In the conversation with Aravot.am, orientalist Artak Avetisyan, analyzing the armed attacks from Turkey to Syria Armenia-populated settlement Kessab region, expressed the following opinion, “Turkish diplomacy is always catching fish in troubled waters, and Turks have always loved using the opportunity in complex situations. During the World War I, Turks would step back across the front when the military and political leadership was signing a capitulation, in the eastern front, taking advantage of the favorable situation, the helplessness of the Armenian side, they would attack. Turks psychology is to spirit away without thinking too much about the consequence. Their history has always proved that what they did at that moment they did it right. The Armenian genocide happened, they did it right, they occupied Cyprus, they did it rights, they destroyed the Kurds, they did it right… Everything remains unanswered, today their brother America, our big brother Russia will prove that the weak is guilty before the strong; it is the policy of the whole world. In this case, Turks took the advantage of Syrian government, not thinking at the moment about Kessab, Kessab was not so necessary at the point, although Asadi’s brother died there. Taking the advantage of this mixed situation, something similar happened. Then there is the other problem, I do not want to be subjective, but if it were not Kessab, the outcome of the battle, in brackets, would not probably end in that way and likewise, because people tend to lose Kessab were living there. I do not want to say anything bad about our Armenian people, however, if we take the same area as a territorial issue, a battle, if it were a usual Arab settlement, the fights could have proceeded up to this point, however, I do not think that Syrian Armenia was the type that should have fought at that moment. During these three years, they were very passive, although perhaps the passivity reaching positive neutrality was the most right thing. They were thinking that it was not their fight, so it’s better to get rid of this danger, then God is merciful. Diaspora is always cautious. Armenians in Armenia and Diaspora are two different Armenians. The Soviet Union upbringing, Afghan War, the World War II, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and even massacres gave rise to an Artsakh liberation war hero from the guys born from a human and a man wearing boots of the Soviet Army. We have guys from Diaspora who came to Armenia, became heroes, but in this case Kessab people believed that it was not their fight. Secondly, they were thinking that they were not ready for self-defense, as it is not their fight, why should they defend, let the Syrian government protect them. Thirdly, our Armenian has a place to escape, ten years ago no Syrian could never dream that he could be forced to migrate from Syria, at best, he would go to America, Canada, and Australia for a better life. No one would even think that the welfare country could collapse for Armenian, be destroyed, and the Armenian would lose things over there. It is not your country, and there is no sense of homeland, soil, water and there is no necessity for fighting. Having relatives abroad, destructed the Syrian colony, there were people who had relatives in abroad: America, Europe, Canada, and Australia, and those who had the first chance have fled, not to speak about Armenia. Only hopeless Armenians remained in Aleppo who do not have people outside; they have no relatives. The Turks seized the right time, and our Armenians thought that it was not their fight, we do not fit in there.”
Nune AREVSHATYAN
