Author’s Note: Continuing on with the theme of education, the fourth installment focuses on the need to build an economy based on education, research and innovation to tap into the global value chain as a sustainable path for the country’s future. This will require strong will, detailed planning, sacrifice and transparency and accountability, all in short supply in the current realities of the Armenian nation. We either sit idly by and become a Turkish vilayet, as dreamed by the current collaborator regime, or be a nation worthy of having our own country, one that meaningfully contributes to the world.
Armenia is fortunate to have had a strong educational and scientific basis from the Soviet era. Unfortunately, much of this infrastructure has not been maintained, updated or upgraded. As a result, universities use outdated curricula, majors and concentrations, textbooks and faculty to train the next generation. Sprinkle in the existing corruption due to low salaries and anemic support, crony appointees who lack proper vision and/or world class expertise to plan and implement the future of higher education in the country, and you end up with the currently ranked institutions.
What are we to do? This is no question that Armenia has traveled an arduous path since her independence, having survived an earthquake, a forced war to stand up for her kin, closed borders and the ensuing post-Soviet chaos and consolidation of wealth and resources.
During this period, Armenia has emerged as a regional hub for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), relying on its human capital and the strong educational traditions and academic and commercial institutions of the Soviet era. Notable intellectual and economic nodes of excellence, such as Engineering City, have been designed and implemented in Armenia to connect Armenia to global value chains (GVCs) in the engineering space. Developing the Armenian National Engineering Laboratory (ANEL) for all universities engaged in training engineers in Armenia was the first successful step to inspire both private and public sector policy makers.
Building on the success of the Engineering City program and similar efforts and capitalizing on the Armenian human capital both within the country and throughout the Diaspora, we envision the implementation of an extended knowledge economy, encompassing research and development in mathematical, physical, environmental and life sciences, with special focus on interdisciplinary areas, as the growth areas of the future. The scientific core has existed in Armenia, and there is significant innovation potential. But the intermediate steps and the associated infrastructure to realize those innovations and connect them to the global value chain are missing.
An approach based on developing science and innovation hubs with perpetual funding sources and faculty endowments to facilitate the infusion of world class talent will lead to innovation and productivity and will lay the foundation to train the workforce that Armenia needs to compete and participate in the Global Value Chains (GVC) of tomorrow. The future of high technology is uncertain, because it evolves by disruptive discoveries. One of the key hallmarks of extractive political and economic systems has been their resistance to disruptive innovation, something that shakes the core of their extractive economic model and the stranglehold on key economic opportunities. Yet, this is exactly what Armenia needs to engage in, if it has any chance of a brighter future. In order to prepare a growing economy for participation in the GVC, it is far more advantageous to prepare a workforce, capable of exploiting opportunities, rather than trying to predict the exact nature and patterns of disruption that are likely to arise. Remarkably, a disproportionate fraction of these disruptive ideas relies on a fundamental set of skills rooted in the basic fundamental sciences and their interactions to create a reality that is bigger than the sum of its components. Therefore, Armenia must create critical capacity in these skills, so that the future workforce can both create and cope with disruptions. These skills include quantitative thinking, experimental skills, mathematical, physical and biological modeling, biomedical sciences and engineering, computational and data sciences, high-performance computation and advanced computer sciences, and incorporating state-of-the-art developments from research into applications and innovations as the final stop.
Armenia possesses the fundamental scientific knowledge base but lacks the infrastructure and the intermediate steps between basic research, technological development and implementation of that knowledge base into the economic engine in order to participate in the GVC and transform itself into a competitive country. For a small nation such as Armenia, there will be dividends from the knowledge-based economy only when the country acknowledges the need to and invests in the technological trends of tomorrow and becomes nimble and resourceful enough to adjust to changes in the global economy.
