Tweet
Independence, State, Society
Ruben Hovsepian
Armenian National Assembly member, writer
Dear readers,
Between June 28 and July 6, 2005, you had an opportunity to address
your questions on the Yerkir's website to RUBEN HOVSEPIAN, Armenian
National Assembly member, writer.
Below are the answers to your questions. See the full version of the
interview in Armenian.
Thank you for your active participation: Spartak Seyranian,
editor-in-chief of "Yerkir" Weekly.
Armen - Dear Mr. Hovsepian, in my previous question I asked
politologist Mr. Alexander Iskandarian if Armenia is careful enough
not to lose its strategic asset, namely human capital. My question was
asked in a comparative context, where regional factors, such as
Azerbaijan's oil and Georgian's transport routes help Azerbaijan and
Georgia to arrange their security in the region. At the same time
Armenia's human capital is not fully utilized and is being lost. Mr.
Iskandarian answered me that the oil factor in Azerbaijan and
Georgia's transport routes are nothing but fairy tales. Also, in his
opinion Armenia's is not losing its human resources because the
demographic decline in the republic has stopped. Do you think it is
enough for Armenia to stop the outflow of population to ensure its
comparative advantage over it two aforementioned neighbors in terms of
human capital? What should be done to fully utilize this advantage?
Ruben Hovsepian - To tell the truth, unlike Alexander Iskandarian, I
am not as sure whether these are fairly tales or not, especially in
the case of the Azerbaijani transit routes, which do exist. But that
is not what we should link our actions with. We have our own
geographical position, and we should build our interests based on
understanding it. Optimally utilizing our human resources is not the
only way; there are many other ways too. I agree to some extend that
the demographic decline has stopped, but we should think how
effectively it is used because it makes no good when our talents are
not used. Along with the economic development of the country, the
issue of using human resources should be resolved too. I would like to
say that we shouldn't look at our brain drain from the dark side
only. Whether we like it or not, this has become a reality that
carries also positive things independent on our will. All of a sudden,
we see that an Armenian has become successful in some part of the
world while he could not succeed here. If we think not only about the
state, but also the nation and the homeland, these phenomena can be
considered as positive. We are beginning to utilize the world. I think
the losses we have had due to the emigration are being compensated,
maybe even more. Don't get me wrong, I am not calling for emigrating
but if those people who have left have made success, it is good. This
means that this is a capable nation and is able to express its
Armenian nature on foreign soil.
Vatche - Mr. Hovsepian, I've noticed that most elected representatives
of the NA might be willing to "sell" our nation for their own personal
gains. Being a member of the NA, what is your perspective on this?
Shouldn't NA members seek the overall good of the nation vs. their own
personal gains?
Ruben Hovsepian - I agree. But in case of such deputies, the democracy
offers a good solution: when you do not like the person you have
elected you should not elect him next time. Right before the
elections, such people all of a sudden lose their minds and they do
something they are going to speak against two days later. I am not
speaking of the electoral fraud -- it exists -- but everyone should
realize that if he or she has made a wrong choice, don't speak, just
make the right choice next time. This problem is greatly connected
with society members; it was his or her choice to be paid and elect
someone. If you can survive the whole year without that money then
live another day without that money but elect the right person so as I
or someone else could not blame you tomorrow. People should not be
sweet-talked, they need to hear the truth.
Mikhail Astvatsaturov - What defines society in your mind? And for
Independence and State, is Armenia what our fathers and grandfathers
wished for our country? Is there any regret you have about Armenian
Society? That you would like to change? See Armenians always stand
together when we are pinned down, but when we are not under the hammer
of judgment, we fight with each other... Should Armenians "change" and
act as a body or should we continue to hurt each other until the
hammer comes around again? Its a simple answer to the question, we
should not hurt each other, but how can we come towards this goal? To
have a better society...
