By Henry D. Astarjian
That is as far as my Latin goes. Non Illegitimi Carborundum: Don’t let the bastards get to you!
Just minutes ago I watched on the tube the Turkish and the Armenian comic legends, sitting side by side with their grim faces dripping pungent sweat, affixing their signatures to deceptive documents: The Turk on a document of victory, and the Armenian on a document of surrender. Post-signature, Turkish foreign minister Ahmed Davutoglu sported a silly grin, further stretching his mustache, eager to shake hands with his counterpart, while the Armenian foreign minister, sensing defeat of historic proportion, had a somber masked face. For eight million Armenians it was a moment that “…will live in infamy” (Roosevelt).
There was a three and a half hour delay in the signing ceremony. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was on her way to the University of Zurich, learned about the disagreement and returned to her hotel. What caused the delay was a planned post-signing Turkish statement, which our shrewd negotiating team had discovered at the last minute. Hillary then convinced both parties to refrain from making post-signing statements. And congratulations, the protocols were signed.
Who won is not even a matter of speculation. The protocol reminded me of an old story that tells about a partnership between a farmer and a bear who decided to farm together. The farmer convinced the bear to keep what grows above the ground, and give him what is under. The bear agreed. So, they planted wheat. The next time, the bear, feeling cheated, asked for what grows above ground, so the farmer planted carrots.
This is the sum total of Armenia’s relationship with Turkey defined by this protocol: Amateur Armenian diplomacy midgets trying to challenge a 500-year-old Turkish diplomatic giant—and survive. Barring that inequity, the Armenian delegation was negotiating from a position of weakness. They did not have the support of the Armenian nation, which would have given them potency and greatness.
The people of Armenia, indeed the Armenian nation, do not want compromises on the genocide issue. These protocols do.
The people of Armenia do not want to subject Karabagh to the will of the Azeris and Turkey. These protocols do.
The people of Armenia do not want to affix the border of their country as it is now. The protocols do.
The government of Armenia, defying the will of its people, indeed the entire Armenian nation, is affixing its signature in lieu of opening the borders. The borders are already open. Armenia, even Karabagh, is full of Turkish goods. The hottest, best-selling item in Yerevan are Turkish CDs of Turkish songs. The invasion of a commercial and cultural Turkey has already taken place in Yerevan. How would opening the borders, at this high price, change the equation? What are Armenia’s gains?
Present at Zurich’s protocol signing were Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ivanov, and the European Union’s Javier Solana, all representing supreme powers. Their presence indicated the importance of Armenia in the struggle for control of the region. With this agreement, Armenia will be in line with the United States, effectively expelling Russian forces. It will also dismember Iran from its main supporter Russia. Mission accomplished. Additional analysis on the geopolitical implications of this protocol will be addressed in the future.
At the expense of saying, “Didn’t I say so?” What we have been cautioning about has already become a reality: This morning, barely 24 hours after the signing of the protocols, and much to my delight, Prime Minister Recep Tayipp Erdogan departed from the text and sprit of the agreement by announcing that “the border with Armenia will not be open, unless the Karabagh issue is solved.” It did not take long for the Turkish government show its true colors. This has to be a lesson for the Armenian government. Maybe, just maybe, they can can the issue in parliament, thus starting a new phase with the diasporan Armenians, who are so terribly worried about Karabagh and disgusted with the arrogance of the government of Armenia. Maybe, just maybe, this will teach them a lesson about dealing with the Turkish diplomacy, whose agreements give us what is above ground once, and under ground another time.
It should have been evident to the Armenians that their interlocutors represent a chauvinist, neo-fascist government, which is untrustworthy at best. That their hatred of Armenians is inherent and centuries-old, that the modern, secular, and democratic Turkey of Kemal Ataturk has augmented the individual Turk’s brutal and cruel attitude towards its minorities. That their hero, the father of their country, Ataturk, beheaded thousands of Kurds for speaking Kurdish. That successive Turkish Kemalist governments ran prisons in Diyarbakir where Kurdish political inmates were made to eat human excrements, and have truncheons shoved up their asses while other inmates licked it (see Gunaysu, Armenian Weekly, Oct. 17, 2009). Bastards!
“Bastardhood” is not just violation of human rights the way it is practiced in Turkey. It can also befit political conduct. And no one can surpass Turkish diplomacy in such conduct!
What they have done to the Kurdish nation is almost equal to what they have done to the Armenian nation. The genocide is a living testimonial to this. Unless and until Turkey recognizes the genocide, there should be no reconciliation.
In the meantime, my fellow Armenians, Non Illegitimi Carborundum!
Guest Contributor
If Mr Astarjian or anyone else in the diaspora want to influence events in Armenia, let them give up their agreeable lifestyles in America, move to Armenia, invest their time, skill and resources into the homeland, become citizens, vote and gain a voice. Otherwise, keep quiet and let those of us living in Armenia get on with doing what is best for this country. I doubt Mr Obama would consult an expat American living in Armenia before taking a foreign policy decision; why should Pres Sarkissian consult Mr. Astarjian?
Far better that Armenia evolves into a successful country standing on its own feet, even if this means growing up and talking with the neighbours, rather than begging on its knees as some backward folkloric Disneyworld for those who talk much but do less.
To John: Do what its best for your country. Don’t mess with my rights. Give away something that’s yours. Living in Armenia (that is, a small part of Eastern Armenia) does not give you the right to decide for the legitimate heirs and survivors of Western Armenia. So, forget about us and let us pursue our issues or otherwise die out honorably and in relative peace (“relative” being a reference to being haunted just by Turks, and not also by our brothers, or should we already say “cousins” who “live in” Armenia). “Living in” is an expression that denotes an increasing trend by Armenia dwellers to consider themselves a territorial-geographic nation, far removed from the “cultural nation” notion, practically advanced since the times of Mesrop Mastoc and company.
Heir; The cultural nation concept is much more agreeable if you are living comfortably in Watertown than say Gyumri or Kapan. No-one’s trampling on your rights; however it would be nice if the same rights could be made available to those of us over here in the Caucasus. This far sighted and innovative rapprochement may just help allow this to happen.
At what point did you get a monopoly on victimhood? In 1900 there were 30,000 people living in Yerevan; there are now 1.6m. Why do you think that might be? Possibly because they to were chased out by the Turks, but crossed a mountain rather than a sea.
You seem to be indicate that by talking with the neibours we are in some way betraying your personal heritage.
Perhaps we are just evolving into a proper, functioning nation, but maybe that doesn’t fit your idea of how Armenians here should behave?