BY HENRY D. ASTARJIAN M.D.
In the dark of the night they gathered, masked like common thieves and bank robbers. A bunch of crooks, corrupt and dishonest politicians, using their illegitimate authority gained by rigged election, sold the Armenian Nation down the pike. They signed the ill fated Protocol of surrender with Turkey, which paved the way for concessions to Azerbaijan over Karabakh, and bolstered Turkish strategy of denying the Genocide.
Spearheaded by Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, and Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian, the government of Armenia and Turkey had covertly negotiated the Protocol for months, and then surfaced, to everyone’s surprise, in Switzerland for the official signing in front of the cameras. It was a festival of robbers and crooks!
The world faced a fait accomplit. Secrecy was necessary when the Protocol was in the fetal stage because its architects knew that it is easy to abort a fetus, than kill a newborn.
The ceremony made an impressive picture with both sides being surrounded by our Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Ivanov, and Javier Solana of the EU. They were present in person to lend their unconditional support to the agreement. They were there to protect their own interests, rather than pursue a fair and balanced agreement. Their presence magnified the geopolitical and strategic importance of the region.
The festival looked disingenuous. Tensions were high except for Ahmet Davutoglu, the Foreign Minister of Turkey, who sported a wide grin, and looked like a cat, who had just swallowed a canary. Tensions were high because in their heart of hearts, they knew that the agreement is lopsided, and that Turkey had a hidden agenda to pursue.
Nalbandian and his team knew, or should have known that oil and water don’t mix.
They should have known that signing such a deceptive document is unacceptable by the Armenian Nation, especially the Diasporans, who are still suffering from collective Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), or Karabakhis who are under seige.
They should have known that neither the Genocide, nor Karabakh are negotiable.
They should have known that Turkey and the Super Powers have the upper hand, in this deal, and that Armenians were negotiating from a position of weakness, rather than strength.
They should have known that opening the door to Turkey will blow a storm which could not be harnessed by Armenians, who have become used to serfdom under the Soviet regime.
They should have known that opening the border, which is already porous, will legitimize the existing border, forever affirming the ill fated Kars Treaty of 1921, in which the Bolsheviks traded Armenian Kars for Georgian Batumi.
Finally, they had a trump card in their hand, but they did not use it: Diaspora.
They did not listen to the voice of the people, and neglected the will of the people, compromised the long term interests of Armenia and Diaspora.
They were inebriated by the international attention given to their festival, the festival of robbers and crooks.
I maintain that the negotiating sides were not naïve; Armenians knew all this, but they did it for personal gains, and for the interests of the gangsters and the oligarchs who control the economy, therefore the political agenda of Armenia.
I could say this because I know about one of the major players, Nalbandian. He was Armenia’s ambassador to Egypt, when I was visiting Cairo in 1998. I learned, through a high Egyptian official that “We [the Egyptian Government] have had it with this guy [Nalbandian], we are about to declare him ‘Persona non-grata’ and ask the Armenian government to replace him”. They were complaining about his diplomatic indiscretions, and non-diplomatic wheeling dealings.
The leaders of the Armenian community of Cairo couldn’t stop complaining about his indifference to the issues that concerned them.
At a dinner in a posh restaurant in Cairo hosted by a prominent Armenian community leader, a high American Embassy official approached me and said “I hear Nalbandian has invited you to meet with him, Doc, I don’t want you to meet with him, he is no good, he is a Communist, and we have a file this thick on him, don’t visit him”. To which I replied “I am an American, I am free to meet whomever I want, but for your information, I have already rejected his invitation”. He was pleased.
Shortly thereafter Nalbandian assumed the ambassadorship of France.
This is the kind of a man who spearheaded, enthusiastically, the negotiations with Turkey, which resulted in the ill fated Protocol. I must say that I don’t know much about his partner President Sarkisian, many do, but I know one thing; “Birds of the feather, flock together”.
Some birds of the same feather are here in the United States. They are the gang who started and or supported the ill fated Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Committee (TARC) in the 90s, the most prominent of which is the Armenian Assembly. I’ll leave it at that for now.