Ruben Hovsepian - You need to have a better society to have a better
society. This markedly goes throughout this entire interview. We are
no much better or much worse than other nations. We hurt each other,
but is there any nation which has no thieves or bribe takers? Today,
we are busy with exaggerating those shortcomings instead of correcting
them. We think others are better than us and we find ourselves
depressed when a Moscow TV channel shows an Armenian bandit; I feel so
offended, it feels like the entire nation was arrested there. When
they name 15 Russians, 7 Georgians and one Armenian, I separate that
one Armenian and feel insulted for the whole nation. But any nation
has any type of people, we should look at it more calmly. What is it
supposed to mean "We hurt each other?" hasn't the Diaspora that now
lives in prosperity hurt each other? Does the best part of the nation
live outside Armenia and the worst part in Armenia? It is never so, a
nation's gene is the same everywhere. Simply they obey the laws of the
government they live under, and it is not the case here. In this
country, few people obey the laws --good or bad. They do not hurt each
other; they simply do not respect laws. And if the law is bad, then
fight that law. There is no other way around.
Grigor Grigorian - What is your opinion concerning dual citizenship
What is your opinion concerning Mesropian and Abeghianakan orthography
Thanks and Regards Grigor A, GRIGORIAN NEW - YORK
Ruben Hovsepian - I think the talks around the dual citizenship in the
context of the constitutional reforms are greatly simplified. It seems
to me that the discussions are deliberately held in a manner so people
could not understand what they are talking about. And they actually
don't. The opponents put people in a situation where they unwillingly
become opponents too. They think that 4 million Africans would come to
Armenia and occupy the country and make decisions for us. They distort
people's psychology by those measures. In reality, the issue of dual
citizenship is to be regulated through bilateral agreements between
countries. Those agreements cover the problems connected with military
service, taxes, etc. As far as the orthographies are concerned, I see
no conflict here. If we are not ready to speak of uniting them, then
let's not speak of contradiction. Both orthographies should be
used. At its time, a radical decision was made. I received my
education in this orthography, but I am not saying I do not accept the
other one. Armenian communities use varieties of languages and
orthographies, is anyone concerned what is going to happen to these
people? The time for uniting them will come.
See the full version of the interview in Armenian.
Ruben Hovsepian
Armenian National Assembly member, writer
Dear readers,
Between June 28 and July 6, 2005, you had an opportunity to address
your questions on the Yerkir's website to RUBEN HOVSEPIAN, Armenian
National Assembly member, writer.
Below are the answers to your questions. See the full version of the
interview in Armenian.
Thank you for your active participation: Spartak Seyranian,
editor-in-chief of "Yerkir" Weekly.
Armen - Dear Mr. Hovsepian, in my previous question I asked
politologist Mr. Alexander Iskandarian if Armenia is careful enough
not to lose its strategic asset, namely human capital. My question was
asked in a comparative context, where regional factors, such as
Azerbaijan's oil and Georgian's transport routes help Azerbaijan and
Georgia to arrange their security in the region. At the same time
Armenia's human capital is not fully utilized and is being lost. Mr.
Iskandarian answered me that the oil factor in Azerbaijan and
Georgia's transport routes are nothing but fairy tales. Also, in his
opinion Armenia's is not losing its human resources because the
demographic decline in the republic has stopped. Do you think it is
enough for Armenia to stop the outflow of population to ensure its
comparative advantage over it two aforementioned neighbors in terms of
human capital? What should be done to fully utilize this advantage?
Ruben Hovsepian - To tell the truth, unlike Alexander Iskandarian, I
am not as sure whether these are fairly tales or not, especially in
the case of the Azerbaijani transit routes, which do exist. But that
is not what we should link our actions with. We have our own
geographical position, and we should build our interests based on
understanding it. Optimally utilizing our human resources is not the
only way; there are many other ways too. I agree to some extend that
the demographic decline has stopped, but we should think how
effectively it is used because it makes no good when our talents are
not used. Along with the economic development of the country, the
issue of using human resources should be resolved too. I would like to
say that we shouldn't look at our brain drain from the dark side
only. Whether we like it or not, this has become a reality that
carries also positive things independent on our will. All of a sudden,
we see that an Armenian has become successful in some part of the
world while he could not succeed here. If we think not only about the
state, but also the nation and the homeland, these phenomena can be
considered as positive. We are beginning to utilize the world. I think
the losses we have had due to the emigration are being compensated,
maybe even more. Don't get me wrong, I am not calling for emigrating
but if those people who have left have made success, it is good. This
means that this is a capable nation and is able to express its
Armenian nature on foreign soil.
