Russian analyst: Armenia simply could not imagine a nation-state without cult of a victim

In your opinion, is it possible to normalize Turkey-Armenia relations amid world Armenians’ efforts to promote recognition of the “Armenian genocide” and refusals to open all archives available to study the 1915 events in the Ottomon Empire?

Time goes by. Though the plane crash near Smolensk that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and a number of senior officials of this country has no direct relation to the Turkish-Armenian and Azerbaijani-Armenian relations, this shows that sometimes tragedy can lead to a rapprochement of peoples, that we now see in case of the Russian-Polish relations.

In other words, tragic moments in relations between Turkey and Armenia and between Armenia and Azerbaijan may become a factor that may at some point pull together the peoples of these countries. Once there was a theory that the nation had the right to self-determination if it became a victim, and if this nation had no tragic date in its history and was healthy and happy, it had no right to statehood and was doomed to live within an empire.

This kind of theory has held true not only in Armenia’s case, but in the case with a number of other states. But time goes by and this theory proves nothing. It is possible that peoples of Turkey and Armenia, as well as Azerbaijan and Armenia will live in an atmosphere of reconciliation in the future. Of course, it will take years, but I am sure this process will finally take place.

But not only Turkey and Azerbaijan, but also Armenia should be willing to realize this process. Can we say that Armenia, which goes ahead with speculation about the mythical "Armenian genocide" has no such willingness?

I would not like to oppose Armenia and Armenians. I can only say that Armenia simply could not imagine a nation-state without cult of a victim. In other words, according to the Armenian point of view, they can justify existence of Armenia as an independent state only by convincing the world community that “genocide” has been committed against them. Paradigms also change and a topic of genocide as a way to justify the very existence of a state will remain in past over time.

In your view, in what ways resumed ties with Turkey and Azerbaijan may benefit Armenia?

Of course, at this stage building normal relationship with Turkey and Azerbaijan is beneficial for Armenia. It is possible to achieve this normalization only by addressing the problems existing between Turkey and Azerbaijan on one hand, and between Turkey and Armenia on the other.

The main point is interpretation of the 1915 events in the Ottoman Empire and settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. For the moment we can conclude only one thing: normalization of Turkish-Armenian and Azerbaijani-Armenian relations would benefit the entire region of South Caucasus. These processes will take place. But it requires parties time to come together.


/Day.Az/