While the festival continued, the robbers and the crooks, on the other side of the border, took their next planned step to achieve their goal of institutionalizing the Genocide Denial. Thankfully they exposed their hand early in the game by imposing conditions, which were veiled in the Protocol, but now became central; they declared that unless Armenia and Azerbaijan make progress over the issue of Karabakh, they are not going to submit the Protocol to their Parliament for ratification.
For all intents and purposes the Protocol, in its present form, is dead. The Turks have a thousand-year-wait to submit their Protocol to their Parliament.
The final nail in the coffin of the Protocol came from Armenia’s Supreme (Constitutional) Court, which ruled—and I am paraphrasing—that the issues of the Armenian Genocide and Karabakh are untouchable, constitutionally; the two objectionable issues leading to our opposition.
The Supreme Court deserves a bouquet of flowers for their ruling, compliments of the Armenian Diaspora.
With this Festival, crooks on both sides have robbed their people of the right for peaceful co-existence, and good neighborliness, and the big powers have lost a good chance for reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the region. They must try again!
Here is my interpretation of Nalbadyan and the like, watch this YouTube video clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys14xZos4l8
“They must try again! ” One wonders if (They) will ever realise that the Armenian people were put on this Earth by GOD, and that NO ONE, no one can destroy us. AMEN.
I applaud you, Hentry Astarjian. Please keep writing. Գրիչդ անսպառ:
Dear Doctor Astarjian: You summed it up very well and thank you. If just like you said Doctor, all these crooks and traitors try again and put me and most of us in the Diaspora and in our homeland through more frightful times to continue to give us high blood pressure and rob us all of our peaceful co-existence; I will be very surprised if some people don’t send both Sarkissian and Nalbandyan to Siberia or somewhere worse. Mind you, they would really deserve it….
I agree 1,000%
Berj
The author does realize that the judicial system in Armenia is much closer to the executive than in the U.S. Thus, their verdict was ‘oked’ by Serj and team? And didn’t Serj and team say that Artsakh and Genocide recognition were not part of the Protocols? Furthermore, was it not overly emotional members of the Diaspora who kept insisting otherwise?
this protocols should have signed on April-1-2010.from the picture looks like an April fools joke on Nalbandian by the world leaders,this joke is on you fool.
Well said and well done. My profound compliments.
Y. Rubenyan
Addendum to my comments:
After everything is said and done let’s not forget that our “sick sheep” is preferable to the others’ “healthy wolf”. Let’s support what we have until further developments.
Thanks, Y.R.
This is a festival of selling out Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian Cause.. The heroic Armenian people will not let traitors such as Serzh Sargsyan and Eduard Nalbandyan get away with this acts of treachery. Amot dzez davachanner…
Excellent article Dr.Astarjian. Too bad we have many blinkers,who dont accept the truth,and the Armenia media still playing dead dog,not permiting the truth. The picture reminds me of the old vaudville act of the dog and pony show.
Doc, please stick to medicine. I am tired of people like you in the Diaspora with your obsessive one-sided mentality who prefer Armenians in Armenia to suffer in perpetuity for your self-indulgent objectives. The protocols were a good move on the part of the Armenian government. They proved that they want Armenia to move forward. Not stay in the 1915 induced trance that you and most of the Diaspora are still in.
Arto you are not with your people. What a shame!!! You seem to forget what happened to our million and a half compatriots. Ոչ խոսել գիտես ոչ էլ չխոսել:
Arto, what shall the Haiastansis face then? Manooshag
We have to give politicians and the leadership of Armenia a chance to move their position forward in the internation scene. Standing on the balcony and shouting for justice to an empty crowd does not help. The Armenian policy here is to use the EU momentum, the Obama pledge, the Russian/Armenian alliance to put Turkey to test. Opening of borders and creating normal conditions is important for Armenia. That does not mean compromising on Artsakh, Genocide Recognition or any other fact.
The Diaspora must continue its role in keeping the pressure on Turkey for recognition of the tragedies in 1915-23, the Armenian Genocide, for the very root cause of the creation of the Diaspora.
The test will show Turkeys true colours towards Armenia. Right now Turkey is being led by people who are boldened by a new Turkish era, an era which they believe will increase their sphere of influence. This leadership never “makes mistakes”. Everything that has happened and is happening is due to errors by others, be it US, EU, Russia, China or other non-turks.