Vatche - Mr. Hovsepian, I've noticed that most elected representatives
of the NA might be willing to "sell" our nation for their own personal
gains. Being a member of the NA, what is your perspective on this?
Shouldn't NA members seek the overall good of the nation vs. their own
personal gains?
Ruben Hovsepian - I agree. But in case of such deputies, the democracy
offers a good solution: when you do not like the person you have
elected you should not elect him next time. Right before the
elections, such people all of a sudden lose their minds and they do
something they are going to speak against two days later. I am not
speaking of the electoral fraud -- it exists -- but everyone should
realize that if he or she has made a wrong choice, don't speak, just
make the right choice next time. This problem is greatly connected
with society members; it was his or her choice to be paid and elect
someone. If you can survive the whole year without that money then
live another day without that money but elect the right person so as I
or someone else could not blame you tomorrow. People should not be
sweet-talked, they need to hear the truth.
Mikhail Astvatsaturov - What defines society in your mind? And for
Independence and State, is Armenia what our fathers and grandfathers
wished for our country? Is there any regret you have about Armenian
Society? That you would like to change? See Armenians always stand
together when we are pinned down, but when we are not under the hammer
of judgment, we fight with each other... Should Armenians "change" and
act as a body or should we continue to hurt each other until the
hammer comes around again? Its a simple answer to the question, we
should not hurt each other, but how can we come towards this goal? To
have a better society...
Ruben Hovsepian - You need to have a better society to have a better
society. This markedly goes throughout this entire interview. We are
no much better or much worse than other nations. We hurt each other,
but is there any nation which has no thieves or bribe takers? Today,
we are busy with exaggerating those shortcomings instead of correcting
them. We think others are better than us and we find ourselves
depressed when a Moscow TV channel shows an Armenian bandit; I feel so
offended, it feels like the entire nation was arrested there. When
they name 15 Russians, 7 Georgians and one Armenian, I separate that
one Armenian and feel insulted for the whole nation. But any nation
has any type of people, we should look at it more calmly. What is it
supposed to mean "We hurt each other?" hasn't the Diaspora that now
lives in prosperity hurt each other? Does the best part of the nation
live outside Armenia and the worst part in Armenia? It is never so, a
nation's gene is the same everywhere. Simply they obey the laws of the
government they live under, and it is not the case here. In this
country, few people obey the laws --good or bad. They do not hurt each
other; they simply do not respect laws. And if the law is bad, then
fight that law. There is no other way around.
Grigor Grigorian - What is your opinion concerning dual citizenship
What is your opinion concerning Mesropian and Abeghianakan orthography
Thanks and Regards Grigor A, GRIGORIAN NEW - YORK
Ruben Hovsepian - I think the talks around the dual citizenship in the
context of the constitutional reforms are greatly simplified. It seems
to me that the discussions are deliberately held in a manner so people
could not understand what they are talking about. And they actually
don't. The opponents put people in a situation where they unwillingly
become opponents too. They think that 4 million Africans would come to
Armenia and occupy the country and make decisions for us. They distort
people's psychology by those measures. In reality, the issue of dual
citizenship is to be regulated through bilateral agreements between
countries. Those agreements cover the problems connected with military
service, taxes, etc. As far as the orthographies are concerned, I see
no conflict here. If we are not ready to speak of uniting them, then
let's not speak of contradiction. Both orthographies should be
used. At its time, a radical decision was made. I received my
education in this orthography, but I am not saying I do not accept the
other one. Armenian communities use varieties of languages and
orthographies, is anyone concerned what is going to happen to these
people? The time for uniting them will come.
See the full version of the interview in Armenian.