One of the key foundations of Armenian national ideology is the creation, consolidation and strengthening of the independent Republic of Armenia — as a precondition for the realisation of an Independent and United Armenia, and as a guarantee of the survival and development of the Armenian people. The Armenian people have entered the first phase of the realisation of the Great Dream: they have proclaimed the re-independence of Armenia.
The Republic of Armenia, in both its domestic and foreign policy spheres, must be guided by the foundations of national ideology. A nation and a national state can survive only if they are guided by a national ideology.
The Republic of Armenia must have strategic and tactical programmes deriving from national ideology — a National Programme or a NATIONAL SECURITY CONCEPT. While the tactical programme is subject to certain pragmatic processes and may be refined in step with the development and changes of events, and may include options for compromise on tactical matters, the strategic programme — THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT AND UNITED ARMENIA — is not subject to change.
Armenian statehood must have a strong national economy, conditioned by Armenia’s geopolitical situation and historical problems. In view of Armenia’s geopolitical conditions, particular importance attaches to the development of a deep and comprehensive MILITARY CONCEPT, whose core foundations are a strong national army and a strong military industry. The victorious spirit of the national army must be forged in the educational system. For this reason, the educational system must be NATIONAL in its content, and military-patriotic education must occupy a central place in the state educational system.
The foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia must be guided by consideration of the country’s geopolitical and historical factors. At the present stage of history, the question of what place and role should be assigned in the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia to the Armenian Cause, the Armenian Genocide and the problems of the Diaspora acquires the greatest importance.
A) The Armenian Question in Armenia’s Foreign Policy.
Given the extremely complex geopolitical situation and unfavourable conditions, the Republic of Armenia officially declares the Armenian Question a problem of the strategic programme of Armenian national ideology, without including it in the tactical programme and without making it an item on the state’s foreign policy agenda. The uncompromising struggle for the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh must continue, while simultaneously raising the issues of Nakhichevan and Sharur, seized by Azerbaijan. Demand and pursue the revision or annulment of the notorious Russo-Turkish treaty of 16 March 1921, with regard to the article concerning Nakhichevan, and the Treaty of Kars of 13 October of the same year.
It is also necessary to conduct broad propaganda to make the international community aware of the genocide of Armenians organised by Azerbaijan, which has been presented to the world in a distorted form as the “genocide of Azerbaijanis”.
While the Republic of Armenia, for tactical considerations, does not make the Armenian Question an item on its foreign policy agenda, it must nonetheless carry out enormous work to conduct propaganda on this fundamental issue at a high national-political level. A STRATEGIC SCIENTIFIC-ACADEMIC INSTITUTION FOR THE ARMENIAN QUESTION must be established, whose purpose should be THE CREATION OF A CONCEPT FOR THE ARMENIAN QUESTION. This institution must develop the methods and forms of propaganda for the Armenian Question; moreover, this institution must include professional experts of Armenian and other nationalities. A WORLDWIDE ARMENIAN CONGRESS must be convened, which must take upon itself the organisation, coordination and financing of all work conducted on the Armenian Question. The Armenian authorities must also take an active part in the work of this congress.
B) The Armenian Genocide in Armenia’s Foreign Policy.
Entrusting the propaganda and leadership of the struggle waged for the Armenian Question to the Worldwide Armenian Congress, the Republic of Armenia must consider its main task in that sphere to be achieving the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. After the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the acceptance of that reality by the UN, a strengthened Republic of Armenia will enter the second phase of the struggle for the Armenian Question, officially introducing the Armenian Question into the tactical programme and the process of the state’s foreign policy. Thus, at the present stage of history, the Republic of Armenia must consistently struggle for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which shall serve as the basis for the state-level transition to the second phase of the struggle for the Armenian Question.
C) The Diaspora in Armenia’s Foreign Policy.
In the concept of the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia, the Diaspora must also occupy a special place — as a constituent part of the Armenian Question and the problem of the Genocide, as a consequence of the genocide.
Here we deem it important to record the following considerations:
1) On the international stage, the bearer and standard-bearer of the Armenian Question must be the Diaspora. If, at the present stage of history, the Republic of Armenia, proceeding from objective unfavourable conditions and tactical considerations, does not deem it expedient to take the struggle for the Armenian Question into its own hands, then the standard-bearer of that struggle must become the Diaspora.
2) The Diaspora also has an important role to play in the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Only through the joint efforts of the Republic of Armenia and the Diaspora, with the use of the entire potential, external and internal, will it be possible to achieve the international recognition of the genocide.
3) In order to resolve the aforementioned problems with nationwide forces, it is necessary that the body of the Republic of Armenia dealing with Diaspora affairs (ministry, commissioner) be led by representatives of the national intelligentsia, whose word and authority would be respectable and acceptable to the Diaspora.
Through the implementation of the aforementioned problems, the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia will gain the possibility to fully utilise all the forces and opportunities of Armenia and the Diaspora in the struggle for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the Armenian Question. Thus, the Armenian people will be convinced that the leadership of the Republic of Armenia is conducting a national policy deriving from NATIONAL IDEOLOGY, which serves as the basis for NATIONAL UNITY, NATIONAL SOLIDARITY and THE STRENGTHENING OF NATIONAL STATEHOOD.
And proceeding from the interests of our country’s NATIONAL SECURITY, the Republic of Armenia must in all circumstances be an ally of Russia and be included in its strategic programmes. By the imperative of history, the Republic of Armenia must pursue a policy of counterbalancing alliances. The anti-Turkish alliance must include Russia, Armenia, Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Bulgaria, Iran, China, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and others.
In the national security concept of the Republic of Armenia, the cultural, scientific and educational systems occupy a place of the greatest importance. These systems must be under the care of the state.
Thus, the main task of the Republic of Armenia in the current period is the consolidation and strengthening of Armenian independent statehood, the development and implementation of concepts for the state’s domestic and foreign policy, and the creation of conditions for the development of Armenian cultural, scientific and educational systems.
THE HISTORICAL ROLE of the Republic of Armenia is that it ensures the survival and further development of the Armenian people and Armenian statehood, and at the same time serves as the cornerstone for the creation of a Free, Independent and United Armenia.
Kevork Haleplyan