If the Diaspora claims to know the Turks best, then we should know how to act here. Once again playing victim, crying or staying in the corner does not help. The struggle must be put in the middle of the international room and all major powers need to experience ” Turkeys “honesty”.
And if the result shows that Turkey is indeed serious in breaching all gaps, from borders to the historical facts, then we ALL will win.
Henry , I’m worried that the final nail is goning to be in Armenia’s, and the Diaspora’s coffin ,why are we now told about this lowlife’s actions in Egypt ? why a Diaspora like ours that spreads all over the Earth lacks the basic means to collect information that’s crusial to it’s existence and co-exsistence? it’s hard to believe that the turkeys would walk away from such a once in a lifetime surrender protocols, look who is begging them to except it ,one last note lets not compare the surrinder protocol to killing a live fetus .
thankyou.
Armenian Diaspora!!! drives nice cars in LA, eats good food and makes money, and dictates how Armenians in Armenia should live! that’s just perfect. First of all, why don’g you all go to Armenian and fight for your Motherland if you care that much! Protocols do not say any or what you are saying in your article. They just say “let us be neighbors with out conditions” ..and if Turkey puts conditions that are not there, we can say “no” this is not what we agreed on.
And people like you FORGET THAT TURKEY CLOSED THE BORHTER, NOT US, IN 1994 AND THE MUSH OPEN IT! AND NOW WE, STUPID AREMENIANA ARE AGAINS THAT??
Armenian goverment understand that Armenia needs to become economicaly strong first!!! that is the most important item on agenda and opening the borders will bust the business and make Armenia stronger, get it, FAT NARROW MINDED SELFISH DIASPORA?!
The oligarkhs in Armenia drive better cars than any millionaire in America. Your are asleep Anahit. Wake up to reality.
TO ARAXI AND OTHERS!! Most of the Diasporas happy where they are, especially those in the west!! and probably 90% of those Armenians in north America never visited Armenia before, but they been on cruse 10 times, without mentioning weekly trips to Vegas/ palm spring and other casinos to gamble and waste thousands of dollars on gambling and some other stuff!!!!!! Araxi you need to wake up too, we have at least 1 million Armenians in North America and the thanks giving telethon just made 16 millions from all over the world! What a shame and tells much. and proudly the so called Diaspora eat Turkish food and products from our Armenian deli stores, watch Turkish movies, travel to turkey on cruses and trips, wear Turkish clothes, speak Turkish, listen to Turkish music etc…, already the Diaspora normalized the relationship with turkey in some way, pre protocol , that’s fact.
Anahit, sorry you are angr;y that the Armenians who had to flee their homes, the Survivors, then their children and grandchildren have succeeded in other lands – civilized lands where they were able to recover. But yet, they had to learn new languages, new foods, and more – but best of all,
they educated their generations that followed – who today are among the greatest supporters of our Haiastan -though not there physically, but in all the efforts for fledgling Armenia.
We do know that anyting the Turk shall ‘offer’ whether to other nations, whether to Haiastan – SHALL NOT BE TRUSTED – EVER. You can see this in all the Turkish ‘alliances” with various nations – on
again/off again – whatever the Turk shall choose.
Turkey seeks to ‘eliminate’ the Armenians – STILL – for they are still of the Ottoman mentality.
Manooshag
Manooshag
My namesake and grandfather, Garabed, was killed in the genocide, a 33 year old principal of a school in Istanbul. My father and his brothers were left with no livelihood at 5,7,9 years old. He saved me from living my life in a country like Turkey which is full of crooks. Yet I refuse to use such as a license to behave like the fanatical Turks, fanatical Palastinians, and fanatical Israelis. Unfortunately, too many Soviet Armenians, including the author of this unprofessional and unjournalistic article, are such fanatics. No to denying the genocide, yes to not using the term “genocide” as that term did not exist at the time of the massacres. If we go back and apply the genocide term to all sects who have been slaughtered then half of human history should be called genocide, including the native American Indians, Blacks, etc, etc. We ask the Turks to grow up, but when will Armenian fanatics grow up? Never I suspect, just like the Turkish, Palestinian, and Israeli fanatics. Has this author ever written about teh “real” crooks of Armenia? The phony government contracts given to family members, the Armenian Ambassadors who refuse to even respond to letters complaining about such theft of international aid. Armenia is indeed a nation full of crooks, according to the international corruption watch, it is the 60th most crooked nation of 189 nations in the world. Even Turkey is only the 120th crooked nation. As for Karabagh, Armenia seized it with no legal justification, as did Turkey seize part of Cyprus years ago. There is no difference between Turkey and Armenia. And I always thought that we were the “good” guys. My grandfather is turning in his grave.
