expand, and if you show us that goodwill, our friendship with you will improve even more. The problem must also be addressed here in the shortest possible time, because the situation is unbearable. Here, the positive solution of these problems must form the basis of our friendship.”

Turkey was first to recognize the 11,000 square km  Republic of Armenia, which made
the Armenin republic untenable.  

The issue of emigration interested the Grand Vizier. He asked, “How many emigrants do you have?” Approximately 800 thousand, the head of the delegation replied, of which 3-4 hundred thousand are Turkish-Armenians.” “That many Turkish-Armenians?” asked the Grand Vizier, and then  mysteriously fell silent.

“Very well,” replied the Grand Vizier, “these issues will be discussed at the conference.”

The next visit was given to the Minister of War, Enver Pasha. The outward impression was extremely favorable: with a pleasant look, well-mannered, modest, not  a deceit on his face. Here also, the delegation said approximately the same thing as it had said to Talaat Pasha.

Enver said, “I knew you would come. Armenians are good opponents and good fighters. from that point of view, we give them a very high place among the Caucasian nationalities.”

The President replied: “Armenians are not only good opponents, but also good friends.”

“Why not good allies?”, Enver suddenly asked. And here he touched on the issue of the military alliance between Armenia and Turkey, hastening to immediately add that this statement is not made by the government, but only by himself, that it was his plan

Enver also pointed out the conditions on which his supposed military alliance should be based. “Of course,” he said, “we, having become conscious, cannot demand from you that you fight in our ranks, together with us, against the British. We know that you will not do that. But we want to be safe at the rear of our army. When it moves towards the English, towards Persia, it cannot be endangered by you.” The delegation reported that this is a matter on which it had no instructions from its government, and therefore did not consider itself entitled to show any position towards the matter.

A number of other visits were also made, which were more  polite in nature thanpolitical nature. Among the other visits, notable was the visit to Khalil Bey will be reported next time.

 

Courtesy of Tatul Hakobyan
According to the Turkish ultimatum, the Armenian territory comprises 11,000 square verst, (1.07 km), 580,000 Armenians and approximately 100,000 Turkish. This territory falls west of Sevan Lake, south and south east"
Source: Horizon newspaper, May 31, 1918.

Republic of Armenia: First official visit to Turkey Report on November 23, 1918

Avedis Aharonian on his meetings with Talaat, Enver, and other people in Constantinople: November 23, 1918, Yerevan. The post was a report that appeared in the ZANK newspaper, ARF organ, No. 75, Sunday, December 1, 1918. Tatul Hagopyan had posted the on his page - Ահարոնյանը իր՝ Թալեաթի, Էնվերի և Պոլսի մյուս հանդիպումների մասին․ 1918-ի նոյեմբերի 23, Երևան -. Vaհe H Apelian

 

«On the 23rd of this month [November 1918], unger Avedis Aharonian, the chairman of the delegation to Bolis (Constantinople), gave to a small group of friends, a very interesting report, the brief content of which we present here.

The members of the delegation were Aharonian, Alexander Khatisian and Mikayel Papajanian. On the 13th of June [1918], the delegation left Tiflis and on the 19th of the same month arrived in Constantinople, where it remained until November 1, that is, approximately 4 and a half months.

In the port of Constantinople, while still on the ship, the delegation was met by  the  makhmandar, the government representative acting as the host, Mukhtar Bey, who welcomed the arrival of the delegation “on behalf of the Ottoman imperial government.” To which the delegation responded that they thank the Sublime Port “on behalf of the Armenian government.”

From the seaport, our delegation was driven to the city in government cars and accommodated in the Tokatlian Hotel, while the Georgian and Azerbaijani delegations were accommodated in the Pera Palace. The delegation was provided with all kinds of amenities, as befits a representation of a state.

The arrival of the Armenian delegation in Constantinople made a stunning impression both on Turks and Armenians alike. The news of the delegation's arrival was published in the newspapers as a sensational news, because it was completely unexpected for all of Constantinople, for all of Turkey.

The Turkish public was simply stunned upon learning of the arrival of the Armenian delegation, because until then, the Turkish public was accustomed to reading that the Armenians had been exterminated in the Caucasus, that the entire Caucasus had been subjugated by Turkey. But now, it suddenly saw that the Armenians have not only not been exterminated, but, on the contrary, have found a separate state, whose representatives have come to Constantinople.

