Ashot Jazoyan: Armenian Genocide is not a closed page of history - Mediamax.am

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Ashot Jazoyan: Armenian Genocide is not a closed page of history

Ashot Jazoyan
Ashot Jazoyan

Photo: RIA Novosti

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In March 2015, Armenia hosted “At the Foot of Ararat” annual international media forum which brought more than 150 journalists from 35 countries together.

 

Mediamax asked one of the organizers of the event, Chairman of Media Congress Council, Secretary of the Union of Journalists of Russia Ashot Jazoyan, to sum up the coverage of the Armenian Genocide Centennial events. Ashot Jazoyan has recently been awarded with a special prize of the Interparliamentary Assembly CIS member states "For the Novelty of the Idea and Brilliant Director's Work” for the documentary “The Hermitage with Love” at the XVI International TV & Cinema Forum “Together” in Yalta.

 

Below is Mediamax’s exclusive interview with Ashot Jazoyan. 

 

- Mr. Jazoyan, “At the Foot of Ararat” international media forum organized by Media Congress took place in Armenia this year, and the Armenian Genocide became one of the key topics. How was the forum reviewed afterwards?

 

- “At the Foot of Ararat” media forum is a professional meeting of journalists and its reviews are directly reflected in the press, TV and radio channels as well as in websites of international media. This year, more than 150 leading journalists from 35 countries arrived in Armenia- from South Korea to Argentina- so we can talk about the creation of a massive and efficient broad message on Armenian Genocide recognition in the media.

 

By the way, I want to remind you that we ought to mark and recall the dedication of journalists, missionaries and activists who, along with diplomats and government officials, disseminated the information about the terrible crimes committed against Armenians over 1895-1923 in the media. Journalistic solidarity was manifested in the days of the forum, when the journalists, holding hands around the Eternal Flame created "Circle of Memory and Condemnation" , demonstrating the unity of the international community around condemnation of the Armenian Genocide denial policy at the Memorial to Armenian Genocide Victims, Tsitsernakaberd.

 

Speaking about journalists' comments on the visit to Armenia, I would like to especially emphasize that their content is largely defined by the speech of the Armenian President in front of participants of the media forum. The thing that he was basing on solely facts, the word reserved from estimation, as well as the assurance that Armenia has no enemies echoed in the international media. However, Armenia is mostly spoken not as a subject but as an object of the world politics. Meanwhile, I think the country has potential, especially intelligence, to have their word in international diplomacy by reconsidering its geopolitical role in the region in the first place. In other words, the country cannot be satisfied with the deadlock- like situation today. Armenia may put forward new and effective initiatives in a region where interests converge, especially with Russia, Iran and Georgia.

 

- It was often stated that the Genocide Centennial will be the beginning of a new stage. What do think Armenia’s further actions should be?

 

- Crimes against humanity, such as the Genocide, have no statute of limitations, so no date, not even a century can become a turning point. Genocide is a turned, but not closed, sad chapter of history, and not only for the Armenian people. The concept of time is simply absent here, I think it is the duty of every state that considers itself a part of the modern civilization, to recognize and condemn the first genocide of the twentieth century. Of course, I would like to see the leaders of all states of the United Nations at the Memorial Monument in Tsitsernakaberd on April 24: this would mean that the world has entered a new phase of civilization of shared moral values. But, unfortunately, that didn’t happen. For the first 15 years of the new century we have witnessed the grief of a new escalation of international tension, double standards, political actions justified by only short-term profits leading to the cultivation of a new monster of evil and obscurantism under ISIS name close to the Armenian borders. Speaking about the prospects of the new policy of Armenia, I think, it is a restoration of its historic importance as a political and economic bridge between East and West in the modern years. Armenia closes the axis of Christian Europe and, at the same time, it is the first gate to Asia. Here, at the foot of Mount Ararat, Noah’s ark can be built, as a symbol of rebirth and inter-civilizational dialogue. The new stage, of course, is connected with the changes of the elite, and with the advent of new political forces, for which the future is a natural upgrade of the living space. I mean young people, who during the hot summer protests connected with the electricity tariff increase, showed striking precocious awareness and restraint and, importantly, did not succumb to the attempts of some politicians to insert it in the short-term international and ideological party standards.