This so called richest and most powerful country of the world then doesn’t matter if it is exist in poor and 3rd world countries!!!! I don’t like it and I DONT AGREE WITH IT BUT THINK REALISTICLY ABOUT IT, why we always compare Armenia with Switzerland, Denmark or Sweden?! Although it’s really nice to be linked to such countries like those but unfortunately it doest happen like that! 15 years of independence isn’t enough, war and blockade doesn’t help, earthquake doesn’t help, location that is surrounded by Turkish and Muslims nations doesn’t help, coming out of 75 years of soviet regime doesn’t help, and 2 years of horrible independence and war doesn’t help, and more than 100 years under brutal tsar regime, and hundreds years under the Ottomans before that!!! This is our nation’s background, be realistic please
I lived in 3 continents and several nations and cultures, and I saw the crooks everywhere, and in deferent set ups and ways, have u ever seen the crooks in America? If it is exist in this so called richest and most powerful country of the world then doesn’t matter if it is exist in poor and 3rd world countries!!!! I don’t like it and I DONT AGREE WITH IT BUT THINK REALISTICLY ABOUT IT, why we always compare Armenia with Switzerland, Denmark or Sweden?! Although it’s really nice to be linked to such countries like those but unfortunately it doest happen like that! 15 years of independence isn’t enough, war and blockade doesn’t help, earthquake doesn’t help, location that is surrounded by Turkish and Muslims nations doesn’t help, coming out of 75 years of soviet regime doesn’t help, and 2 years of horrible independence and war doesn’t help, and more than 100 years under brutal tsar regime, and hundreds years under the Ottomans before that!!! This is our nation’s background, be realistic please
I’m reluctant to supporting unilateral, lop-sided diasporan ideology, the manifestation of which we observe in Astarjian’s article, and those few diasporathropic commentators that popped up in this blog. But, being from Armenia I came to realize that Diaspora, as a factor, plays a very important role for Armenia’s political, economic, and social development. Another issue is how effectively the Diasporans play this role? Armenian citizens witnessed Diaspora’s support for unpopular governments in Armenia. The Diasporans hardly made their voice heard condemning the actions of Armenian governments (past or present) towards their impoverished, disgruntled people. Events of March 1, 2008 were just the most recent example of Diaspora’s hypocrisy. I’m convinced, however, that with all its shortcomings, Diaspora is one of the most important factors in advancing Armenia’s political and economic agendas.
As for those who praised the actions of Armenia’s unelected, unrepresentative, provincial-minded government, may I ask what exactly was a ‘good move’ on the part of the government with regard to the protocols? That they were signed by the officer of the Russian defense ministry’s intelligence agency, a Russian citizen Edward Nalbandian? How does this fact add to Armenia’s independent behavior on the international arena? Doesn’t it look like more as order execution than the pursuit of independent agenda? A good move based on independent political agenda, in my understanding, would be to sign a memorandum of understanding that would contain a single phrase: that the governments of Armenia and Turkey agree to establish diplomatic relations and open the borders. PERIOD. This would be the good move, because it’d make the parties EQUAL in terms of their bilateral commitments. But in their current form, protocols are nothing other than submission to Turkish preconditions, because in such documents typically no conditions or preconditions are mentioned. If commentators here are so worried about Armenia’s development that open borders will miraculously secure, then let them ask themselves why ‘historical commissions,’ ‘recognition of all borders’ and ‘international treaties’ are included in the protocols?