Sunday June 23, 1918

The Armenians of Constantinople were also stunned and completely astonished. They also thought that the Armenian element no longer existed in the Caucasus, that it had been exterminated as a nation, because the Turkish government and Turkish newspapers had convinced them so; and yet they suddenly heard that the Armenians not only exist, but on the contrary, have also founded a state and sent their delegation to Constantinople. At night, Armenians secretly went from house to house, whispering this, apparently unbelievable news to each other, to  convince themselves of its accuracy.

On the second or third day, the same makhmandar came to the delegation and presented a list of institutions and officials that the delegation was to visit. The strange thing was that there was no Armenian institution on the list, not even the patriarchate.

The first visit was to the Grand Vizier, Talaat Pasha. Of course it is understandable the difficult mental state that our delegation must have experienced at that moment.

After official introductions, the chairman of the delegation addressed the Grand Vizier with approximately the following words: “Your Highness, we are glad that we have come here under the auspices of your imperial government to work out the conditions of a good-neighborly alliance. Our people and country need to expand, and if you show us that goodwill, our friendship with you will improve even more. The problem must also be addressed here in the shortest possible time, because the situation is unbearable. Here, the positive solution of these problems must form the basis of our friendship.”

Turkey was first to recognize the 11,000 square km  Republic of Armenia, which made
the Armenin republic untenable.  

The issue of emigration interested the Grand Vizier. He asked, “How many emigrants do you have?” Approximately 800 thousand, the head of the delegation replied, of which 3-4 hundred thousand are Turkish-Armenians.” “That many Turkish-Armenians?” asked the Grand Vizier, and then  mysteriously fell silent.

“Very well,” replied the Grand Vizier, “these issues will be discussed at the conference.”

The next visit was given to the Minister of War, Enver Pasha. The outward impression was extremely favorable: with a pleasant look, well-mannered, modest, not  a deceit on his face. Here also, the delegation said approximately the same thing as it had said to Talaat Pasha.

Enver said, “I knew you would come. Armenians are good opponents and good fighters. from that point of view, we give them a very high place among the Caucasian nationalities.”

The President replied: “Armenians are not only good opponents, but also good friends.”

“Why not good allies?”, Enver suddenly asked. And here he touched on the issue of the military alliance between Armenia and Turkey, hastening to immediately add that this statement is not made by the government, but only by himself, that it was his plan

Enver also pointed out the conditions on which his supposed military alliance should be based. “Of course,” he said, “we, having become conscious, cannot demand from you that you fight in our ranks, together with us, against the British. We know that you will not do that. But we want to be safe at the rear of our army. When it moves towards the English, towards Persia, it cannot be endangered by you.” The delegation reported that this is a matter on which it had no instructions from its government, and therefore did not consider itself entitled to show any position towards the matter.

A number of other visits were also made, which were more  polite in nature thanpolitical nature. Among the other visits, notable was the visit to Khalil Bey will be reported next time.

 

Courtesy of Tatul Hakobyan
According to the Turkish ultimatum, the Armenian territory comprises 11,000 square verst, (1.07 km), 580,000 Armenians and approximately 100,000 Turkish. This territory falls west of Sevan Lake, south and south east"
Source: Horizon newspaper, May 31, 1918.

 

Diaspora in the Armenian Government’s 2026-2031 agenda

Vaհe H Apelian

During the last National Assembly session, the PM Nikol Pashinyan preseted his government’s 2026-2031 agenda in an eighty-five pages long booklet that was distributed to the delegates. That marathon session as expected, was all about “Real Armenia”, the Republic of Armenia.

The government’s five-year program, also as expected, was adopted by the National Assembly. It consists of six sections and each section is further subdivided by chapters. The program is available online for all those who want to read it. I posted the six sections with their chapters below.

Section 2 is called is called “Human Capital and Welfare”. It consists of 9 chapters. The second chapter pertains to relations with Diaspora. It reads as follows in official translation.

“The Government will redefine the relations with the Diaspora, building them around the ideology of "Real Armenia" and Armenian statehood. It is important to redefine Armenia-Diaspora co-operation in the context of peace. To this end,

(1) Programmes promoting professional repatriation from the Diaspora will be introduced.

(2) The co-operation with pan-Armenian professional, expert, youth and student networks will be expanded.

