Post-Conference Comments and Feedback

Subj:    ANCA Calls on Armenia-Diaspora Conference to Expand Diaspora Advocacy
Date: 10/14/99 05:36:42 West Asia Standard Time
From: anca@anca.org (ANCA)
To: anca-dc@ix.netcom.com (ANCA News list) 

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: anca@anca.org
Internet: www.anca.org 

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 1999
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA CALLS ON ARMENIA-DIASPORA CONFERENCE TO EXPAND DIASPORA ADVOCACY

Reaches out to Greek, Lebanese, Jewish and Irish Diasporan Organizations

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"Our grassroots - in America and around the world are our greatest Diasporan resource.  Through the Armenian National Committee, they are bound together by a tradition of service, by shared values, and a  common vision of our future.  It has been this tradition, these values and shared aspirations that have helped us to know the way through difficult times, even as others strayed - on democracy, on Nagorno Karabagh, and even the Armenian Genocide."

ANCA presentation to the Armenia Diaspora Conference Yerevan, September 23, 1999

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WASHINGTON, DC - The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has followed up on its active role in the recently concluded Armenia Diaspora Conference by reaching out to Greek, Lebanese, Jewish and Irish diasporan groups interested in working together to help their respective homelands.

Executive Director Aram Hamparian represented the ANCA at the Diaspora conference, held in Yerevan between September 22nd through 24th.  In his remarks to the more than 700 Diasporan leaders gathered Yerevan's Hamilir sports complex, Hamparian called for expanded advocacy throughout the Diaspora - rooted deeply in our communities and guided by our highest aspirations.  Hamparian also jointly presented a paper on Diasporan Advocacy along with Armenian Assembly Executive Director Ross Vartian.

Since returning from Yerevan, the ANCA has worked with a broad range of diasporan ethnic advocacy organizations representing Americans of Lebanese, Greek, Jewish and Irish descent.  Earlier today, Hamparian participated in Rene Moawad Foundation's conference on Lebanese human resources, speaking on the topic of "Binding Lebanese Youth in Diaspora to Youth in Lebanon."  Yesterday, he met with Demitri Dollis, the former member of Australia's Parliament who now serves as the Greek Foreign Ministry's Secretary General for Greeks Abroad.

The full text of the ANCA's presentation to the Armenian Diaspora Conference follows:

##### 

Armenian National Committee of America
Presentation to the Armenia-Diaspora Conference
Yerevan, Armenia - September 23, 1999

I am honored to be here today representing the Armenian National Committee of America as - together - we take these first collective steps toward the realization of our shared national aspirations.

We bring to this effort a proud history of service to the Armenian Cause and the equally sincere hope that our work here will lead to increased cooperation and the realization of our tremendous collective potential.

As we consider the question of how to expand our Diasporan political advocacy, I would like to offer two fundamental ideas - drawn from our own experience - which will place this growth on a solid foundation.

First of all, our advocacy must be guided by a set of enduring values.  For the ANCA, this has been the cause of Armenian liberty; justice for the Armenian people and nation --

    - Faithful, always, in the pursuit of these noble goals to the  Dashnaktsutiun's tradition of service and sacrifice;

    - Reaching out, always, to all who share our goals.  And we     have seen the result of this cooperation - with the Armenian Assembly and the full range of Armenian American     organizations gathered here today.

This has been true since our earliest communities in the United States.  From our work with Vahan Cardashian and the American Committee for the Independence of Armenia, through the Soviet era, the Karabagh liberation movement, and the first years of our reborn independence.

We remain today, as then, guided by these high ideals.  But also - and this brings me to the second fundamental idea we bring to this conference - we remain deeply rooted in our communities.

Beyond our office in Washington, in Boston or Los Angeles, we reach deep into the fabric of our communities, through more than fifty local chapters and thousands of activists, through our strong links here in Yerevan, in Moscow, Paris, the Middle East, South America, and throughout the world.

And everywhere, we are fully integrated into our communities through the Dashnaktsutiun, the Armenian Youth Federation, the Armenian Relief Society, Homenetmen, Hamazkayn, the Church, our friends, supporters, and allies --

     - From our smallest community in the farthest corner of America; to New York, Detroit, Boston, San Francisco and the other pillars of our community; to the swelling Armenian society in Southern California.

     - From the descendants of those who fled Abdul Hamid a century ago to the children and grandchildren of Genocide survivors; from those escaping unrest in the Middle East to those recently arrived on American shores.

