Careful reading would eliminate many disputed questions – Armenian political analyst on Zori Balayan’s letter to Putin

On October 18, 2013, on behalf of the Chairman of Political Science Association of Armenia Hayk Kotanjian the text of the Statement has been delivered to the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Ivan Volinkin, US Ambassador H.E. John Heffern and the French Ambassador H.E. Henri Reynaud.

The Open Letter of the famous political writer, and USSR MP of Perestroika times – Zori Balayan to the Russian President Vladimir Putin draw a wide public response in the RA and NKR. The representatives from the public and political circles of the two Armenian Republics expressed different, sometimes diametrically opposite opinions and assessments of the statements and points in the Open Letter. Political Science Association of Armenia considers it its duty to make some observations.

Following the free and law-governed self-determination, the freedom of thought and speech are proclaimed to be fundamental values in the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh. A similar achievement is the respect of citizens’ rights and dignity that is guaranteed by the Constitutions of the RA and NKR. Thus, the respect of Mr. Balayan’s right to express his opinion and make assessments cannot be doubted. Showing openness and tenacity when discussing political problems with representatives of other states, including our notorious opponents, we cannot manifest different attitude to our fellow citizens, especially to those, who were at the forefront of the National Liberation Movement and brought a significant contribution to the creation and formation of an independent Armenian state.

As a Member of the Parliament of the USSR Zori Balayan was one of the leaders of the Armenian delegation to the USSR Supreme Soviet, the National Council of Nagorno Кarabakh and the organizers of the Nagorno Karabakh Government-in-exile (in Moscow).

It should be noted, that the basis of a number of critical comments to the letter is the “linear” (simplified) perception of the nonlinear nature of political processes. It seems that the more careful reading of the letter would eliminate many questions that have appeared in the course of the said dispute.

I would like also to pay attention to the political orientation of Zori Balayan’s address. Behind the systemic political and historical survey, a key theme of which is the non-repetition of tragic mistakes in respect of the Armenian people, the concerns of the author stand out for the perspectives of the Karabakh conflict’s just resolution within the framework of the Minsk process, including the political and legal, and territorial configuration of the independent Artsakh State. You may disagree with some points and conclusions, but we cannot ignore the author’s main idea that ensuring security and development of the NKR within Artsakh’s historical borders has no alternative.

The letter’s author presents for the consideration of the Head of the Russian state – Co-chair of the Minsk group – the problem of the academically grounded evaluation of facts for the objective definition of the frames of compromises, including the Armenian-populated Nakhijevan Autonomous Soviet Republic that was subject to ethnic cleansing during the Soviet period.

The letter of Zori Balayan aims to provide for the Head of the Russian state a systemic presentation of the valid political history of Transcaucasia in terms of scientifically verifiable facts bolstered with sources recognized by the international scientific community.

The letter addressed to the head of the Russian state in some sense includes also an appeal to the two other Co-chairs - the US and France - expressing concern about the danger of the penetration into the sphere of the assessment development and decision-making on the Karabakh conflict of anti-scientific products of the systematic distortion of the real history, lavishly paid by the hereditary corrupt dictatorial regime of Azerbaijan.

Political Science Association of Armenia - taking into account the importance and openness of the assessments and suggestions for the Karabakh conflict resolution in the letter of Zori Balayan aimed at the establishment of durable peace in the South Caucasus - has an honor to send this Statement and the Open Letter to the Embassies of the Minsk Group Co-Chair states in the Republic of Armenia for its delivery to the Honorable President of the Russian Federation Mr. Vladimir Putin, Honorable President of the United States Mr. Barack Obama and Honorable President of the French Republic Mr. François Hollande with a request to look through the assessments and suggestions of the Open Letter’s author and take them into consideration during the development of relevant decisions.

Hayk Kotanjian, Doctor of Political Science

Chairman, Political Science Association of Armenia