Therefore, scientific and innovation centers must be selected for:
- Impact and transformational nature on the Armenian economy
- Impact on the world economy and the global participation of Armenia
- Significant growth potential for the future
- Compatibility with resources available in the Armenian sphere
- Synergistic and interdisciplinary nature and potential to form a vertically integrated ecosystem expanding from science to market
- Potential for embracing GVCs, extending those GVCs to the region and the developing world and positioning Armenia as a GVC epicenter in consecutive phases
Multi-disciplinary sciences with interactions straddling the borders of different scientific fields have been the source of much of the worldwide innovation pipeline during the past decades. It has become abundantly clear that isolated hubs of excellence are no longer the driving force of the knowledge economy, and Armenia is no exception to this rule. Armenia’s segregated national academies governed by out-of-touch boards are not the answer to turn Armenia into a regional or world stage contributor in the next century. These academies and institutes work in a silo mentality, where turf protection is more important than collaboration, cooperation and joint pursuit of national interests. The time has come to do away with the models and kick science and innovation into a much higher gear. The goal is to adopt international best practices and a combination of parts from multidisciplinary sciences to create a sum that is much larger than its components. The idea of interconnected national laboratories for driving natural and social scientific advances for strengthening national infrastructure was initially developed in Germany (where it has evolved into today’s Max Planck Institutes), followed by the US government-funded national laboratory model. It has since expanded to the rest of the world. We must bring such a model to Armenia.
To support the innovation at the science and innovation centers, Armenia must establish a perpetual endowment fund to fuel the work. This endowment can start at the 100-150 million USD range and be supplemented over time with cash infusion from a variety of sources. The fund can be increased by contributions from the Armenian, Russian, US and French governments and private sectors. The large Diasporan networks in both countries must mobilize in support of this effort. The 2020 Artsakh War has left Armenia’s flanks open, and there are potentially relatively receptive governments in both countries that can be motivated to support such a cause. It will not be easy, nor will it be simple. But it must be accomplished; no excuses or justifications to avoid the needed heavy lifting. Now that the US Congress has acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, advocacy groups should set their sights on supporting transformative investments in Armenia. Advocacy efforts have run the gamut of combative relationships to lockstep movements with the lobbying governments. This is neither an indictment nor unique to Armenian advocacy entities. However, all must agree to commit fully to Armenia’s survival and future growth. This must be a red line that cannot be crossed, regardless of tactical and approach differences.
Infrastructure and funding are of little use without the human capital. The Armenian nation must commit to funding 100 endowed STEM chairs over a five-year period to attract the best possible minds to innovate and help train the next generation of leaders and scientists and innovators. This will be a $100 million USD investment to be supported by the Diaspora and other resources. The developed world is producing talent at an unseen pace, attracting talent from the world over, eager to receive state-of-the art training. However, the developed world cannot absorb these graduates into innovative roles at the rate that it produces them. Armenia can offer paid positions with research funding to attract such talent. Armenia needs to attract the best innovative minds that it can, who need not be Armenian, but willing to work and produce in Armenia. The kind and hospitable nature of the Armenian people will be an important asset to make them feel at home and integrate them into society. Structures must be put in place, such as five-year contracts, to be renewed upon accomplishing set milestones, to incentivize performance and not provide tenure shelter. While this effort must do all it can to attract talented Armenian candidates from Armenia and the Diaspora, it is unlikely that there will be enough Armenian candidates for such positions with the right training and background. Therefore, opening our doors to a wider source will serve the best interests of the nation, both in the short and long-term.
While the initiation of this innovation campaign is essential for Armenia, it will not be easy, even with all resources in place. Armenia lacks the systems-level expertise or the capacity to undertake such a task. Proper engagement of resources is essential. The Diaspora has provided and will continue to provide financial support to Armenia, something that it has been primarily relegated to in the past 30 years, but it can be a much greater resource if Armenia ever chooses to engage it fully. Thus far, efforts have been more lip service and maintenance of a safe distance, but if the Armenian political elite are ever to right the ship, they need to meaningfully engage the Diaspora’s immense potential. There is extensive expertise in academic, innovation, finance and entrepreneurial spaces in the Diaspora, but no realistic plan has been put in place to properly engage this resource. Empty platitudes and notions of bringing all Diasporans to Armenia are not plans; they are meaningless slogans. There needs to be a real structure in place to meaningfully engage Diasporan resources. This means bringing together a professional and non-volunteer team with Diasporan and non-Armenian experts to outline the overall approach, provide a detailed plan of action and put in place the right teams to execute. Most recently, the National Assembly held a four-hour meeting on the future of high tech in Armenia. With the exception of a few minutes of coherent thoughts here and there, the majority of the session was devoid of any real meaning or plans, other than repeating the same tired speeches, backed by no effort. It is quite possible that most speakers forgot what they talked about by the time they got home. The reflexive grandstanding with no discernable meaningful action has been a hallmark of Armenian leadership and authorities.
