Recently Raffy Ardhaldjian – September four, 2025 - posted an article in Asbarez daily. I copied the title of that article and used it for the header of this blog.
I have not met Raffy Ardhaldjian in person. I befriended him online. My impetus was his thoughtful and balanced writings. His introductory bio reads as follows: “Raffy Ardhaldjian is a Fletcher School graduate and advisor to tech companies, public institutions, and NGOs. In his spare time, he writes about strategic topics spanning Armenia and the Armenian diaspora.”
At first glance, I found the title of his article bold for the present Dashnaktsutyun press of Diaspora. I have posted the link to the article below for the interested reader.
But, for all I know, the present Yerevan centered ARF establishment does not recognize Asbarez Daily among the family the Dashnaktsutyun press. Although the newspaper was established by ARF over nine decades ago in Fresno. Consequently, I wonder, if Raffy Aldhaldjian’s article will see the light of day in the rest of Dashnaktsutyun press, which is a customary practice.
I found his article balanced and well thought. Although I would not have written it as thoughtfully and considerably as he has. I would have spoken more bluntly against the “political theater” and more for in favor of the “responsible action”. But I am a blogger and I know that the text in my blog would have alienated some and thus would have been less inviting to read the whole text to make my point. But Raffi is Fletcher School graduate. Quoting Wikipedia: “Fletcher's unique interdisciplinary curriculum combines theory and practice. Fletcher trains students to develop a thorough and nuanced grounding in the latest political, economic, business, and legal thinking and apply it professionally to shape international events.”
The only comment I had about his article was his opening sentence that read: “The Republic of Artsakh was proclaimed by the people of Nagorno-Karabakh on September 2, 1991.”. The fact of the matter is that the self-proclaimed republic was called the Republic of Nagorno - Karabakh”. The change to Republic of Artsakh came about much later, as copies from my stamps collection posted above indicate.
The change from Republic of Mountainous Karabakh to Republic of Artsakh was another monumental manifestation of Armenian political mistep of maximalism, striving to achieve the desired, the longed for and not the possible.
This mindset came about in 1997, when Vartan Oskanian, Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, Vazgen Sargsyan and others conspired against their main political ally and leader, Levon Ter=Petrosyan (LTP) and rejected the LTP policy for major concessions he had outlined in his “WAR OR PEACE? TIME TO GET SERIOUS” (November 1, 1997), policy paper to resolve the impass.
President LTP had forewarned and had stated that “The refusal of compromise and maximalism (the desire to achieve the maximum and not the possible) is the shortest path to the complete destruction of Karabakh and the deterioration of the situation in Armenia. It is not about giving Karabakh or not. It is about keeping Karabakh Armenian. It has been inhabited by Armenians for 3,000 years and it should be inhabited by Armenians for another 3,000 years."
Alas, historic Artsakh is depopulated of its native Armenian inhabitants.
Vaհe H Apelian
Link: Artsakh and the Right of Return: From Political Theater to Responsible Action: https://asbarez.com/artsakh-and-the-right-of-return-from-political-theater-to-responsible-action/
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| The cover of the booklet for the first stamps of the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh (personal collection) |
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