InternationalDiocese hosts dinner for Foreign Minister Nalbandian
Published: Tuesday September 29, 2009
The Primate presents Foreign Minister Nalbandian with a gift on behalf of the Diocese.
New York - On Saturday, September 26, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) and president of the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR), hosted a dinner in honor of Edward Nalbandian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia.
Mr. Nalbandian was accompanied by Tatoul Markarian, Armenia's ambassador to the United States; Ambassador Garen Nazarian, Armenia's new permanent representative to the United Nations; and others.
The dignitaries met with some leaders of the Armenian-American community in the formal reception room of the Diocesan Center in New York.
In opening remarks, Archbishop Barsamian welcomed Mr. Nalbandian, who was in the United States to address the United Nations General Assembly and drum up support for his controversial recent agreement with Turkey.
In greeting the guests, Oscar Tatosian, chairperson of the Diocesan Council, and Randy Sapah-Gulian, chairperson of the FAR Board of Directors, said that the entire Armenian-American community has been following with serious attention the initiatives of the Armenian government, in its effort to normalize diplomatic relations with Turkey.
"Armenians around the world express their views and concerns about it – and that is natural, since so much is at stake. However, we hope that your visit and meetings here will shed light on the protocols signed recently with the Turkish authorities, and give more comfort to our communities in supporting the realistic and future-oriented policies of the Armenia government," said Mr. Tatosian.
Mr. Nalbandian thanked the Primate and dinner guests for a warm reception, and acknowledged the Diocesan Center as a "bridge between Armenia and the diaspora," where dignitaries from Armenia's political, cultural, and scientific arenas are always welcomed. "This is a house of all Armenians," he said, "and all visitors feel proud at this center."
The foreign minister proceeded to share his views on the most sensitive aspects of the protocols, which have generated a great deal of reaction around the world. He recounted in considerable detail the negotiation process with his Turkish counterparts, which eventually led to the initialing of the documents, which he characterized as "groundbreaking."
"In the course of the extensive public discourse around the protocols, some allegations are being made that are either inaccurate and do not represent reality – or . . . worse, are distorting the essence and the letter of the signed protocols," Mr. Nalbandian claimed.
According to Mr. Nalbandian, the entire negotiating process and the final documents were generated at the initiative of the Armenian government, and not imposed on the Armenian side, as some have claimed.
Negotiations without any precondition
"The history of diplomatic relations proves that all sensitive issues between countries could be better resolved at the negotiating table, in the framework of mutual respect and trust," stated Mr. Nalbandian in his address to the guests at the Diocesan Center.
"We have never shied away from declaring on any possible occasion, from any international podium, that Armenia does have unresolved issues with our neighbor, including the recognition of the Genocide," he said. "We have made it absolutely clear to our Turkish counterparts, and no preconditions were ever discussed or agreed upon in the process of preparing the protocols."
Turkey's three preconditions for the opening of the border and establishment of diplomatic relations have been (a) recognition by Armenia of the current borders and Turkey's territorial integrity, (b) an end to the campaign for universal affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, and (c) withdrawal of Armenian forces from territories claimed by Azerbaijan. The protocols explicitly recognize the current border and Turkey's territorial integrity. They provide for a commission to examine historial issues; Turkey has sought such a commission as a way of casting doubt on the Genocide. The protocols do not link normalization of relations to developments in Karabakh, but the Turkish prime minister has stated as recently as last week that Turkey would not open the border without that precondition being met.
Mr. Nalbandian continued: "The establishment of diplomatic relations between our two states will set the start for a long-term dialogue between the diplomats and representative authorities, during which the two countries will seek a resolution to many historic, and new, bilateral problems."
An open and cordial question-and-answer session followed Mr. Nalbandian's formal remarks. Guests at the dinner, representing a cross-section of the American-Armenian community, raised their own concerns and asked the foreign minister to clarify numerous matters that had been circulated about the protocols.
Mr. Nalbandian fielded every question, and even shared intimate details about the documents and the processes and negotiations behind their preparation.
"Some critics – either not deliberately, or with an obvious political intent – are claiming to see things that are not in these documents, and have never even been discussed in the negotiations," Mr. Nalbandian said.
"Contrary to what is being speculated, no one-sided concessions, no hidden or open preconditions, were made by the Armenian side. The documents have clearly stated what has been achieved at the negotiating table: All issues of bilateral relations would become agenda items of further negotiations between the two governments, after the diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey are established, and the borders are open." said Mr. Nalbandian.