This is as helpful and unrealistic as expecting most Diasporans to move to Armenia. There will be a need for a meaningful number of Diasporans to move to Armenia to offer their expertise toward developing the nation. But, this will not materialize by the few who have taken it upon themselves to move there and provide their services. Former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld popularized the concept of known knowns, known unknowns and unknown unknowns. The Armenian political elite both now or before, through their actions, have shown little knowledge of this concept.
Diasporans have also been at fault by being content with their “cash cow” role and not willing their clout and expertise onto the leadership in Armenia to affect positive change. Showing up to galas and taking selfies with the powers that be have satisfied their needs by and large. Fear of taking difficult but needed/right stances, out of potential loss in pecking order or status with respective governments, has been another failing hallmark of the Diaspora. Armenia is undergoing unprecedented instability and upheaval, yet little is heard from the Diasporan “elites,” as they are playing the waiting game to see how best to hedge their bets, even as we are losing Artsakh and potentially Syunik in the near future. Diasporan organizations have been slow to adapt to the current times, treading in their comfort zone wheels and failing to engage meaningfully with Armenia or new Diasporans from Armenia. There has been a palpable separation between the traditional Diasporans and those arriving from Armenia, thankfully subsiding with the new generation. This was also in place when Middle Eastern Diasporans arrived in the US in the 70s and onward. Their integration took some time, but it was easier than those with Armenians from Armenia. There were more similarities among those groups than with Armenians from Armenia. Again, this is not unique to us, as Israel has experienced and is experiencing very similar rifts between its population and the immigrating Jews from the former Soviet Union. The divergent value systems and life experiences have been significant barriers for meaningful integration. It is fair to say that a significant number of Diasporan professionals stay away from Diasporan structures of all stripes and sides, because of their archaic and unprofessional approach. While these institutions have done significant and valuable work, they have been slow to adapt, evolve, embrace new realities and offer up-to-date solutions to the problems facing Armenia and the Diaspora. While the Armenian government bears the brunt of its inaction to properly outline a vision to engage the Diaspora and leverage its resources, Diasporans have not really stepped out of their comfort zone either.
Wealthy oligarchs must also be part of the mentioned transformation effort. The current leadership could have negotiated a deal with the oligarch class to bring order into the system over time, with specific milestones, such as reforming taxation of their assets and income, establishing “voluntary” contributions of funds by the oligarchs to a national endowment, setting up sunset dates on their less than desirable economic practices and other options to transfer the economy from its extractive form into a more inclusive form over a reasonable period. But, they used the concept of “going after the corrupt elites” as bait to social engineer the populace. They simply built relationships with some of the oligarchs and brought their own oligarchs back to the fore, essentially a rinse and repeat cycle. Establishment of a national endowment fund with at least one to two billion dollars would return 150 to 200 million USD per year, a respectable number for Armenia. This fund would allow the oligarch class to contribute a part of their wealth back to the nation, be held accountable in a conciliatory setting and set the stage for a gradual change from an extractive into an inclusive economic model. The fund would grow over time to provide the nation with rainy day funds and help offset key expenditures for a variety of needs, education or otherwise. Armenia is a tiny nation, where everyone knows and/or is related to everyone. An all-out hostile approach would not bode well with the fabric of the society, as we have seen by now. The mob mentality and the prevalent dichotomy in the nation precluded the development of any meaningful steps, instead focusing on zero sum games to appease the base.
While a highly literate nation, the Armenian nation has shown that it is no different than most other nations, where a large segment of the population lacks critical thinking capabilities to separate fact from fiction and is easily manipulated through social engineering and drawn into gossip and conspiracy theories with little evidence.
