Aram A Catholicos: When Russia is our Friend, does it Mean it can’t be a Friend of others?

“I saw deep patriotism, I saw endurance and combat readiness among the people, but if our actions don’t speak louder than words, sensitive, patriotic outbursts will turn into a bubble and vanish. The enemy is always awake, we should realize whether we’re sleepless too. The Azerbaijani is the same Turk, able to barbaric, genocide-like actions—to behead and cut the ear. This isn’t linked to war, this is barbarism, new expression of Turk’s genocide spirit. After all this we should seriously ponder: why? How did it happen? And what we should do in future? Every person has lots of words to say, nice ones, however, it should be put aside and we should think of our follow-ups,” Aram A, His Holiness Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, told “Armenpress” today. Below is introduced an excerpt from the interview.

-His Holiness, first of all I’d like to thank you for agreeing to give interview to “Armenpress.” The first question to you is the following: what’s your address to Armenia and Artsakh?

-Our address to the people of Armenia, both mine and that of His Holiness Karekin, is the same. The Armenian church has been next to our people both in happy and sad days, and shared both happiness and sadness of our people.

The church is the people, and ultimately, the church is a faith community. This has been the image of our church and that of every church, in general: not just a structure, not just a donation, not just a ritual, but a faith community. A community, which may identify with the people, its adventures, aspirations and concerns. Especially our church, as compared to others, under coercion of history was more identified with the people and has become a national church.

Accordingly, currently, when our nation is in alarm, our church is meant to be with the people, as the alarm of the fatherland, of the people, is the alarm of our church.

And with this feeling we left for Karabakh, and reminded our people, that we are with them. Accordingly, Karabakh issue, with all its faces, is ours as well.

We are integrity, and all issues bothering our people should be observed in this orbit. Naturally, some internal differences should be available, however, we have all-Armenian, national issue, naturally, we need to regard Artsakh issue with this consciousness.

– How was the Artsakh you saw like? How was the people’s spirit like?

-I saw deep patriotism in Artsakh, endurance and efficiency among the people, sometimes visible by different sensitive expressions. However, the crucial point is what we should do after all this. Present-day sensitive, patriotic outbursts shouldn’t turn into bubbles and vanish. They should be turned into a conscientious process, consolidated thinking and actions, by which we’ll be able to hold discussion on occurrences in Artsakh with more realistic and conscious approach.

Why did it occur? Was it expected? Where did we succeed and where did we record failures and why? These questions should be properly posed, otherwise, they’ll turn into some sensitive wave and concern, and will pass, as if nothing has happened, and our life tomorrow will go on the way it used to. This approach isn’t right, we should get lessons from what has happened. I have repeatedly stated, that this is a challenge for sobriety, consciousness and self-examination.

Thanks Goodness, what we lost militarily, was re-established, we confirmed our presence in Karabakh more forcefully. However, this situation has showed us, that the enemy is awake. Were we sleepless, too?…and that every day the enemy follows our steps, and it’ll always try to create various conditions for our people.

I saw Armenians from Artsakh, Armenia, Diaspora, who were taking their photos in military clothes and posting on Facebook. Yes, it’s good, but this shouldn’t go on, it leads to superficiality. After all this we should sit and seriously think over: why? How did it happen? What we should do then? Every person has lots of words to say, nice words, but it should be put aside, we should think of our follow-ups.

-Turn words into actions.

-Yes.

-How do you see the role of different social groups in this?

-Firstly, all-Armenian approach should be implemented regarding issues of all-Armenia nature. This refers not only the president, head of the army, the minister and the church, but that of our people, our total collectivity. Every Armenian structure should be a part of likewise issues, through consultations, support and participation. Every single Armenian should give something: somebody from the mind, somebody from the spirit, somebody from the wallet, as it refers all Armenians. Accordingly, let’s not criticize this or that, if we do it, we’ll criticize our collective personality.

Secondly, I observed some criticism both here and there, directed to certain people, like, for instance, we didn’t have modernized weapons and that the Azerbaijanis were better armed. I consider, this should be stopped, they lead us to a wrong direction. This originates distrust and unsafety among the people.

Thirdly, I saw and heard anti-Russian expressions and moods. Seems like this happened because of the Russian. Seems like the Russian should help us only. This is a bit superficial, sensitive approach. When the Russian is our friend, it means it can’t be that of others? Why should Russia condition its foreign relations by our interests? History reminds us the following: nations, states act out of their own interests, interests are beyond everything—friendship, and many other things. Interests lead nations.

Yes, Russia, to some sense, didn’t express the friendship towards us, our expectations were different, for this very reason our president clearly passed it. However, this anti-Russian moods, if develop and deepen, will damage Artsakh and Armenia. Being a friend, doesn’t mean doing everything the way we want, a friend is also sometimes mistaken. When it’s mistaken, we should say about it, but if we continue, it’ll turn into hostility.

-Azerbaijan, by attacking first, also committed military crime throughout the four-day war, when peaceful people were mutilated and killed, soldiers have been beheaded. How do you observe Armenia’s claim to the international community and the role of religious authorities in this?

-Naturally, any force, which was an initiator, is always condemned, no matter that attack may have, for instance, political grounds; pursuant international law, it’s condemnable and criminal. Current international law condemns Azerbaijan for resumption of war, and its attitude to the people of Artsakh’s bordering villages and our people. In the end, war has its own laws and principles, its limits, its moral side. The attacking army fights against soldiers, however, it doesn’t have the right to touch peaceful civilians. Accordingly, Azerbaijan was not only the first to attack, but implemented barbaric, genocide-like actions—beheading, cutting the ears and etc. This isn’t linked to war, this is barbarism, this is new expression of Turk’s genocide spirit. Our people anywhere should know, that Turk is the same Turk, the genocidal Turk, before 1915 and 100 years after it. Azerbaijan is a part of Turkish tribes, a part of that nation, with minor differences. They have the same spirit, barbarism, the same traditions, they inherited these “values” from their ancestors.

If the Azerbaijanis advanced and reached Stepanakert, they’d massacre our people. This is neither a supposition, nor a dream, they are Turks. Their history is clear, accordingly, we should seriously think of it.

-And the last question. You said, we should realize we are at war and should be demanding, however, the human being strives to peace. Under these conditions people living in the Republic of Armenia and in Artsakh, how should they find strength to live that way?

-When I say war, the word shouldn’t be taken with its simple meaning. I don’t speak of waiting for the enemy with a weapon in our hands. I understand our realization of being demanding for our lost rights. The step of protecting our rights, our existence, this is the war. Human life is waging war against the evil, there are types of the evil—eminent and invisible. We are surrounded by those evils, and we have lost our rights. We should demand our lost rights. Ours is a small country, we stand free on small Armenian land, we have independent Armenia, and we should do our best not to turn it into a fragile Armenia, but a powerful state. Azerbaijan attempted to grasp the right gained by blood, but our heroes succeeded to protect our rights. I especially highlighted our high assessment to our army, our young men, who drew back the enemy like heroes, with efficiency and endurance. They poured their blood.  We shouldn’t forget, as a last word, I repeat, being an Armenian in history meant being in struggle—spiritual, cultural, educational, political, military. True Armenian is the one, who will bring his/her active participation in people’s collective fighting.

Interview by Ani Nazaryan