Today, the international conference dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the signing of an agreement between the European Union and partner countries of the organization of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia transport corridor and a meeting of the TRACECA intergovernmental commission started in Baku. Representatives of more than a dozen countries gathered in the capital of Azerbaijan to participate in the events.
The participants visited the Alley of Honor in Baku, where the Heroes of the Soviet Union, prominent culture, science, literature, art and political figures, including former President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, one of the initiators of the TRACECA creation, are buried.
This fact outraged the representative of the Armenian delegation, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Armen Simonyan. The Armenian guest expressed dissatisfaction with the organization of "some of the events included in the program." “We don’t understand what TRACECA has to do with this and why this visit was organized in the framework of the program. The program for the participants of the 13th ICG meeting held last year in Yerevan did not include any event having political connotations. Although I suppose, you know what historical ordeals we had to overcome. We consider unacceptable the use of such sites for conducting national, moreover, controversial narratives,” Simonyan said.
His speech caused obvious bewilderment of the meeting hosts. Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikail Jabbarov, as the representative of the party responsible for organizing the event and its program, considered it his duty to share his opinion on this topic: "I understand very well the reaction of our neighbors. They came from Yerevan to Baku, saw Baku with their own eyes ... We prefer a constructive approach, but we know that destructive is simpler and more disruptive, and the results of destructive policies are primarily visible in the neighboring country, which is isolated from a large number of projects. The country has driven itself into transport deadlock and economic impasse, and, apparently, it has no desire to get out. "
Regarding the program, Jabbarov once again explained its meaning for those who did not understand: “20 years ago, a certain step was made thanks to which the creation of the TRACECA project was possible. All the successes that were mentioned today would not have taken place without the strategic vision implemented by great Heydar Aliyev. Naturally, the Azerbaijani side, when developing the cultural program of the anniversary event, proceeds from absolutely understandable and accepted in every civilized society acts in relation to the memory of those people, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of the entire region. "
As for the attitude towards memory in general, Jabbarov urged the Armenian delegation to pay attention to the center of Yerevan: “Look at the monument that you have, remember that next year, we will mark the 75th anniversary of the Victory over fascism, think again over whether you are setting monuments to the right people. "
This is about the monument to the accomplice of the Nazis, Garegin Ter-Harutyunyan (Nzhdeh) established in the center of Yerevan. Today, all civilized humanity is aware of the value of victory over fascism, and the heroization of such people as Nzhdeh leads to a substitution of concepts. During the Great Patriotic War, Garegin Nzhdeh took part in the formation of the so-called Armenian SS Legion, the units of which were involved in battles against the Soviet Army in the North Caucasus, and later on the Western Front. In 1948, he was convicted by the Special Conference of the Ministry of State Security of the USSR for anti-Soviet activities and aiding Nazi Germany and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Today, the Nzhdeh monument in Yerevan looks like an insult to the memory of those who fought on the fields of the Great Patriotic War, and among them, there were many Armenians. We must not forget that it was the policy of radical nationalism in Armenia that led to the Karabakh tragedy, and today the nationalists continue to carry out propaganda not only in Armenia but also in other countries, violating diplomatic etiquette and the laws of these states. Recently, a memorial plaque to Nzhdeh was finally dismantled in Russian Armavir. However, today's speech of Armen Simonyan, who arrived as a guest in Baku, was another manifestation of nationalism at the state level.
Mikail Jabbarov invited the Armenian delegation to visit the Heydar Aliyev Center - the exhibition dedicated to the history of the city where they were born: "It was kindly provided by our Georgian museum, where this exhibition is shown on an ongoing basis. Believe me, you will learn a lot of new things, what you cannot read about the history of the Yerevan Khanate, the history of the founding of the city of Yerevan ... As for the TRACECA caravan, it will move forward, despite all attempts to prevent its development. "