The 2020 Artsakh War brought about an unprecedented level of financial contribution by Armenians worldwide. While a significant effort that offers a glimpse into the financial muscle of the Armenian nation, it was simply a drop in the bucket, given its one-time nature in response to an extraordinary event. Now imagine how far along Armenia and Artsakh would be, had a meaningful recurring contribution been set up 20 or 25 years ago, with a vision, concrete systems-level plans, quality execution and strict accounting, accountability and transparency. Instead, we settled for a small-scale plan with the Armenia Fund, embroiled with controversies and mismanagement from the get-go. How do we go about instilling confidence in people who part with their hard-earned money in support of a good cause? The result is the paltry 10 to 20 million USD per year collected as part of the telethon. We wax and wane about the clout and financial might of the Diaspora, yet we show little seriousness in tapping this resource properly.
A cursory evaluation of the 31 largest Armenian Diaspora population centers accounts for 5.373 million Armenians, using best available data. A calculation of the number of Armenian households in each country (based on available census data) and using median household income per country puts the annual income of the Armenian Diaspora north of $40 billion USD (Table 2). This is a conservative estimate and yet a significant sum (more than three times the GDP of Armenia). Now, imagine if we can outline a vision for the future of Armenia and Artsakh, establish concrete systems-level plans, put in place a fund with quality execution and strict/best practices in accounting, accountability and transparency and ask the Diaspora to contribute 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent of its annual income to this fund recurringly. Doing so will help amass a war chest of 200 million to 600 million USD per year. Adding to this the contribution of Armenians from Armenia will bump up the annual sum to 220 million to 660 million USD. This fund can play a significant role in supporting the proposed innovation drive for Armenia and Artsakh and unburden state funds for other worthy efforts. Are we there? Absolutely not. Can we get there? Yes, but it will require significant effort, dedication, sacrifice and accountability, all in short supply both in Armenia and the Diaspora.
The financial contribution along with the professional expertise of the Diaspora must be harnessed and used wisely to lift Armenia and Artsakh.
Ara Nazarian, PhD
Latest posts by Ara Nazarian, PhD (see all)
- The Emperor is Naked - September 20, 2023
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- Hayaqve: A Civil Legislative Initiative to Stop the Betrayal of Artsakh and Armenia’s Future - July 26, 2023
No donation to Armenia till Armenia run by Diaspora not russian communistic soviet minded leftovers which is ruined armenia thefted diaspora funds
Great information. The problem Armenia has had for the last millennium, which has steadily grown worse, is ISLAM. The country is now surrounded on three sides by somewhere around 200 million moslems, and most of them have no more respect for Christianity and Armrnians, than they do for a bug on the sidewalk.With a Prime Minister who is not only a coward but also rather secretive and clearly not someone who cares much for Artsakh, which is a very poor area, the future of the entire Armenian area is hanging by a thread. Pashinyan is trying to walk a tightrope between two very aggressive dictators, Aliyev and Erdoğan,one the one hand, and a tremulous and insufficient attempt not to abandon Artsakh to its fate.
All players and countries in the area must understand that it is totally, fully, completely, utterly IMPOSSIBLE for Artsakhians and Armenians to EVER live in a country either run by or partly inhabited by ( Sunni ) Moslems. That is the Red Line of all red lines.The so-called but non-existant ” International Community ” which usually means America and a couple of vassal states is a total irrelevance.
Nagorno Karabakh is ARMENIAN. No Azeris have any desire to live in these cols Highlands. At any rate, Nagorno Karabakh is an independent country,presently illegally occupied by its neighbour. When you are faced with a rabid dog or a mou tain lion intentvon turning you into lunch, YOU HAVE TO FIGHT. What has the useless Pashinyan done in 2 years since the end of thecshort war ? NOTHING. He has had plenty of time to build up and professionalise the Army, but he has wasted all that time,leading to increasing aggression by Azerbaijan. He needs to be removed.
Armenians are incapable of self rule, especially in a violent and complicated place like the south Caucasus. This subject matter is therefore a waste of time and energy.
