On July 5, the RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan expressed interesting ideas during the 2nd conference of Pan-Armenian Forum of Lawyers on “Ahead to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide”, speaking about the legal aspects of eliminating aftermaths of the Armenian genocide, noting that the Armenian lawyers have serious work to do.
“It is undisputed that the elimination of aftermaths of the Armenian Genocide depends on the compensation. What should be the nature of that compensation: pure moral, or also property and territory? What is the range of subjects receiving compensation? It should include the descendants of victims of the genocide, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Republic of Armenia, or all together? I strongly believe that the heirs of victims of genocide should receive material compensation; the Armenian Church should get back the churches miraculously preserved in the territory of Turkey, as well as the lands belonging to the churches, the Republic of Armenia should get its lost territories….,”-he said.
A. Hovsepian is a high-rank official, who particularly do not often deliver speeches and express positions even around the topics of his own field and headed department. The claim of Turkey on the level of RA Prosecutor General with the formulation of “Armenia should get its lost territories” can not only be considered a sensational statement, but also change of foreign political course by the official Yerevan because the latter does not have such a priority of RA foreign policy.
If rumors are circulated about the compensation from time to time, no claim on return of the lost territories was made by any high rank official of Armenia. Any of the three presidents of newly independent Armenia did not hint on receiving the territories back from Turkey. Turkey is since independence in areas with no hint as to get it done.
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Of course, the Prosecutor General can say that he has introduced his view (especially when recently opinions are voiced that he will no longer continue his office, because his 6-year term is completing soon), but it will not sound very credible because the event entitled “Ahead to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide ” is not a convenient platform for sharing personal impressions. Then let’s try to understand why such a statement was voiced by the authorities. First, let’s note whether A. Hovsepyan could make such a statement without knowledge of Serzh Sargsyan. Hardly.
In addition, it is noteworthy that the Prosecutor General also touched upon other layers of the genocide topic, the decisions of the international insurance companies, that had to pay appropriate insurance contributions to the descendants of the genocide victims, and the fact that it has been stopped. The RA Prosecutor General considers the role of the Turkish
oppression in that issue undeniable, stressing that it has been a century now that the Armenian-Turkish relations stay in the same place, and the cause of such situation is not only the negative position of Turkey and the geopolitical conflicts of superpowers. This confession of self-criticism is interesting, because, really, in addition to the failure of “football diplomacy”, current authorities can not be proud of, for example, the achievements recorded in the process of Genocide recognition.
In fact, in the legal aspects for the settlement of the Armenian-Turkish relations, the authorities speak about the resolution through fundamental principles of international law. One noteworthy fact, too. A. Hovsepyan also spoke about presenting a counter-claim to Azerbaijanis, pointing out the agreement of 1921, with which Nakhichevan is separated from Armenia, and as an Autonomous Province handed over under the sponsorship of Azerbaijan. “Without referring to the legality of the contract as of March 18, 1921, I’ll just say that aforesaid international contract was arbitrary revised by the decision of Azerbaijan Central Executive Committee in 1923, amended, the status of Nakhichevan was changed, and the region was taken out from under the sponsorship of Azerbaijan and included in the composition of Azerbaijan. The said decision is a flagrant violation of international rights that even the Turkish Government made a note of protest on July, 1923, and the decision of the Central Executive Committee was assessed as an usurpation.”,-he said.
Thus, the official Yerevan has confirmed that Armenia has territorial disputes with Turkey, so as with Azerbaijan, moreover, at the level of the Prosecutor General it is recorded that in the resolution of legal disputes, it is necessary to prepare an application package and submit it, even in the future, to the UN main legal decision-making body, the International Court of Justice.
The authorities apparently decided to roughen the position against Turkey and Azerbaijan. It can be assumed that there will be adequate reactions from Turkey. The question remains open as to what is Armenia going to benefit as a result, and whether these new requirements are not belated response to the failure of “football diplomacy” and maybe a strive to make the international community to exert pressure on Turkey.
Emma GABRIELYAN
