YEREVAN—Indeed, the Republic of Armenia should have its lost territories returned and the victims of the Armenian Genocide should receive material compensation. But all these claims must have perfect legal grounds, said Armenian Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan at a conference of lawyers ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, initiated by the Ministry of the Diaspora.
International insurance agencies decided in 2007 to pay the heirs of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, but payments have recently stopped. According to the prosecutor general, the reason is pressure from Turkey. Aghvan Hovsepyan said that if Armenia possessed undeniable legal arguments, this process would have a logical outcome. According to him, this issue is up to the Armenian lawyers to solve.
“It has been a century since Armenian-Turkish relations froze, Aghvan Hovsepyan says. Though many countries recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide, we have no significant results. I’m sure we will be at the same point in another century. Turkey’s policy of denial and geopolitical circumstances are not the only reason. I strongly believe that our position on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and on Armenian-Turkish relations is also a reason,” said Hovsepyan.
He added that the recognition of the genocide is only one element of the Armenian cause. The settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations is of a legal character and it should be reached on the grounds of international rights. This, according to the prosecutor general, means that all international pacts related to the Armenian people and their territories should be examined.
“Otherwise we will have what we have now,” said Aghvan Hovsepyan.
Hovsepyan thinks it is wrong to not answer the Azeri balderdash that Syunik, Yerevan and Artsakh are Azeri territories.
“Wouldn’t it be more effective if we gave legally grounded answers to Azeris. For instance, in accordance with the Moscow pact of 1921, Nakhichevan was separated from Armenia and as an autonomous region was given to Azerbaijani patronage. Disregarding the legality of the Moscow pact, I should note that in 1923, Azerbaijan’s Central Committee revised the previous decision and included Nakhichevan in its composition. This decision was such an evident violation of international rights that even Turkey issued a protest note against it. Can we affirm Nakhichevan is an inseparable part of Armenia and that Azerbaijan occupied it? Of course we can, but somehow we are silent,” said Aghvan Hovsepyan.
Dwelling on international agreements relating to Armenia, the prosecutor general said that the Armenian-Turkish border is not regulated. “We have territorial disputes with both Azerbaijan and Turkey”. According to the prosecutor general, in order to solve these issues, it is necessary to work out a large package of claims with relevant legal grounds and introduce it before the authorities of Armenia with the view of submitting it to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
“I’m sure if Azerbaijan had at least one-one hundredth of our legal ground, it would have long applied not only to the International Court of Justice, but to all possible avenues”, said the prosecutor general, asking to not forget that time is working against us.
We thank the Prosecutor General of Armenia, Aghvan Hovsepyan in his strong words, stating “Armenia Should Have it’s Historic Territories Back”. This issue has been long overdue by the Government of Armenia which must be brought to the attention of the World Powers which should include the “Sevres Treaty” as well as those territories that Stalin took away from Armenia, which included Artsakh, (now partially independent), Nakhichevan, Javakh, & Kars & Ardahan Provences. Any delay on this issue will further hurt the return of these territories to Armenia in the coming few years. Time is of essence.
I agree wholeheartedly with the above, except for two points. a) the quotations marks around the Sèvres treaty, as the treaty is a real one and b) Mr Hovsepian is part and parcel of that government, and, as responsible for the judiciary, has the ways and means to prepare the necessary paperwork for the government and urge for action. So I see no need to thank Mr Hovsepian, but to reprimand him for not having taken the time off his more lucrative business of taxing the judges in order to advance a cause he so eloquently defends.
Not a moment to lose. We are silent, we have always been. We need to be awaken.
For years I amsupporting the fact that the Armenian MotherLand must get back the lost Armenian teritories and in the sametime the recognition of the Armenian Genocide is essential.
Good Point and Good approach.
Great idea but our corrupt leaders in Armenia are too reluctant to bring these issues up because then you would hear more criticism from America about their corrupt ways. As long sultan serj and his gang are quiet and complacent their crooked ways won’t be mentioned by people like the secretary of state or the president of America. As long as he doesn’t cause “trouble” for them he’s the puppet they can work with.