Armenia’s natural place in the world today is in a very close union with the Russian Federation. Armenia was resurrected in the early 19th century by the Russian Bear. For the past two hundred years, as well as for the past 30 yesrs, Armenia has been able to live in a Turkic/Islamic neighborhood like the south Caucasus only because of its ties to the Russian Bear. Nevertheless, the post-Soviet years have revealed, or should have revealed beyond any doubt that Armenians are
NOT ready for independence. The reality of the matter is that Armenia’s independence from Russia will only translate to Armenia’s dependence on Turkey. If for any reason Russia decided to pull out of Armenia today, Armenia will disappear from the world map on the very next day – despite any effort by the diaspora. Armenians need to be mindful of the fact that on the global stage, the existence of an Armenia ONLY serves Russia’s and Iran’s interests and no one else. Western powers, including the US, have been very detrimental to Armenia and Armenian society in general. If it is to recover from its post-Soviet ailments, Armenia must serioudly limit its exposure to the toxic West.
For better or for worst, Armenia is wed to Russia. Yerevan must deepen its ties to Moscow. Armenians need to start thinking about entering into a union with Russia. For better or for worst, Armenia must also maintain good relations with Iran. Yerevan must develop better ties with Tehran. All other so-called solutions or remedies for Armenia’s ills today are simply a waste of time and energy…
I have got a question. Do you think the Russians are allies? Russians have given Armenian lands to Azeris, Georgians, Turks. They are playing their own games. Do you mean it serious that Armenians should trust in Russia? The point is the lack of Visions and diplomacy in the leadership. The Elite is still living in Soviet times but the War 2020 has shown us where we are and who is standing with us. No one! But yes Russia and Iran are important. Forget the West or try to influence it.
Wow. A concerned ‘Armenian’? Proposing to unite with the crumbling Russia? A Tataro-Mongolic-Slavo nation governed by a bloodthirsty wannabe blond Genghis Khan slaughtering the brotherly Ukrainians? Armenia belongs to the Western Civilization, far from a totalitarian and bloody Russia.
A state of roughly 3 million people will not revive itself economically when irridentist and revanchism plagues the people’s Minds. Countries like Estonia, Singapore, Lithuania, Switzerland, Belgium etc didn’t make it by claiming lands from their neighbors and involving themselves in needless Wars to expand territory. They prospered by settling their differences with their enemy neighbors, trading with them and leveraging their neighbors population for export, finance and investment. The truth remains that an Armenia not at peace with all its neighbors is an Armenia going nowhere.
This is a dangerous suggestion. Russia may still “sell” Armenia or parts of it after union with Russia, if its interests dictate that course of action. It depends what Turkey and Azerbaijan are offering in return. The ultimate guarantee of Armenian national survival is a strong economy and military. Full stop. Armenians must work hard to achieve that. There is no easy fix.
I agree with your comment
A difficult but very interesting question to ask is why the Armenian elites in Armenia and diaspora have NOT come up with a plan along the lines that you describe in your essay. Over the years I have watched with alarm and dismay at the lack of vision for national and community strategic planning. People always complain that there is not enough money to realize plans, but actually the problem is much more fundamental. When was the last time we heard a priest exhort his parishioners to unite and bring together the larger community, educational leaders coming together to create centers of educational excellence in Armenia and diaspora as you describe in your essay, political leaders reaching across the aisle to come up with practical plans for the greater good (instead of throwing water bottles across the aisle in parliament or heckling politicians from Armenia on diaspora visits !), and inspiring and capable military leaders. The malaise that you describe in your essays 1-4 has been there for many years in many spheres of Armenian life; the war simply unmasked it. There is a need for a miraculous revival of the Armenian spirit , State and Nation.
On a more positive note, the establishment of the American University of Armenia(AUA) by the AGBU is a good example of diaspora – Armenia collaboration. The AUA is based on the standards of the University of California. More efforts should be made to raise the quality and profile of AUA through endowed chairs, encouraging world class professors to teach a semester at AUA, and study abroad programs in Armenia for UC students to spend a semester at AUA.
More cognitive dissonance and political illiteracy on display. The AUA has been a center of Globalist and Western agenda in Armenia, one that also includes LGBT promotion and Turkish-Armemian reconciliation. The AUA alsonpartook in the Western and Turkish financed process to bring Nikol Pashinyan to power. When will Armenians wake up?
