Speaking to be Heard: An Interview with Vartan Oskanian

The weakest area of Armenia’s Foreign Policy, and arguably its worst mistake or blind spot ever since independence, has been precisely that with regard to Turkey.
This policy, according to Mr Oskanian amounted to “our willingness to enter into relations with Turkey with no pre-conditions”. He characterises this as “a noble gesture on our part…” since despite being victims of genocide, we “extended our hand, unconditionally… ” .
Whereas radical and positive changes were implemented in many areas of government policy following the ouster of the HHSh from power in 1997, Armenia’s policy toward Turkey is perhaps the one area which has remained entirely dominated by the bankrupt ideology of HHSh and hardly evolved or developed to embrace the true national interests of Armenia. Arguably it is the one area of government policy that is crying out for a radical root and branch reform and change. The complete failure of the “road map” makes this increasingly clear. 
Without such rethinking of Armenia’s foreign policy, i.e. if the policy delusions and vacuum regarding Turkey continues, we will run the risk of further sinking into the Turkish orbit in a western sponsored drive to dominate the Caucasus. Best scenario outcome for us in this situation will be to gradually lose our independent statehood and to become a Turkish Vilayet once again and later to be “integrated” into Azerbaijan – a scenario which is in fact in progress right now with the “road map”. Worst scenario will be a sudden violent destruction of our statehood through a joint Turko-Azeri aggression.
A better Turkish policy for Armenia, at least after HHSh was kicked out, would have been – indeed can be now – to assertively explain Armenia’s deep rooted problems with Turkey for all the three (or four/five) sets of audiences that Mr Oskanian rightly distinguishes, first and foremost our own people inside Armenia as well as the Diaspora, then the various foreign audience, namely the European, US and of course Turkish. As we have not explained the nature of this deep rooted conflict to our own people , and even less to the international community, and have only extended an uncalled for and unwarranted “noble hand of friendship” towards the murderous, aggressive, xenophobic, racist-nationalist regime in Turkey, the boot, as they say, is on the other foot! We are being told to sit down with our executioners on an equal footing and “to get on with each other”! That is the pressure is on Armenia to compromise, with regard to the Genocide, Western Armenia, and Artsakh.
This is not strange or unusual as it is not difficult to imagine what happens in this sort of unequal “relationships” between states: Just remembert what happened to Czechoslovakia and Poland in the late 1930 in their “relations/negotiations” with a similarly aggressive, unreformably racist-nationalist regime to their west – the Third Reich in Berlin.
In the wake of the failure of the “road map” Armenia must stop sinking deeper into the quagmire and the trap set up by Turkey, and take stock. It will must rapidly fill up the void in its foreign policy and correct its disastrous neglect of the peril that is threatening it with oblivion.The time bomb is slowly  ticking in Ankara.
Armenia must make radical changes to its foreign policy in this regard to meet the challeges of the next decade with an increasingly unstable, erratic and dangerous Turkey. 

I congratulate Bernard Nazarian for his correct analysis of what should be the basis of Armenia’s foreign policy. Vartan Oskanian should read it.
Bravo Bernard.

May I put in my bit now?
Well, there are two ways and approaches as to that MOVE, or ACT,i.e., ¨extending our hand to great Turkey..¨
First and formost ,I think is , of course directed to Eastern and probably more towards the West.Russia knows Turks and Turkey,better thatn counterparts West.
Thence, in my view it was ¨Hazgerdian¨let me explain ,shrewed centuries old Persian King-ruler, that used the cunning ways to entrap adversaries…
in short ,very young Armenian diplomacy acted that way and it did REGISTER a plus for RA.Showing to some Euro countries and world at large from Singapour to Chile that Armenians in spite of Genocide etc., are willing to forego grief,so tosay and try to establish -at least ,diplomatic relations-SOMETHIGN AT THE TIME OF THE PROTOCOLS was more accentuated.Mr. Lavro,Ms Clinton and the Frenchman(forget his name) see our Foreign Mionsitre-at that time nalbandian -as a result of the so called football diplomacy is HERE,AT ZURICH, as you so much wish!!! to kiss and make up.
But then God all mighty was with us and did not let that happen(actually because fo Turkish obstinacy and superiority complex come to them from the Ancestor Ottomans).They conditioned that with Armenian to give in and placxe NK(Artsakh) back in Turco Azeri sphere,rather under their jurisdiction.
There ,we won that POINT internationally,no not for the Protocols -imposed upon us actually- but for sheer ,as explained luck. WE learned again -if it was necessary-that Turks still do not bow down become more condescending like for aexample the Brtis..
Latter also an Empire became GB, then ,U.K.(now), who knows in future plain England.But they did GIVE IN and changed policy of being Imperialistic.
Going further ahead now is what counts,not experiences(which indeed are are of utmost importance) but what is TODAY, is the present and Future even more important.
Thence..
As Ministre vartan Oskanian has outlined,we were in our infancy 21 yrs ago ,by and by gaining expertice.At present this is how we stand:-
1.Messrs. OSCE.UN.EU.We have done our best to comply with your requirements to become a ¨civilized¨ nation with membership in mentioend.
2.Presently the Attitutude of great Turkey and sattelite state Axerbaijan has not changed.Even worse,become more agressive towards tiny Armenia/Artsakh.
3. If in light of above you will kindly agree and endorse NK´s Independence,we shall promise to further our 2 Democracies further to your satisfaction.
4. But if you will overlook above and in order to please the sseven sister(read oil conglomerates) you still insist that WE GIVE IN to these two.You ERR!!!
We do deserve having been your small but faithfull ally in WWI and WWII,whereas so far we have NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPENSATIONS.
The East-read Russian , only continues to bestow metal medals on the breasts of our remaing -alive veterans or their heis..instead of giving like uncle Sam at least a few billions of dollars to boost our Economy.
The West ought to -Like Sarkozy= declare THAT ARMENIANS UNDERWENT TSGHASBANUTYUN!!!!! AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE.Genocide and then bring the culprit to pay /restore Armenians rights, claims!!! enough is engouh
Now that is the policy I ¨¨suggest¨¨ to be carefully reviewed.
Some do not follow like I do day to day almost..nalbandian our present Foreign Minsitre is doing pretty well.VOICING OUR JUST DEMANDS!!!!
SO THE PICTURE IS Not that bleak mr. Tchillingarian…
we MUST STAND BEHIND MOTHERLAND AND SUPPORT HER..
Get re organized in Diaspora..please read me at ..www.armeniannews.info……Subscriber submitted articles.thanks if you do