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Serzh Sargsyan Meets With Journalists From Diaspora

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  • Serzh Sargsyan Meets With Journalists From Diaspora

    SERZH SARGSYAN MEETS WITH JOURNALISTS FROM DIASPORA

    ARMENPRESS
    OCTOBER 18, 2010
    YEREVAN

    Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met October 16 with journalist from
    Diaspora who gathered to participated in the Pan-Armenian forum of
    journalists held in Spepanakert October 12-16.

    Presidential press office told Armenpress that the president delivered
    a speech at the opening that runs as follows:

    "First, allow me to congratulate you all on today's holiday. Today is
    Armenian Press Day, and I am happy that it coincides with the festive
    events going on in Syunik marz.

    Dear Compatriots, Marvelous views and unique historic sites, which you
    have seen in Artsakh and here in Syunik, undoubtedly have impressed
    you and back in your home countries you will work with renewed energy
    and inspiration. But regardless of your job, we are always happy to
    see our brothers and sisters from Spyurk in our common homeland. I
    didn't say "host" you because you are not guests, welcome to homeland,
    welcome to Motherland.

    I view the 5th All-Armenian Journalists Conference entitled "Challenges
    of the 21st Century: Information Security and Armenian Journalism" and
    held in the capital of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic as an important
    initiative and thank you all for bringing to life that wonderful idea.

    It is no secret, that the role of the mass media in all ongoing world
    processes is crucial, particularly the journalist profession. In the
    21st century, precise and timely information has become a powerful
    weapon: its pinpointed application may become decisive for the course
    of events. From this point of view in all our activities, aimed at
    the realization of national goals, we attach utmost importance to
    the Armenian-language journalism and to the publications by our
    journalists in the world's leading mass media. The role of the
    Armenian journalism is greatly stipulated also by the necessity to
    assist in addressing national issues, particularly, for the task of
    the world-wide preservation of the Armenian identity.

    Journalistic mission is indispensable for the establishment,
    strengthening and development of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh -
    second Armenian state - as well as for its international recognition.

    It should be not forgotten that victories won on the battle fields
    must be enforced by the victories on the diplomatic arena. At the
    same time, the role of the Armenian and Diaspora mass media, as
    well as publications by the Armenian journalists in foreign media
    is essential for withstanding adversary propaganda and introduction
    of the issue to the international community. The conference held in
    Stepanakert presented an excellent opportunity to thoroughly study
    Artsakh, to learn it from inside, to comprehend Artsakh's problem and
    appreciate the worries of the people of Artsakh. I am confident that
    you will write many pages and create numerous stories on this account.

    Further progress in the process of international recognition of the
    Armenian Genocide can also be expedited only through the increased
    involvement of media. Mass media can considerably promote just and
    fair resolution of the Armenian Cause and efficient organization of
    lobbying activities.

    It is also apparent that the media outlets working in Diaspora bring
    significant input to the task of preservation of the Armenian identity,
    preservation and dissemination of national culture. We still have a
    lot to do for the creation of the common All-Armenian information
    field, for addressing existing problems and withstanding emerging
    challenges. I am sure that you have had fruitful discussions on these
    issues in the past days and have adopted appropriate decisions.

    Dear Journalists, You are doing a great and gratifying job. I
    understand all too well that to publish, preserve and disseminate
    Armenian periodicals in foreign countries requires great sacrifice;
    it also means to become organizers and leaders of community life,
    to engage in the preservation and spread of our amazing mother
    tongue, hold on to the Armenian identity and Armenian spirit, to have
    individual profile, national roots, Armenian mentality and eventually
    to become safeguards of spiritual, historical and cultural heritage
    of different parts of our nation, promoters of national values,
    re-inventors of national traditions and facilitators of national
    development.

    We are aware of all the difficulties you face, problems that emerge
    every day. Those are problems which are first of all related to the
    challenges that Armenian communities come across in Spyurk; however
    there are also problems that should be and could be solved through
    our joint efforts, in close cooperation with the Armenian government.

    We are also inspired to see that new Armenian outlets emerge in
    different parts of the world, including those are being published
    in foreign languages. This is a nice tendency indeed. We need to get
    stronger on the international information field - both qualitatively
    and quantitatively. We counter and will continue to counter lies and
    falsifications and black propaganda subsidized with the petromoney of
    our neighbor with our world-wide human potential, and we will prevail
    because lies and falsifications don't get far.

    We don't have to persuade ourselves that the international recognition
    of Artsakh's right for self-determination has no alternative. But
    foreigners do need truthful and unbiased information. We don't have
    to beautify reality in Artsakh or the Republic of Armenia; however
    we should be able to prevent picturing everything black. Neither
    beautification, nor blackening - simply present the existing reality -
    this is the task that we have to complete together.

    Indeed, anti-Armenian fascism is getting momentum in Azerbaijan; it is
    being executed purposefully and on the highest level. It is not about
    individual crooks or sick persons suffering from nationalism who can
    be neglected. We are speaking about the state ideology, according to
    which "contemporary Armenia was created on historical Azeri land."

    That is to say, not only Artsakh but also Yerevan, Sevan, Saint
    Echmiadzin are "historical Azeri lands." Hence, according to this
    logic and in this context, Artsakh becomes a part of so called
    "historical Azerbaijani lands." Last time, we 'learned' about it
    yesterday, from the President of Azerbaijan himself.