Concerned Armenian,” For better or for WORST”? Good grief, how much worst could it get, Hoss? In March of 1921, our “brotherly” Russia, handed over the Eastern province of Armenia , to Turkey, and Nakicevan to Azerbaijan, (Treaty of Friendship ) and in 2020 assisted Azerbaijan and Turkey, in capturing 70 percent of Nagorno-Karabakh territories, and Russia expects us to form a Union? What a Baloney. Unrelated, Then US President, Obama, signed a bill providing Israel with military aid, for the fiscal year of 2017-2028, to the tune of $ 38 BILLION dollars. You see the difference? Armenia gets the SHAFT, and Israel gets the GOLD MINE.Now that’s what I call a TRUE ALLIANCE (the United States/Israel). It is very obvious, the Kremlin does not wish the betterment of Armenians.Take your BS elsewhere.
Every single one of Armenia’s tragedies going back 100-plus years has been a direct consequence of the kind of cognitive dissonance, political illiteracy and narrow worldview expressed here. The sooner Russia absorbs Armenia, the sooner will this nightmare be over…
@ “concerned” (for vladimir),
You are starting to sound like a broken record, no new ideas or ‘evidence’ that “Lenin Papik was the best” or “Mother Russia will save Armenia” (right after giving turks what they want)?
When you say “For better or for worst, Armenia is wed to Russia”, isn’t that an illegal transgression against your beloved nation, “Mother Russia”, and a slap in the face of the manlet leader? You are starting to show doubt on the ‘perfection and greatness’ of Russia it seems, perhaps you are starting to wake up. However, please be careful, as you might get a knock on your door from the KGB with such talk if you are in the wrong part of the world.
Question.
So what does one nation (Russia) do to cripple another nation that it has subjugated (Armenia) for a century, in case that subjugated nation (Armenia) wants to break free from its oppressor nation (Russia)?
Answer.
Take control of the subjugated nation’s energy infrastructure.
With ALL FOUR traitor “leaders” of Armenia, mere KGB agents, Russia has managed to do exactly that, essentially turning Armenia into one of its disposable exclaves. In the face of all this, there is nothing given to Armenia in return that will strengthen its standing or security. Quite the reverse, Russia gives all benefits to Turkey and Azerbaijan, Armenia’s mortal enemies.
If Armenia is to grow and exist as a “homeland for Armenians” the first order of business is to dispose of its traitor government working for Russia, and the next order of business is to hold secret talks with the USA regarding Armenia’s energy security. Iran is a wild card, but the USA is not irrational like Russia, the USA (not Europe) has the answers for Armenia’s viability as a sovereign state. And that sovereignty by necessity includes booting Russia out of Armenia. If not, Armenia will always be a puppet state and a redundant and unnecessary exclave of Russia, which Russia is all too happy to cut up and divide amongst turks for idiotic “benefits”.
I reiterate: Every single one of Armenia’s tragedies going back at least 100-plus years has been a direct consequence of the kind of cognitive dissonance, political illiteracy and narrow worldview expressed here. The reality of the matter is, Armenians are simply incapable of self-rule. Armenian society (diaspora included) is seriously dysfunctional. Armenia is therefore condemned to suffer yet another historic catastrophe. Let’s pray and hope that when the next catastrophe happens, Russia will still be around to lend a helping hand, one more time. Otherwise, Armenia will disappear from the world map, one more time. Any Armenian that can imagine an Armenia in the south Caucasus without Russia is delusional. An Armenian that is anti-Russian is either mentally disturbed or an agent of Western and Turkish influence. The sooner Russia absorbs Armenia, the sooner will the nightmare of the past 30 years be over.
Jay, you are speaking pure nonsense. I suggest you read a few serious hisory books to better acquaint yourself with the time period.
ARMENIANS CAN’T GOVERN ARMENIA. PERIOD.
ARMENIANS WERE KNOWN AS THE “LOYAL MILLET” AND THAT’S HOW ARMENIANS MUST LIVE–UNDER THE POWER AND CONTROL OF NON-ARMENIANS.
