Protocols put the states supporting Armenia on Genocide in an "uncomfortable" situation

PanARMENIAN.Net - And there is no guarantee that by April, when the 95th anniversary of the tragedy is to be marked, the number of publications will not have increased. No matter how hard the Armenian officials try to assure that the pay for the normalization of relations will never be the renunciation from international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, it is actually happening on the contrary. In fact, with a stroke of the pen the almost half-a-century struggle of the Diaspora for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide was brought to naught. And it was done under the pressure of the world powers, for whom the moral and ethical criteria fall back the energy benefits from stability in the region. It is inadequate to blame the powers for the single reason that in a big game everyone defends himself, and if Armenia was not able to stand her ground it was only her fault and nobody else's. Moreover, the Protocols put the states recognizing the Armenian Genocide in an "uncomfortable" situation. Our declarations that no Armenian historian will ever agree to discuss this issue are worthless. In 2005, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to then Armenian President Robert Kocharyan proposing the establishment of such a commission, which was followed by an unequivocal rejection, clearly stating that Armenia does not consider it possible to discuss the Armenian Genocide in any commission, especially with Turkey. The Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC) that ignominiously completed its activity only confirmed the letter.

However, this clause is included in the Protocols, giving Armenia the right to fear lest it should be followed by other, unacceptable for the country articles, which are not present in the text, but which might be implied - namely, settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In this connection it is appropriate to draw parallels between the recent statement made by Senators Ensign and Menendez on introducing the resolution on the Armenian Genocide into the U.S. Senate. Even if the resolution is really adopted, the press will anyway do its job. It is fairly safe to assume that what is happening now around Armenia is nothing but links of one and the same chain that pursuits one single goal: to step up the regulation of the Karabakh problem and sign another agreement by the end of the year, this time between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Trifles such as the fact that Armenia has no right to sign documents on behalf of Nagorno-Karabakh, are not of any interest to anyone; the question of gas pipelines is very seriously laid and only the guarantee of lasting peace can provide both construction and exploitation of the same Nabucco.

We must note with regret that the Turkish propaganda did a great job against which rather authoritative newspapers laid down arms. And those media outlets, which due to certain circumstances or "gentleman's accord" could not simply write "Armenian Genocide", sighed with relief, such as the Associated Press, The New York Times and others. The term "genocide" may again become a taboo, if certain measures are not taken especially by the Republic of Armenia, rather than by the Diaspora, which feels robbed and humiliated.

To hope that the Turkish parliament will not ratify the Protocols is, of course, possible, but in this case more suitable is the tactic of pre-emptive blow, namely the attempt to eliminate from circulation not only the doubt about the fact of the Armenian Genocide, but also the "Karabakh conflict". In fact, the text of the Protocols does not contain either of the issues, but ratification of the documents will be the first step, followed by political discussions and negotiations, during which these two issues must be discussed. And as the discussions develop, the pressure of the international community on Armenia will increase. The pressure will increase on Turkey and Azerbaijan too, but not as much as on Armenia, at least, because the latter loses more than any other state. Azerbaijan "loses" what never belonged to her, Turkey - almost the same. Only Armenia may lose the right to demand nullification of the treaties signed between Turkey and the Soviet Union, compensation and much more. To discard from the Protocols the clause on establishing a commission of historians is unlikely, but Armenia and the Diaspora can at least bring its activity to naught.