As for those who contend avout fighting for motherland, th fact that scores of Diasporans haven’t fought (although hundreds have, Monte Melkonian is just the most prominent of them) doesn’t necessarily mean that that they haven’t vastly supported (and continue to support) the motherland. I know this first-hand. Each part of the nation does what it can for the Cause, and the most idiotic and impermissible thing is to try to divide the two components of the nation. This, most certainly, plays to the hands of our adversaries.
Wow, Anahid. The one thing Diasporan Armenians have proven themselves NOT to be is selfish.
Now that Hayastansi emigrees are enjoying a level of material wealth in the Diaspora that eclipses that of Armenia, what are immigrants from Hayastan doing to assist the welfare of the Yergir (and I don’t mean sending money to family who is still there)? Are they sending a portion of their monthly income to charities in Armenia as so many Diasporans have done and still do? Are they volunteering their time and energy to work for Armenian charities and benevolent organizations the way Diasporans have and continue to do? Do newer immigrants from Hayastan plan to repay the Diasporans for the millions of dollars they’ve sent to the Yergir since being forcibly driven from their homeland (not that that the Diasporans would accept it)?
Studies have shown that Turkey will be the one to benefit from an open border, not Armenia.
Are you sure you don’t work for the US State Dept or the Turkish lobby?
Perhaps you are related to Sargsyan, Nalbandian or Kocharian?
I am from the Diaspora, make no mistake about it. But all I hear time and time again is that Armenians from Armenia are dishonest, thieves, opportunists and above all naive. Or that the government of Armenia is always ready to sell out the Armenia nation for a price. Stop with all this negative bias. IMO the naive Armenians are the Diasporan Armenians, especially US Armenians. Year after year they have been trumped by the Turkish and Jewish lobby when it comes to Genocide recognition. Year and year you have voted for representatives who have sold you out in the end. So who is the naive one?
The protocols are a bold and courageous move by the government of Armenia. No one has the right to call them crooks or robbers. If the Turks don’t sign the Protocols, they will be the ones who will look ridiculous. It’s win win for Armenia, whether Turkey signs or not.
You put it very well Patil; the only people that will benefit from the so called and the dangerous protocols that is against the continuation of our sovereignty are Sargsyan’s and Nalbandyan’s government and their oligarchs. No one else will benefit from the opening of the borders or the protocols. The Armenian people not only will not benefit from it; but they will lose a good deal of their livelihood. When the Turkish cheap goods come into the country, the Armenian merchants and the countrymen will suffer a great deal from it. The only reason that Diasporans are in the Diaspora is because of the Armenian Genocide and mostly they are the children and the children’s children of the survivors who were mostly children themselves when the AG happened. It wasn’t just the very rich Kirkorian who btw, helped Armenia a great deal; but my uncle with a Phd degree, he goes to Armenia often, teaches them in Armenian universities and continuously collects money for the hospitals in Armenia. None of us is wealthy; yet we continously send money to Armenia, have supported at least two orphans each for 8 years who’s fathers were killed in Artsakh’s war and we don’t only love and support Armenia and our homeland but we adore her. As a matter of fact, a good deal of Diasporans know more about our history, about our enemy the Turks than Armenians in Armenia. And most Diasporans are more patriotic than at least half of the Armenians in Armenia. We don’t just love Armenia, but we love her unconditionally as one would adore a precious one and only child.
In the above picture, Davitoglu is saying to Nalbandian “I can not believe you signed it! Did you really sing?” – We as a nation are a joke.
The diaspora is an empty drum accountable to no one, even to itself. If one wants to know what will happen to the diaspora in about a 100 years from now, one needs to go to India and look at the empty Armenian churches and schools in that country.
Our churches, the 2 can not figure out what to do or which way to keep going. Collect money to build churches that no one wants to go to. Wonderful!
Our government is run by people who have no experience, no sense of urgency or national pride.
The difference between the diaspora and the Armenian government is that the diaspora really does not care and goes to Las Vegas and gambles & the Armenian government really does not care and goes to Switzerland and gambles “double or nothing on the Protocols”.
