Me and My Family were Informed about the Situation Originated Here during our Visit, but I didn’t Question at all to Come Here or not: Nobel Prize Laureate Ei-ichi Negishi

Concluding press conference of “Nobel Days in Yerevan” was launched today at Yerevan State Medical University after Mkh. Heratsi (YSMU), participants of which were biologists Aaron Ciechanover and Ada E. Yonath, chemist and physicist Dan Shechtman, pathologist Robin J. Warren, chemist Ei-ichi Negishi, as well as Mikael Narimanyan, YSMU rector and Konstantin Yenkoyan, Head of Organizing Committee.

During the concluding press conference 168.am attempted to know the reflection of Nobel Prize laureates on the four-day instigated war on Nagorno Karabakh—Azerbaijan Line of Contact, its international reflection and, against the background of recent developments, atrocities manifested by the Azerbaijani side.

Dan Shechtman, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2011 “For the discovery of quasicrystals”, touching upon the question, said,

“I see you are interested in peaceful world, I’m speaking from the standpoint of technological initiatives, on account of the fact that industrial initiatives in this regard are of crucial importance as well. Besides, if all people together are for the development of technological initiatives in the world, we just need to walk to the peaceful future. Higher education means best university, and the latter means high civilization and policy. And this leads to adoption of sound domestic and foreign policy posture. Although I’m a scientist, I can speak of war, accordingly, let me speak of this by adopting a scientist’s disposition: in Israel we have 8 million population, but in our free market we have 5000 start-up projects, in case, when Japan has 120 million population and its projects comprise the same amount. I leave conclusions to you…”

Ada E. Yonath, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2009 “For studies of the structure and function of the ribosome,” gave preference to touch upon the issue with one sentence, “Nobody from our country told or prohibited us to be in Armenia these days. I think, this fact speaks for itself.”

Ei-ichi Negishi, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2010 “For palladium-catalyzed cross couplings in organic synthesis” said,

“I don’t do politics, and that’s the reason that I don’t assume the role of an expert to appear in issues containing political contexts. However, I’ll say the following, me and my family members were informed about the situation, emerged here during our visit, but I didn’t hesitate to come here or no.

I heard about Armenia from people of big authority for me and I made my conclusions linked to this country. And, undoubtedly, I’d visit Armenia, despite everything, to give people living here a particle of what I have.”

Aaron Chiechanover, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004 “For the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation” had already managed to reflect the issue,

“Science and technologies are the language of peace, meanwhile politics, unfortunately, may lead people to bloodshed. Science and technologies contribute to improvement of the quality of human life, and we should apply it to eliminate borders existent between people to overcome hatred.”

Note, the “Nobel Days in Yerevan” scientific event was organized by YSMU in the period of April 11-16, participants of which were 5 well-known scientists and Nobel Prize winners.

By Nvard Manvelyan