We need regime change. No matter what anyone says, corruption is the biggest threat to our national security and even our existence as a nation. It makes us weaker militarily and economically. If people are leaving Armenia its because of the RPA and prosperous party crooks
Mr. Hovsepyan would do well to direct his comments to the Armenian government, which, sadly, remains party to the Protocols trap set by Ankara. These disastrous accords have been an unmitigated disaster for Armenia and all Armenians. The path to progress toward our shared aims starts with Yerevan’s withdrawal of its signature from these deeply flawed and defeatist agreements. – Aram
I think that a new Greater Armenia has to be seen as impossible so why not the obvious settlement. Azerbaijan gives up the NAR and Turkey and Azerbaijan create new borders giving back just some territory to Armenia. Forget arguing about the next valley over and everyone live in peace. War is not going to solve anything.
Not all of greater Armenia but some of it is not impossible. We need to build a strong and solid relationship with the kurds (who have apologized, admitted their guilt and invited Armenians to come back to their lands many times). If we are the kurds best friends and truly help them economically, militarily then one day when they get independence they would repay our friendship. As long as our future generations keep their due on the prize and be tried allies of the kurds it is possible this way. Not all of greater Armenia but maybe we can javelin a new van on the shores of lake van. But whether with kurds or Turks, we need a free access route to the black sea so we can trade at will and even have a fishing industry. A route to the black sea would end our isolation from the world.
“It has been a century since Armenian-Turkish relations froze”.
I am totally against all these ‘independence movements’. You cannot have another country ever 500 km just because of a language or ethnic shift. There are way too many dysfunctional little nothing countries as it is. Canada would democratically let Quebec leave but it would be a nightmare. Georgia is a mess. What the world needs is a new kind of ‘autonomous region with central authority’ but with none of the negative connotations of the past. An EU or Yugoslavia where everyone gets along.
Armenia will be the next Cyprus. The only way to avoid this in the Caucasus is for all land claims to be settled as best they can and move on so the countries can get back to the business of improving the lives of the people. Chest beating nationalism is dead. An invasion by AZ to recover NK is going grind on for years or else escalate to involve others to save all that Azeri oil. Could Armenia successfully defend against an AZ attack? Be real – Javakh is beyond the military. Will Russia give a hoot? Poor little Armenia needs to be surrounded by friends not enemies. Draw the lines and if you do not like where your house is then move.
Even that is too much. A Sevres Treaty – like division of Turkey and an independent Kurdistan is just not going to happen.
A few points:
1.) Are any of you present day residents of Armenia? If so, why not? It is your free and independent motherland….or are you afraid to give up Starbucks and your current lifestyle? If you are not living there now, then don’t comment.
2.) New lands will mean a dominant non-Armenian and non-Christian population. Armenians will be outnumbered in their own country. What are you going to do…kick them out? force conversion to Christianity?
3.) These kinds of proclamations can be made morning, noon and night. Nothing will happen with corrupt Armenian government officials stealing money and only concerned about filling their pockets. Jobs must be created, children must be educated, military strengthened, Christianity reawakened, emigration reversed and much, MUCH, more. This is KHRIMIAN HAYRIG all over again….Armenia is a poor, weak, nation led by corrupt officials but POUNDING ITS CHEST like a one-ton rhino, making laughable demands. With what money? what strength? what external pressures helping it?
The West should forget Turkey as a partner, he betrayed in IRAK; SYRIA, ARMENIA, LEBANON; and NOW betraying AGAIN with EGYPT by supporting MORSI, they will be better off by DIVIDING Turkey into Cantons and SPLIT the power with Russia, than try to keep Turkey one piece and have problems for the rest of its existence. TURKEY will betray time AGAIN, and AGAIN, and AGAIN, they can not be trusted.
Talk, Talk, Talk!! When will Armenia prosecute its case in world courts??
My dear Armenian brothers, what do you call Armenian Mother Land ?? Are you talking about the current NORTH KURDISTAN occupied by Turkey ? To be perfectly clear, you cannot ignore the Kurds in your claims. Historically, they were always Kurds in Agirî/Ararat, Bazid, Mush, Wan, Cewlig, Bedlîs,Sason, and they were AT LEAST half of the population before the genocide. Unlike the Turkish regime, the Kurdish parties, as specially the PKK, all fully recognize the Armenian Genocide and the fact that SOME tribes were involved in the genocide. However this doesn’t mean that cities like Wan and Bazîd should be under Armenian control. Don’t forget that Kurds and Armenians had lived together for so many years… Best regards.