Good luck to us! But I do not think that even luck can help
To: Anahit — I’m a ‘hayastanci’ and I came to believe that with all its shortcomings, lop-sided mentality, imperfection of structures, lack of unity, reluctance to condemn Armenian authorities for mistreatment of our citizens in Armenia, etc., diaspora remains the major factor that greatly affects the shaping of Armenia’s political and economic development. We can argue for months about specific mentality of the diasporans, their remoteness from actual affairs on the ground, self-interest in many cases, etc. but the diaspora is perhaps the only asset that Armenia has in its possession.
To: Patil — Please refrain from generalizing. I send a portion of my monthly income to Armenian charities both the US and Armenia, support several projects, and send money to family and friends there. You also need to understand that as new immigrants, who were forced to leave the country due to circumstances that already known to, I hope, every diasporan, we could not accumulate wealth to the extent that we be able to extend support commensurate to the one that the diasporans provide.
What I really do not want to see in these blogs or elsewhere is this artificial shism between the two parts of ONE people. Please understand that it’s being artificially applied to the nation so that evil forces with interest in their vision of the world order or economic benefits in the region could ve able to play one part upon another to more easily advance their interests. Yes, due to historical, cultural, behavioral circumstances we are different, but we are common in terms of our unique identity, historical memories, pain and suffering our grand or greatgrandparents have endured in the hands of the Turks, as well as our desire to achieve historical justice, and build prosperous yerkir.
Armen, you are right that other forces are fanning the flames of a schism between Armenians, and that this is unhealthy and even deadly. I ask that you reread your comments above to see that in the eyes of others, you have done quite a bit of generalizing about the Diaspora yourself. Alas, you begrudgingly and in the most unflattering way possible, manage to acknowledge to Anahid that we must accept that the Diaspora is indeed an asset to Hayastan, perhaps the only one we have, and that thus, we are somehow forced to tolerate their existence. Somehow, by my asking Anahid specific questions about what SHE has done, you see this as my stereotyping the whole of Hayastan. Yes, the circumstances that brought old and new Armenian emigrees to foreign shores are different and in some ways similar. My point was to make clear that from day one following the genocidal experience, survivors have given what little they had to the Yergir as well as to building second Armenian societies abroad and at a time when they were traumatized, uprooted from everything they knew, and often without the benefit of an existing support system or foreign language ability, for starters. These survivors were often prevented from securing even unskilled jobs, derided by non-immigrants and seen as inferior, alien “others.” The idea of accepting “welfare” was anathema to the survivors — a source of great shame. Despite all of the hardships, the survivors gave. The concept of giving for such survivors and their descendants has continued ever since the genocide, not just when the survivors and their families accumulated wealth. And let me assure you, beyond California, there are still many working-class Armenians in the Diaspora who continue to live paycheck to paycheck, will not own a luxury car in their lifetimes, have never gone to a casino, and yet still gave/give to strife-torn Armenians in Lebanon, earthquake victims in Armenia, and war widows in Artsakh. In fact, over the years many Armenian language schools in the Diaspora continually suffered (and community centers went unbuilt) because Armenia was seen as the financial priority. Contrary to popular belief, many Diasporans would give anything to have their confiscated, ancestral homes in W. Armenia back. Even purchasing a home in Yerevan, which some have done, does not hold the same significance. What emotionally paralyzes Diasporans like me is that I carry the pain of ‘invalidation and unfinished business’ around with me, even when I’ve done charity work in Armenia and yes, even written letters denouncing March 1. The world has largely dismissed the idea of proper grieving and redress for the Armenian genocidal experience. This includes Diasporans enduring being scapegoated and being told that they collectively are “provoking hatred” by governments and lobbies for and of Turkey, Israel and even in some cases, Hayastan. Let us dispense with anyone in the Diaspora expecting what we have long gone without receiving: thanks and gratitude for the sacrifices fellow compatriots and family have made over the years for our one and only Hayastan. But please, don’t enable others to invalidate and besmirch my individual experience and efforts by calling such efforts self-serving. Please don’t expect me to give up my desire to one day, when the political climate shifts, return to my families’ properties in W. Armenia. Please do not generalize and assume that every Diasporan individual who posts under these articles supports the policies of the ruling regime in Armenia OR the lobbying organizations of the Diaspora, or that we believe that either of these represent all Armenians. Always remember: those who are incorruptible are NOT the ones who rise to power in our modern day societies!