CALL CHINESE AMBASSADOR, FAN YONG on NO.12, MARSHAL BAGRAMIAN STR. YEREVAN, ARMENIA, AND TELL HIM ARMENIA IS READY FOR COMMUNIST CHINA TO TAKE OVER ARMENIA TOMORROW. END THE CLOWN SHOW OF 31 YEARS ONCE AND FOR ALL.
I think Armenia should seek a balance between the US, Russia, Iran and partners who are not averse to us. The US can leave Armenia just as easily as Afghanistan or Iraq and Russia can give Syunik and Arzakh to the Turks.
At Concerned Slavo-Tatar,
Armenia’s tragedies, are compliments of ” mother ” Russia’s back stabbing, back door dealings with Turkey, handing them, eastern Armenia territories as a token of ” Friendship Treaty”, signed in 1921. Fast forward to 1952, when Turkey joined the NATO, the same ” mother” Russia demanded from Turkey to hand over the abovementioned territories back to Russia. However, under the UK’s strong intervention the Kremlin backed off.
As you can see, this tragedy that Armenia had to endure with, was a direct consequences
Of Kremlins political illiteracy and narrow worldviews.
UK let massacred armenians and assyrians coptic people in lraq and egypt by arabs when they leave the area in 1940s and they let turkish troops into the cyprus destroy greeks do you really believe UK pro-Armenian while london run by pakistani muslim while christians suffer in lebanon by arabs ?
In terms of integration in the region Armenia shares more in common with Iran than say Georgia. The economic potential of Iran will never be fully realized due to its enmity with The West, Saudi Arabia and Israel. Armenia is in a similar situation with its neighbors Azerbaijan and Turkey. A country facing population decline, brain drain, low outside investment into its economy due to the hostility in the region will frankly never reach it’s full potential buying weapons to fight another war, what Armenia needs is normalization and investment in its economy which is not going to happen with uncertainty of conflict high in the region. Highly skilled Armenians will leave for greener pastures abroad while the poor gets poorer as prospects in frankly the country in the region with the most potential to uplift it’s people get bleaker.
I agree with Concerned Armenian 100%. Cognitive dissonance and political illiteracy is just abut right when describing Armenians. Brief history lesson: There was no such thing as “Russia” in 1921. Russia lost more lands and lives as a result of the Western financed Bolshevik revolution than any other nationality in the Russia empire. Let’s also recall that it was the Armenian government at the time that aggressively opposed the Bolsheviks, hoping that the British and the French would come to Armenia’s aid. Of course Armenians eventually got short end of the stick. One hundred years later, it’s no different today. No one forced us to elect a Western and Turkish financed anti-Russian activist not once but twice. Politically illiteracy and cognitive dissonance has a high price and we are paying it.
I agree with most of what the Concerned Armenian wrote but……
……Why didn’t Russia give back the Armenian areas after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Say: Arzakh + areas around Arzakh, Nahichevan, Javak?
To side purely with the Russian side is also fatal. If Russia is viewed as an ally, we should be as generously supported as Israel is by the US. An ally should not support and supply arms to our enemies.
Russia just wants to create dependencies and keep Armenia weak. While Turkish fascism is growing, it will turn against Russia. If the Turkish world is united. Even Kazakhstan will stab Russia in the back. The Russians must prove their loyalty to us, not we to the Russians. For now, it makes sense to stay in Russian orbit but not give the Russians full control.
PS: Russia had no obligations towards NKR. Russia actually opposed Armenian occupation of territories outside of NKR. Also Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan are not defined. Also Armenia’s government is a Western and Turkish financed government that Moscow does NOT trust. If Armenians had a little wisdom they would have pulled out of the territories outside NKR and invited Russian peacekeepers in the 1990s. Had we done that in the 1990s and rejected an anti-Russian activist in 2018, we would not be where we are today. But true to Armenian nature, we blame others for every single one of our mistakes.
