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FIGHTING WORDS: LETTER TO PUTIN BY POPULAR PUBLICIST RAISES RADICAL IDEAS ABOUT NKR
SOCIETY | 15.10.13 | 17:43
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Well-known publicist Zori Balayan's letter to Russian president
Vladimir Putin, which seems to suggest that Russia reclaim authority
over parts of the South Caucasus, including Nagorno Karabakh, has
stirred heated discussions in the Armenian press and social networks,
the allegation being that the public figure acted upon the instructions
of the Armenian authorities.
In Facebook social network, where citizens expressing their rebellion
and discontent are especially visible, users point out the fact that
the letter stresses Russia's interest only, while the interests and
dignity of Armenia and Karabakh are stepped over.
In his letter to President Putin Balayan brings numerous arguments in
favor of a fact that the Karabakh conflict is not Armenia's issue, but
rather Russia's, hence Russia is the one to solve it by recognizing
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh like it was done in Gulistan. This
year marks the 200th anniversary of the Gulistan Agreement signed in
1813, at the end of Russian-Persian war won by Russia. According to
the agreement, a great number of areas went from Persia (modern day
Iran) to Russia, including the Karabakh khanate.
"We have to pull together all our courage and wisdom and, as Jan Jack
Russo said, put the hand on the 'honest heart' and sincerely admit
that the collapse of our common country started at the October dawn
with violation of the agreement between Gulistan and Turkmencha... And
taking into consideration that, as the same Russo said, 'the road
to truth is one', we all have to return to that only road, which
originated form Karabakh Gulistan. The agreement, I repeat, was signed
for eternity," Balayan wrote to Putin.
Ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan writes in Lragir.am that Balayan has
simply been trapped.
"So here is Zori Balayan, who is 'actively' concerned with the
'future of his homeland'. Realizing that the RA authorities have
irreversibly lost the future of both Armenia and Artsakh [Karabakh],
for as long as they are in power, Zori Balayan, allegedly, on their
behalf sent a petition to the 'Russian king' suggesting that 'Russia's
borders' are restored as soon as possible. Balayan, it appears, knows
something about the history of Russia that the current king of Russia
doesn't, and he is rushing to remind the worthy heir of Ekaterina,
Peter and Alexander I...that Armenia and Russia ... are not Armenia
and Russia. They are Russia," writes Kharatyan.
Hayk Khanumyan, leading NKR's National Revival party, has stated that
it is time signatures are collected in Karabakh to strip Balayan of
his Karabakh war hero title.
Heritage's Armen Martirosyan says Armenians' blood was shed for
Karabakh, and Karabakh has fought hard for its independence, hence
it cannot be gifted to some third party.
"I am calling for historians' help: is there any other ethnos or a
state in this world that would give away as a gift to someone else
the victory won by shedding its blood," Martirosyan wrote on his
Facebook wall.
Public discontent grew especially after some political and public
figures, intellectuals, stated their support of Balayan's letter.
"Yes, if there is such an opportunity that Nagorno Karabakh is annexed
to Russia, it would be an acceptable and productive settlement to
me, because after joining Russia it might further join Armenia. If
the NKR conflict is settled in that manner, most importantly the
current conflict we have with Azerbaijan would get resolved too,"
writer-publicist Razmik Davoyan told hayeli.am.
Balayan's supporters say it would be the only means to ensure the
security of Karabakh, as well as its recognition by the international
community.
"The security of Karabakh today depends only on us. And who are we
against the oil-owning country [Azerbaijan] or the USA by economic
and financial power?" says Republican Ashot Aghababayn, Karabakh
war veteran.
Balayan himself told the press that he would make a public statement
later on what had prompted him to address such a letter to the
Russian president.
FIGHTING WORDS: LETTER TO PUTIN BY POPULAR PUBLICIST RAISES RADICAL IDEAS ABOUT NKR
SOCIETY | 15.10.13 | 17:43
Photolure
By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter
Well-known publicist Zori Balayan's letter to Russian president
Vladimir Putin, which seems to suggest that Russia reclaim authority
over parts of the South Caucasus, including Nagorno Karabakh, has
stirred heated discussions in the Armenian press and social networks,
the allegation being that the public figure acted upon the instructions
of the Armenian authorities.
In Facebook social network, where citizens expressing their rebellion
and discontent are especially visible, users point out the fact that
the letter stresses Russia's interest only, while the interests and
dignity of Armenia and Karabakh are stepped over.
In his letter to President Putin Balayan brings numerous arguments in
favor of a fact that the Karabakh conflict is not Armenia's issue, but
rather Russia's, hence Russia is the one to solve it by recognizing
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh like it was done in Gulistan. This
year marks the 200th anniversary of the Gulistan Agreement signed in
1813, at the end of Russian-Persian war won by Russia. According to
the agreement, a great number of areas went from Persia (modern day
Iran) to Russia, including the Karabakh khanate.
"We have to pull together all our courage and wisdom and, as Jan Jack
Russo said, put the hand on the 'honest heart' and sincerely admit
that the collapse of our common country started at the October dawn
with violation of the agreement between Gulistan and Turkmencha... And
taking into consideration that, as the same Russo said, 'the road
to truth is one', we all have to return to that only road, which
originated form Karabakh Gulistan. The agreement, I repeat, was signed
for eternity," Balayan wrote to Putin.
Ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan writes in Lragir.am that Balayan has
simply been trapped.
"So here is Zori Balayan, who is 'actively' concerned with the
'future of his homeland'. Realizing that the RA authorities have
irreversibly lost the future of both Armenia and Artsakh [Karabakh],
for as long as they are in power, Zori Balayan, allegedly, on their
behalf sent a petition to the 'Russian king' suggesting that 'Russia's
borders' are restored as soon as possible. Balayan, it appears, knows
something about the history of Russia that the current king of Russia
doesn't, and he is rushing to remind the worthy heir of Ekaterina,
Peter and Alexander I...that Armenia and Russia ... are not Armenia
and Russia. They are Russia," writes Kharatyan.
Hayk Khanumyan, leading NKR's National Revival party, has stated that
it is time signatures are collected in Karabakh to strip Balayan of
his Karabakh war hero title.
Heritage's Armen Martirosyan says Armenians' blood was shed for
Karabakh, and Karabakh has fought hard for its independence, hence
it cannot be gifted to some third party.
"I am calling for historians' help: is there any other ethnos or a
state in this world that would give away as a gift to someone else
the victory won by shedding its blood," Martirosyan wrote on his
Facebook wall.
Public discontent grew especially after some political and public
figures, intellectuals, stated their support of Balayan's letter.
"Yes, if there is such an opportunity that Nagorno Karabakh is annexed
to Russia, it would be an acceptable and productive settlement to
me, because after joining Russia it might further join Armenia. If
the NKR conflict is settled in that manner, most importantly the
current conflict we have with Azerbaijan would get resolved too,"
writer-publicist Razmik Davoyan told hayeli.am.
Balayan's supporters say it would be the only means to ensure the
security of Karabakh, as well as its recognition by the international
community.
"The security of Karabakh today depends only on us. And who are we
against the oil-owning country [Azerbaijan] or the USA by economic
and financial power?" says Republican Ashot Aghababayn, Karabakh
war veteran.
Balayan himself told the press that he would make a public statement
later on what had prompted him to address such a letter to the
Russian president.
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