    Why this extreme jingoistic position has been articulated particularly
    now? Azerbaijan is staggered and infuriated that the international
    community and the Presidents of the Co-Chair states publicly recognize
    the right of the people of Artsakh for self-determination. Moreover,
    free expression of will of the people of Artsakh regarding the
    political status of Nagorno Karabakh and its results must have
    binding legal consequences for all parties. This is the very reason
    for Azerbaijan's desperate convulsions. They have not prepared their
    own people for such outcome, and judging from their rhetoric, are
    not going to.

    It is quite clear that the resolution of Artsakh's problem must be
    found exclusively through peaceful negotiations. Today, the entire
    world rules out military solutions, and only Azerbaijan, according to
    their own words, "does not exclude military solution of the problem."

    Is this assertion for internal use only? Probably. But what good does
    it make to the internal consumers of this assertion, i.e. to the people
    of Azerbaijan or foreign investors? In Azerbaijan academic humanitarian
    sciences have become the generators of bellicose proclamations. It's
    hard to tell where science ends and puppet show starts.

    In case of Artsakh, the "argument" is set forth that some of
    local toponyms are Azerbaijani (they could at least say 'Turkish'
    or 'Persian') and not Armenian. How a settlement could have an
    Azerbaijani name 200-300 years ago? An entire generation, which
    tomorrow "shall heroically liberate historical Azerbaijani land", was
    educated on this kind of 'scientific arguments'. That generation will
    not be allowed to learn that the Armenian toponym for the region -
    Artsakh was evidenced back in VIII century BC, evidenced by Sarduri
    II, the son of the founder of Yerevan King Argishti I; and that in I
    century BC, it was known to the foreign geographers, as Strabon puts
    it, as "Artsakh province of Armenia," which had the largest cavalry
    forces; and that modern Stepanakert was built on the grounds of the
    Armenian settlement Varakan established in the V century; and that
    it is a genuine Armenian name which means "Squirmy brook"; and that
    for centuries the population of the area was homogeneous, populated
    exclusively by Armenians, which is confirmed also by the 18th century
    official Turkish sources. Only in the second half of the 18th century,
    negligible amount of Turkic Muslim nomadic tribes settled here, whose
    total number at the beginning of the last century hardly reached
    five percent of the entire population. That generation will never
    learn that in thousands historical manuscripts, which narrate about
    Artsakh and its courageous people, word "Azerbaijan" does not exist,
    couldn't exist. That word appeared for the first time ever only a
    hundred years ago, I repeat - only a hundred years ago.

    Moreover, in one of his statements, the President of Azerbaijan says
    that toponym Stepankert exists only because of the name of the "bandit"
    Stepan Shahumian. One day, the generation which is going "to liberate
    Azerbaijani land" will turn to its leaders and ask - shouldn't the
    student of one of the most prestigious Moscow Universities have been
    aware of the fact that at the same time the leader of Azerbaijan Heidar
    Alieyv, accompanied by the storm of applause, voiced the following
    thought that "the noble personality of Stepan Shahumian is an inspiring
    example for all generations of Azerbaijani workers", "And today we
    state proudly and lovingly (the then leader of Azerbaijan was speaking
    on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan) that Stepan Shahumian is also
    the son of the Azerbaijani people." That's what Heidar Alieyv said.

    Sick fantasies resulted in claiming that Christian churches of Artsakh
    - Amaras, Gandzasar, are Azerbaijani. Furthermore, they were the first
    in the world to adopt Christianity. To Turkey they present their new
    slogan "One nation, two states", i.e. the Turks and the Azeris are
    the same people living in two states. Five minutes later, Azeris claim
    that they are not Turks, or rather were not Turks: used to be Aghvans,
    used to write books which didn't reach present days because all those
    manuscripts were burned by the Armenians; they were Aghvans and built
    masterpieces of Christian architecture that were expropriated by the
    Armenians, and finally they changed their language and became Turks.

    Later, world's first Christian-Aghvan-Azeris changed their faith and
    became the most faithful Muslims of the world. Simultaneously, they are
    promoting the idea that they are direct descendants of the Mar people,
    who spoke Persian, and are lawful owners of Iran's Atrpatakan region.

    Switch of languages, nationalities and beliefs is their own business;
    but manifestations of anti-Armenian fascism are our business.

    Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan
    asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and
    later started to sob about the dire repercussions of that war. As if
    wars ever bring pleasant repercussions. And on top of that, Azerbaijan
    adopted conceited stance and started to make demands as if anywhere
    in the world defeated aggressors are ever allowed to make demands.

    To save their faces, Azeris are resorting to quasi-rhetoric that the
    Armenians won the war with the assistance of another country. No
    surprise here, how else can they explain the crushing defeat from
    a small number of Armenians? But they still have no guts to state
    officially what country or countries they talk about. Spell it. Spell
    it, so that it can be proved by the facts that you're lying. What
    keeps you silent? Now they have decided that Armenia cannot exist on
    her own and has no future. They feed themselves with these fairytales
    and got really stunned that the world has quite a different view on
    a number of issues.

    In conclusion, I would like to share with you results of a study
    recently conducted by the scientists. A large group of genetics and
    linguists, all of them non-Armenians, has conducted an intricate
    and lengthy research. According to the latest results, the Armenian
    language is at least 8000 years old. It means that as a nation we have
    been around for the last 8000 years. During those 8000 years many
    have been trying to teach us things from the position of a larger
    territory, a larger population, and a larger purse. It's true that
    at some points they were able to weaken us, but today the absolute
    majority of them are extinct; they left the stage of history. As for
    us, we continue our way, calm and confident because we have things
    to do for the next 8000 years at least.

    Thank you, and welcome to Motherland."




    From: A. Papazian
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