 

- How would you assess the cooperation between Armenia and Diaspora in terms of the Genocide recognition?

 

- This segregation, in my opinion, is conditional. After all it is the same nation, same people of the same national heritage but living in different countries. They are all linked to the one motherland- Armenia. This helped not only organize all Armenians in the case of Genocide recognition, but also acceptance of Pan-Armenian declaration that reflect Armenian nations position in terms of historical actions as well as its glimpse into the future. And here, in my opinion, the closest major strategic step should be to attracting Armenian compatriots that live abroad to not only political but also economic life of the country.

 

A pan-Armenian economic program should follow the adopted declaration that would not only be based on individual donations but on mutual benefit, and first of all it concerns the effectiveness of the hundreds of Russian-Armenian enterprises. Industrial stagnation weakens the country and contributes to the explosive growth of migration. Not only residents of Armenia need prosperous homeland, but also Armenians living abroad, and, of course, in Russia. To this end, the economy should hinge upon the interests of persons. Only in this case will the Republic stops being just a place for outflow, but become an attractive center for the Armenians and the neighboring states. And, returning to the previous question, the arguments of an economically prosperous country are always important in the international political arena.

 

Photo: from personal archive

 

- Lately, the Armenian Genocide and normalization of relations with Armenia have been spoken about in Turkey. How sincere you think these aspirations are?

   

- I think it all depends on the reasons for these steps. If this is the game of today's political leaders who do not have the courage to abandon the pro-fascist ideology of the Ottoman Empire, the result of which was the Genocide - I would not believe. But it is possible that many of the actions are triggered by the progressive part of Turkish society, in that case, it would be unfair to be skeptical of it. We need an analysis of each individual facts and the development of adequate reciprocal steps.

 

I would believe the Minister for EU Affairs of Turkey, this courageous politician not only did not hesitate to attend the memorial service at the Armenian Church in Ankara on April 24, but reiterated his position on the Genocide recognition in a number of subsequent speeches. There is no doubt that the Turkish society, which has chosen a democratic path of development, needs the admission of guilt for the events of the 15th year. As for Armenia, the Turkish people have never been its enemy. That is why we must avoid the attempts to assess the tragedy as a result of religious conflict. Many of the Armenians survived, by running to Lebanon, Syria and other Muslim countries. People were killed on ethnic grounds, like I said, as a result of pro-Nazi policy of the Ottoman Empire.

 

- What are the odds for establishing a dialogue between the Armenian and Turkish societies and what’s the role of journalists in it?

 

- The society didn’t close the border. The politicians did. I think that Armenians, as well as the progressive part of Turkish society are open for the dialogue. 4 journalists from Turkey were present during “At the Foot of Ararat” forum. It’s a good start of the dialogue. “Commonwealth Journalists”' international media congress is ready to organize a meeting of Armenian and Turkish journalists, which could take place at the barbed wire closed borders of Armenia and Turkey or in any third country. We know about the availability of colleagues to take part in it, and we know the position of the Armenian leadership. The only thing that’s missing is the absence of guarantee from the Turkish government that the participants of such dialogue will not be subjected to persecution. As I mentioned, the Turkish society and the Turkish government are often at odds in the ethical assessment of historical and contemporary events.

 

- Can we talk about the effectiveness of events dedicated to Armenian Genocide centennial?

 

- Sophisticated work of the organizing committee brought different ideas that serve for the same goal together born in the preparation of non-standard initiatives. Then everything worked- correctly selected symbol- the forget- me not ," We remember and demand ", and the annual program of activities. I think the positive role was played by the chairman of the organizing committee and the appointment of a representative of a new generation of Armenian intellectuals Vigen Sargsyan. But I would not separate the centennial from everything that have happened during these years. Something seemed logical incarnation of long-term work carried out by both the Armenian state and the Armenian foreign centers , something loomed up new prospects. The fact that the voice of Armenia was heard around the world, is certainly important, but much more significant for me as an internal effect - a new proof of the fact that, we as a nation gain the strength that is capable to impact not only on the fate of Armenia, but also, above all, to regional political processes if we are united around one idea.

 

Angela Kzhdryan talked to Ashot Jazoyan

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