A perplexing post

 

Vahe H Apelian

I have not had the opportunity to meet Dikran Abrahamian M.D., the founder of Keghart.com journal in person, but I have talked to him on numerous occasions. In fact, we planned to meet but it never happened. For a few years I regularly contributed to Keghart.com but ceased to present articles for their consideration now that I have my own blog.

I found Dikran’s last article titled “Turbejian Twins Threaten While Armenia Dithers” disturbing. Let me say that whenever I hear Turkbeijan, I am reminded of another principal of Keghart.com, Jirair Tutunjian. I can state with confidence that it was Jirair who coined that fitting term Turkbeijan. 

Even before starting to read the text of Dikran’s article, the reader encounters a quote from Ilham Aliyev posted in bold letters on top of the body of the text of the article. After having the attention of the readers drawn to Ilham Aliyev’s quote, Dikran makes a number of bold statements that the reader obviously is meant to entertain in the context of what Ilham Aliyev has said. See below.

Yes, on January 19, 2024, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that Armenia needs a new constitution: "We want to have a constitution that makes the Republic of Armenia more viable in the new geopolitical and regional conditions," said the prime minister. The PM’s call for new constitution understandably aims to annul or rather amend the Declaration of Independence of Armenia as ratified on August 23, 1990 and have any statement in regard to the unification with Artsakh or any territorial claim from its neighbors, removed and made clear that Armenia does not have territorial claims from its neighbors.

Of course, this has come about from Azerbaijan and Turkey. But I do not entertain their pressure as I raise the following fundamental issue. Does Armenia have any territorial claim from its neighbors? If not, why does Armenia retain the reunification with Nakorno Karabagh on the preamble of the Declaration of Independence? After all, the Declaration of Independence charts the course of the Armenian state.

Let us face it. Our historical knowledge about free, independent, democratic sovereign state is from May 28, 1918 to November 29, 2020, a mere 2.51 years. Our, I mean those of us who were of age when Armenian regained its independence on September 21, 1991, that spans to this day, and is 32.75 years. I challenge Dikran - other than the school textbook issue of which I have read nothing as to how it was and how it is changed - if Armenia’s claim of historical Armenia  and for reparation, restitution of genocide has been any different during those sum total of 2.51+32.75 = 35. 26 years. I challenge him to cite an Armenian leader such as Aram Manougian, Avedis Aharonian, or Levon Ter Petrosay, Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan  whose stand has been any different than at the present under Nikol Pashinyan. 

All these Armenian denizens prudently have not laid territorial claim, nor claims for restitution from Turkey for the Genocide. Well, I have to make an exception to the short lived tenure of Armenia’s first FM Raffi Hovannisian. As to Nagorno Karabagh Oblast, other than Nikol Pashinyan’s 'Artsakh is Armenia' uncalled for utterance, the presidents did not recognize Artsakh as a state nor annexed it to Armenia.  

Keghart.com has been on the forefront, well ahead of the rest of the Diaspora Armenian press as an open forum.  A hearty discussion and sharp exchanges ensued on its pages at the March 1 killing when the rest of the Armenian journals were almost silent. It was also Keghart.com that led the drive to alert the authorities in Armenia not to mistreat a young journalist they have imprisoned, Nikol Pashinyan. The rest of the Diaspora press was silent. That is how I came to learn the name.

One more thing. I do not Dikran expected to hear Ilham Aliyev say that the border demarcation and delimitation is proceeding according to the boarders agreed at Alma-Ata. Armenia and Azerbaijan are demarcating and delimitating accordingly. I doubt that Dikran is naïve enough to expect to hear such an announcement from Aliev.

In fact, there would have been much concern, instead of what Aliyev said on May 10, he would have said that Armenia is getting the upper hand at the negotiations at Azerbaijan's expense. 

I am sure Aliyev  is toying with Armenia and the Armenians. His only concerns are to placate his constituents. The legitimacy of his regime is based on his hegemony over Armenia and Armenians. His statements are not sources to be quoted in Armenian press as a source of information.

I am left with the impression that Dikran Abrahamian seems to have joined the ranks of Harout Sassounian. Say Nikol Pashinyan, rekindle the opposition against him and against anything he utters or advocates, period, no discussions.