www.aravot.am asked Professor Levon Chugaszyan, a PhD in Art Studies and the chair of the UNESCO department of the art history of Armenia and the theory of art, Yerevan State University, to comment on the step taken by the Armenian Academy of Sciences – it has suspended its relations with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences for obvious reasons stating, “The Armenian art critics have been shocked and terribly indignant at the disgraceful, indecent and intolerable deal cut by the government of Hungary, a member of the European Union and NATO, with the Azerbaijani government causing scientists perceived as nonpartisan to take such a critical and unprecedented step.”
However, the famous scientist condemns this step taken by the NAS of the Republic of Armenia.
“My opinion is that we have to develop stable cooperation with scientists of various countries, particularly those countries, in which we have had colonies. For centuries, those countries gave refuge to our compatriots who had emigrated from our country that was suffering under the yoke of foreigners and they made important contribution to the life of those countries, including Hungary. Many Hungarians have warm feelings for our country and our people, how can one drive a wedge or set up a barrier between friendly nations,” Chugaszyan says.
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He is convinced that “instead of showing to the government of Hungary Armenians’ contribution and characterizing the rulers as ignorant about these facts and as the ones who cause hostility between friendly nations, our academy acts as an anti-scientific institution that is unaware of the history of the Armenia people and pursues a short-sighted national policy. This is because people who don’t have sufficient knowledge in terms of Armenology have appeared among the leadership of our academy. One mustn’t make imprudent, premature and unserious decisions and play around with the reputation of the National Academy of Sciences. That decision cannot express the common opinion of all scientists of Armenia and become the decision of them all. It testifies to the insufficient knowledge about Armenology and the level of political thinking of the people who have made their way into the leadership of the academy.”
Gohar HAKOBYAN