(3) The access for educational institutions of the Diaspora to educational programmes aligned with the general education content of the Republic of Armenia, educational materials, Armenian-language printed and electronic educational resources, digital educational services, capacity-building and exchange programmes will be continuously expanded, and the integration

of educational institutions into the educational system of Armenia will be ensured to the extent possible.

(4) The co-operation between the educational, scientific and cultural institutions of the Republic of Armenia and the institutions of the Diaspora, including research centres and organisations, will be expanded, promoting the development of joint educational programmes, research projects, academic mobility, and exchange of experience.”

The government of Armenia is stating that “The Government will redefine its relations with the Diaspora around the ideology of "Real Armenia" and Armenian statehood.” There is nothing new there, other than having stated bluntly what has been the case on and since May 28, 1918. We in the Diaspora need to understand the obvious reasons that no Armenian government has made the return of historical lands; and recognition, reparation, and restitution of the Armenian Genocie the government’s foreign policy matters. If we do not understand and appreciate that, we will never narrow the divide between Diaspora and Armenia. 

Any argument to the contrary will have to contend then with the fact that the Armenian governments have been acting unconstitutionally since the Declaration of Indepence, adopted on August 23, 1990, was incorporated in the Armenian constitution in 1995. No Armenian government since May 28, 1928, has made regognition, reparation, restitution of the Genocide and Armenian historical lands as instruments of its foreign policy. The marathon session of the last National Assembly was all about Real Armenia. Diaspora, on the other hand has to a great extend, hinged its Armenian identity on Genocide. There remains to be seen how Diaspora structure its relations with Armenia. I am reminded of the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide before 1965. It was held indoors with the Avedis Aharonian’s quote inevitably on display “ «Այսքան չարիք թէ մոռանան մեր որդիք, Թո՛ղ ողջ աշխարհ Հային կարդայ նախատինք» - “If our children will forget so much evil, let the whole world read them contempt.” I do not think there is any Armenian of my generation who does not know Avedis Aharonian’s statement by heart.

Of course we will never forget the Genocide. We will remember and honor the martyrs of the Genocide. In Armenia, by paying homage to them in at the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide memorial complex. Armenian government officias will continue to pay homage to the martyrs on April 24, which is condified as a non-working holiday. In the Diaspora, Armenian schools will close on April 24. Armenian churches will continue on offering special services and memorial liturgies on April 24 to observe the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian of the Armenian genocide.

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The Armenian Republic Government’s programme for 2026-2031. 

Content:

SECTION 1. FOREIGN POLICY AND SECURITY 

Chapter 1. Foreign Policy

Chapter 2. Security

SECTION 2. HUMAN CAPITAL AND WELFARE 

Chapter 1. Education 

Chapter 2. Relations with the Diaspora 

Chapter 3. Healthcare 

Chapter 4. Sports and Healthy Lifestyle 

Chapter 5. Labor and Social Protection 

Chapter 6. Culture 

Chapter 7. Spiritual Security 

Chapter 8. Environment 

SECTION 3. ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION 

Chapter 1. Global and Integrated Economy 

Chapter 2. Competitive Economy 

Chapter 3. Knowledge-Based and Innovative Economy 

SECTION 4. URBAN PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE 

Chapter 1. Transport 

Chapter 2. Energy 

Chapter 3. Communications 

Chapter 4. Water resources and systems 

Chapter 5. Urban development and spatial planning 

Chapter 6. Waste management 

SECTION 5. DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE AND THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION 

Chapter 1. Adoption of the new Constitution 

Chapter 2. Electoral system reforms 

Chapter 3. Reevaluation of the institution of citizenship 

Chapter 4. Protection of human rights 

Chapter 5. Strengthening the independence and efficiency of the judicial system 

Chapter 6. Penitentiary, probation and compulsory enforcement reform of the system providing 

Chapter 7. Expansion of out-of-court dispute resolution methods 

Chapter 8. Digitalization of justice and the judicial system 

Chapter 9. Anti-corruption policy 

SECTION 6. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION EFFICIENCY AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION 

Chapter 1. Skilled people 

Chapter 2. Evidence-based and effective policies 

Chapter 3. People-centered services and digital transformation 

Chapter 4. Effective management of public finances and assets 

SUMMARY