Desire of Turks to destroy us didn’t fade: Areg Galstyan
Interview with Areg Galstyan (Russia), PhD, regular contributor to Forbes, the National Interest, the Hill and the American Thinker.
Mr. Galstyan, every year on April 24 Armenians around the world commemorate victims of the Armenian Genocide, attempt to raise their voice in the countries they live. Do you observe the common purpose, for which Armenian people consolidate on April 24?
I consider it’s been a long time April 24 is considered a symbolic date, when Armenians all over the world unite out of philosophical, national, spiritual outpouring. It’s the only day from the 365 days of the year, when the Armenian factor in the whole world is becoming one of the topics for discussion not only for us, but for the entire world. Accordingly, there is both symbolism and historical reality here, in particular, when we speak of the Diaspora of the West, where the very descendants Genocide survivors are found.
However, I wouldn’t say this is the main factor for the Armenian Diaspora, as the day starts and ends on April 24, and then in some place passive activities are observed for a long period, however, on the whole, the Armenian factor disappears until next April 24.
You mean there is no shared purpose, for which Armenian people will consolidate.
Look, what’s the global purpose in the issue of the Genocide? For the sake of what do we unite? Why do we demand from other states to accept the fact? Why do we shoot films, i.e. what’s our main purpose? I don’t see such a purpose yet. It turns out that we demand recognition for the sake of recognition, i.e. goals are abstract and broken. A situation has been established, when there is no single purpose, however, in various corners of the world someone has assignments, which are solved out of various reflections.
For instance, they say that the Armenian Genocide should be recognized so that in future likewise atrocities haven’t been recorded. It’s clear that these are general expressions, romantic imaginations, as in fact wasting a few hundred million dollars for the sake of recognition and hope that recognition will prevent such actions in future, I consider not perspective and a romantic purpose. Politics isn’t romanticism, but pragmatic and touch calculations, where romanticism generally has no place.
Jews never told they demand world recognition of holocaust and condemning for the reason that such crime was prevented in the future. They never told this, but had their assignments, they were focused on their pragmatic purposes.
Yes, it was awful tragedy, they realized it, however, compared with us, they succeeded to learn serious, real lesson from this by building a powerful state. Our first goal should be not allowing repetition of such crime, first and foremost, against us. Not making some romantic statements on other states, global world, but think what we can do on account of those lessons, to defend ourselves from repetition. Do you believe, if France recognizes that crime and tomorrow Turks intend to do similar crime for the second time France will defend us? Does it provide security guarantees or Americans will help us?
No one in the world is interested in helping Armenians. Jews weren’t making such romantic statements, as they realized that they should insure themselves. That’s why April 24 is necessary to remind one point: each of us is obliged to have investment in strengthening the national state, as today that state unites us, only that state is our security guarantor, only powerful army of that state can save us, if God forbid, such a treat will exist.
We should realize that such an influential organization should be established in the world, that we were a grade higher than others, and if such a situation is observed, we should be sure we have such a powerful influence in the US, that they won’t withdraw, i.e. not they intended to help us, but we urged them to help us. Our influence should be so powerful in the world, that we made the world attach attention on our issues at a necessary moment.
Many states in the world have recognized the Armenian Genocide, but it’s important for us, that Turkey recognized it. When will it happen and what steps are necessary to take to that end?
It’s necessary to launch a discourse inside Turkey so that people emerged, who will speak inside Turkey about it. Two more people—Hrant Dink and Garo Paylan did an immense job. There is some progress in recent years, which of course, hasn’t changed general moods in Turkey, but there are groups, which look to the issue differently, which is consoling. More active work should be carried out to that end, work inside Turkey should be implemented.
However, personally me doubt that fact will be recognized, moreover, that currently a new political course is observed there, Erdogan is becoming a sultan, everything is changing there. Look, referendum was held in Turkey and Erdogan sympathizing pan-Turkish ideologies and his allies become head of the state and actually we deal with real Turkish sultan. Did anyone in Armenia calculate what implications it’ll have on us? They only say in Armenia—we have a Russian military base, we are a CSTO member, Turks won’t attack and that’s it.
Did we calculate what implications will be recorded, if e.g. anything changes in Russia after 2018 elections or currently rapprochement between CSTO member Kazakhstan and Turkey is recorded? When I say we should develop a strategy to avoid second April 24, it means we should have a clear view what goes on in the world and how we should reply to that. April 24 will be the day, when Armenian intellectuals and the authorities gather and will discuss all these issues, however, today we have neither Armenian authorities, nor intellectuals, that’s why no one raises these issues.
Like Turks intended to destroy us, that desire didn’t fade and one shouldn’t preach modern Turkey is different and carrier of European values. Turkey is a hostile state for Armenia and when necessary, they’ll destroy us and it doesn’t matter whether we are in the 22st or 22nd century. There are two such states that dream of the so called clearing issues with us, on the very sense of physical destruction, perfectly realizing that the world has spat on it. However, the worst is that they realize we have spat on it, which is a very serious threat.
Finally, which should be main actions of Armenia, as a state to that end?
The crucial point should be strengthening of state institutes, and what is the most important, the idea of the general in the consciousness of the Armenian nation, that e.g. interest of one oligarch is beyond general interests. We should have a national approach in issues important to us, let it be the issue of Artsakh or Armenia’s future. These are issues, which don’t refer to citizens of only Armenia or Artsakh.
These are the issues bothering us and we can become a united power in those issues Armenians are network political nation and they should have a general approach in global issues. It’s called a state posture, when you clearly say to the world: Artsakh is Armenia’s part, and when every time you say different things, you aren’t taken seriously. The same refers to Genocide.
By Razmik Martirosyan