To Santen Magar: What a symplistic, superficial, essentially Armenophobic approach. You emphasize only what divides us, but pay no attention to what unites us. Even if diaspora sustains itself for another 100 years, there’s much to be done during that period. Today, second and third generation Armenian Americans make their voice heard, although many of them don’t even speak Armenian. Maybe you deal with a portion od diasporans who don’t care, but that doesn’t mean there are no segments of diasporans who do care. What else would you expect? That ALL diasporans think and act in a similar way? Where in the world have you seen such a place or such a nation, tell me? The division within the diaspora is painfull, indeed, but it just so happenned historically. Can it be overcome? In time, yes. Much will depend on how things in Armenia will develop. If unelected, self-centered, corrupt crooks will go (and sooner or later they will), and patriotic and public-spirited rulers will come to power (sooner or later it will happen, evil cannot rule forever), this will have a positive effect on diaspora, church unification and unification of political parties, too. Unfortunately, the current division within the diaspora is being used by those world-order manipulators whose motto has and remains to be “divide and rule”. But it doesn’t mean there are no counteracting forces that work to advance the Armenian Cause. The world cannot be seen only as ‘black’, it has always been black and white. If you see it as black only, then, I’m afraid, you may have a psychological problem.
Please look at Sarkisian’s speech in London. He just checkmated the Turks. Why do Armenian believe that we are not as smart as others? Why do we have such a negative view of our abilities? Why do think that we will be fooled all the time or that we are not up to the challenge? I’ll say it again. Protocols are a strategic winning move by the Armenian government. The Turks are in a lose lose position.
To examine a persons loyalty, contribution and understanding of national issues based upon where he or she is from is nothing short than having an immature mind and ignorance that has to be addressed.
Adding the name of a resident nation to the word Armenian and using it as an excuse to verify or justify for any issue is simply shortsighted and maybe in some cases just racist.
To belittle another fellow Armenian no matter where he or she is from is to belittle yourself.
The article written by HENRY D. ASTARJIAN M.D is his own understanding, right or wrong, of what the protocols translate to and not of this or that group. You are also free to post your understanding of the protocols without inflicting pain on your fellow Armenian because that has nothing to do with the article unless your agenda is different and you are just using this article as an excuse to express your hate in which case you hate yourself as well.
In regards to the Armenian politicians being a crook or a bank robber as stated in the article because Armenian authorities signed the protocols is shortsighted and the author is unable to understand what the protocols state and does not want to take time to read the protocols carefully and understand the meaning of the signed document, thus accuses people of being a thief and a bank robber.
International documents read as black and white and not gray or any other way your mind perceives. The Turks can claim anything they want until they turn blue, as long as the Genocide is not questioned and/or mentioned in any document then you are OK. By admitting the Genocide issue as being a part of the protocols even tough the word does not even show up in the protocols is simply submitting to Turkish diplomacy of which you can choose not to.
Thus, our President has chosen not to submit to Turkish diplomacy and thus refuses to question the Genocide or Artsakh and he has the protocols to thank for which bears the signature of Turkey becasue, again, the protocols do not mention the Genocide nor do they mention Artsakh no matter what the Turks, you or I claim.
The President and the Prime Minister of Armenia have displayed a very brilliant diplomatic approach to current issues.
Garo Alexanyan how dare you,comparing Karabagh
with Cyprus is what Turks would do,not an Armenian. YOU’VE insulted us calling crooks, and then made a stupid statement. It’s true when they say Turkish armenians are brainwashed just like Turks.
To Arto: May I ask what the unelected Armenian government will win in the strategic perspective? Or, let me rephrase it: what will, most importantly, the people of Armenia win in the strategic perspective? If you respond “open borders”, then please don’t bother, it’ll insult my intellect because with open borders a host of serious threats — economic, ethnographic, social, ideological, etc. — to national security comes. Especially under such dilletant, corrupt, pocket-oriented, self-centered, and anti-popular regime as we have in Armenia. What is it that we’re winning that you forsee but many other thinkers and analysts in the Diaspora and in Armenia are fearful of? Lay out one by one all the ‘winning’ points and I’ll present caounterarguments to each and everyone of them, and let’s see whose position will attract more responses. Ready?