As an outcome of public meetings and working discussions with various professional groups, which have taken place in recent months, the following ideas have been highlighted. I believe that these ideas can serve as basis for our country’s recovery:
1. Social Reconciliation: If we want to have a state , we must achieve social reconciliation. If we do not want the whole nation to become refugees, we must follow that approach.
2. The Armenians of Artsakh should have the opportunity to live peacefully and safely in their own land. This is our national goal. Before we reach this, we must do everything to ensure a decent life for our brothers and sisters of Artsakh here in Armenia.
3. The Armenian Apostolic Church has an extremely important mission of rebuilding our national unity, achieveing social reconciliation and restoring the path to development. We must stand by the Church.
4. The revival of the Armenian World is an important task. There is no sense of pride for being an Armenian anymore, there is no respect and there is no unity between Armenia and the Diaspora that we used to have. We have to build many things from scratch now.
5. There is not a single political party, not a single person who is able to bring Armenia out of this situation alone. Armenia needs a new environment to move forward and develop. Armenia needs an environment where smart and capable people can work. For this reason Armenia needs new ideas, new approaches and new rules of the game.
6. Armenia needs allies rather than having hostile relationships with states. We can become a bridge, taking into account the fact that a significant part of the Armenian people lives in the West, a very large part lives in Russia, in the Middle East and other parts of the world. We do not have the right to do favors to one at the expense of another.
7. Yes, we have questions for Russia, yes, we are waiting for answers, but we need to answer clearly to one question: do we want to become enemies with Russia or do we want to restore and improve relations with it? If we have so much intelligence and maturity that we want to improve relations, then we should speak clearly about the existing problems, clearly ask the Russians our questions and tell our expectations, draw up the right agenda and start working with Moscow. Both us and them will benefit from it.
8. As long as there is at least one Armenian in Baku prisons, we must work towards their release. We must raise this issue with the mediators and the allies. It is a matter of national dignity.
9. We must stop the quarrel between past and present. Our country needs a future. The salvation of Armenia is neither in past, nor in present, but in future. The solutions cannot be the old ones, either.
10. We are a nation with tremendously rich resources. We have all the opportunities to recover. Life will not be the same, it will go on and everything will fall into place.
The outcome of recent public meetings and working discussions