What a peculiar and twisted logic. Russia had no obligation towards NKR but was more than willing to move in and occupy it. What about their obligations towards Armenia? They failed to abide by their treaties and perform those obligations as well. All they did was to make excuses because this whole thing was preplanned with Russia’s blessing. It was a Russian scheme to return to the South Caucasus after thirty years of absence. Why is it that Russia goes to war with Ukraine and razes it to the ground under the suspicion of Ukraine wanting to join the NATO alliance while not only having no problem with the military presence of a NATO member terrorist Turkey in the backyard of its Armenian ally but also not even lifting a finger to stop their terrorist activities against the Armenians? Where is the logic in that! What Russian peacekeepers are you talking about? The Russian president considers all these as Russian territories and it is acting like they are. They have wedged themselves in-between the Armenians and the enemy and are handing over Armenian territories to the enemy piece by piece. They know the Armenian side won’t fire at them while doing nothing to stop the enemy criminal activities against the Armenians.
It was Russia that armed the enemy to the teeth enabling it to use the so-called peace process to get ready for war and allowed terrorist Turkey to move into Armenia’s backyard in support of the enemy. Despite all that anti-Armenian Russian activities you think they are the ones who should run your homeland. Just because the politically-ignorant and gullible Armenian population elects corrupt and unpatriotic leaders to run the country, which is destined to fail, does not mean Armenia is worthy of being run by Russian KGB MAFIA clan that won’t even think twice sacrificing all of Armenia to push through its own pro-Russian agenda. What you are suggesting is no different from handing a bank over to a bank robber and electing him as the bank president. What do you think he is going to do other than continue robbing the bank! You think there are no competent Armenians to run the country? Of course there are but when over ¾ of the worldwide Armenian population is deliberately kept out of the country’s political process and those who are elected are there to secure Russia’s interests rather than Armenia’s then not much can be expected of them. Armenia will never become fully independent and make progress until that old and stale Soviet mentality is wiped clean of the country. Armenia does not have to be subservient to Russia in order to exist and can have good relations with Russia if Armenia has a TRUE patriotic leader whose primary goal is to protect the interest of Armenia and the Armenian nation. Those kinds of leaders are respected. When you don’t respect yourself nobody will.
What NKR surrounding territories are you talking about? The NKR territory of 1988 when the Armenian liberation movement began was not the same in size as it was back a century ago when it was illegally placed under enemy occupation. It was much bigger back a century ago. Before NKR territory became autonomous many regions formerly comprising NKR were chipped away by the enemy and integrated into artificial Azerbaijani state. Those so-called territories surrounding NKR, as you put it, were integral parts of NKR and therefore those territories were not occupied but liberated. To call those liberated territories as occupied is irresponsible and lacks understanding.
How do you know he’s a Turkish or Western agent?
Russia is not 100% reliable. Why are the Russian selling arms to Azerbaijan or disabling the S400 missile wonders when we were about to bomb Baku? Why did the Russian prevent the Armenians from marching to Baku in the 90s.
The people voted for Pashinyan because they didn’t want oligarchs and kleptocracy and more.
Conspiracy Theory: What if Pashinyan has been receiving orders from Moscow all along since he came to power and is a Russian actor? Do you understand what I mean?
Reading some comments here I am reminded of the following. Armenia has had the history it has had because Armenians tend to be politically illiterate, arrogant, shortsighted and suffer from cognitive dissonance and delusions. Politics is an exact science, an artform and a master level game of chess combined in one package. Yet, for Armenians, politics is nothing more than a street fight or a domestic dispute. The ultimate authors of all the black pages in our history is us…
So please ask yourself why?
Armenians are individualists, have always lived scattered around the world as a minority, everyone wants to be a baron and the last thirty years have been crucial. The diaspora was included only as a cash cow and not in state building.
The diaspora viewed Hayastan as an theme park. The elites in Armenia and the diaspora have not created a common agenda and a sense of community.
The Armenian Church is very passive. I think it’s pretty naive of you to let the Russians get away with it so innocently. Although Russia is a security guarantor and economic partner, it is not a reliable ally. Even if pro-Russian oligarchs come to power again. Which I do not hope.
It’s also time for diasporans to wake up from their dreams of grandeur. The traditional diaspora has traditionally been a catalyst, or rather a pack animal, to import Western agendas into Armenia.