In each generation, from every location, are thousands of unknown patriots for whom no banquets are thrown nor buildings named.  They receive no honors and, very often, no appreciation; but they are the ones we turn to - time and time again - and who always come through for our nation.

These individuals - our grassroots - in America and around the world - are our greatest Diasporan resource.  Through the Armenian National Committee, they are bound together by a tradition of service, by shared values, and a common vision of our future.

It has been this tradition, these values and shared aspirations, that have helped us to know the way through difficult times, even as others strayed - on democracy, on Nagorno Karabagh, and even the Armenian Genocide.

Today, the challenges have changed but the Cause remains the same: Justice for the Genocide, a strong Armenia, and a free Karabagh; a secure, prosperous and democratic future for all our people.

We are very aggressively pursuing justice for the Genocide, not only by seeking official U.S. commemoration or the adoption of a Congressional resolution - but in the states and cities, in universities and libraries -- in California, where we helped ensure that every student will study, and be tested on their knowledge of the Armenian Genocide; or in Michigan, where we helped block the Turkish government's efforts to manipulate Genocide scholarship; or in countless other battles.  We are fighting Turkey's denials at every turn and working for justice and our rights as a nation.

We cannot - and will never - accept that Turkey remains an unrepentant perpetrator of Genocide on Armenia's border.  We must bring all the resources of our Diasporan advocacy together into a powerful process to seek justice for the victims, their children, and our future generations.

On foreign aid issues, we have all seen the results --

More than a billion dollars in aid to Armenia, increasingly now promoting long-term self-sufficiency;

Aid directly to Nagorno Karabagh - clearly and properly recognizing its identity outside of Azerbaijan's control.

We have defended Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, restricting aid to the government of Azerbaijan, most recently this June 30th when we overcame attacks from the oil industry, the Administration, and very nearly every other powerful interest in Washington.

In terms of aid to Turkey, with the help of our friends in the Greek community and human rights organizations, we have nearly eliminated all economic and military support, and have turned now to blocking arms sales and transfers which threaten Armenia and destabilize the region.

On Nagorno Karabagh, we have fought to ensure that U.S. policy remains balanced, respecting Nagorno Karabagh's inalienable right to self-determination within secure borders.

On all these issues, we have worked with the White House and Congress, the Democrats and Republicans, the think tanks, media, and other ethnic groups.

And always, we have involved our community - our grassroots - by educating them on the issues and motivating them to play an active role in the political process.  We do this through our congressional report cards, our candidate questionnaires, election guides, and voter education materials.  We serve our community by empowering its members.

It is exactly this empowerment that is the key to our vision of the future:  Armenian advocacy - grounded in our community and inspired by our highest aspirations.

Service and sacrifice in the best tradition of our long history.

Informed by the enduring values of our fathers.

Built upon the growing sophistication of each generation.

And driven by a new confidence, a new faith, and a new vision of our future.

It is in this hope that we support the work of this gathering.

The hope that our words today will translate into understanding and that this understanding will lead to the consensus and cooperation we will need to realize an Armenian homeland - free and at peace, independent and secure, united and confidently facing the future.

#### End ####

Armenia-Diaspora Conference:
A Global Family Reunion
September30, 1999
By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher

The much-anticipated Diaspora-Armenia Conference, held in Yerevan on September 22-23, laid a successful foundation for a yet to be defined structure which will help coordinate, if not unite, the disparate elements of a nation scattered throughout the world.

One indication that the conference was generating tremendous enthusiasm was the last minute arrival, unannounced and without hotel reservations, of a couple of hundred delegates above and beyond those who were expected, raising the total from the diaspora to over one thousand. These late arrivals further complicated the already difficult task of the Foreign Ministry employees who were up several nights to make all necessary arrangements. Needless to say, all flights to Armenia were booked up and all hotel rooms in Yerevan were reserved. However, I had no difficulty getting to Armenia as I was probably the only delegate to arrive by cargo plane, accompanying the United Armenian Fund's 106th humanitarian airlift.

The enthusiasm of the delegates reached its peak when, a day before the conference, on the 8th anniversary of Armenia's independence, the new republic displayed its impressive military manpower and hardware with various units of armed forces marching in goose-step and the latest tanks and missiles rolling down the main street with helicopters and jets flying overhead in formation. Viewing from an honor stand was the entire leadership of Armenia and Karabagh. Many of the guests watched the parade with great pride and teary eyes from the windows of their Armenia Hotel rooms overlooking the parade grounds on Republic Square (formerly Lenin Square).  

Shortly after the parade, the delegates from the U.S. were brought back to reality when they were summoned to a meeting with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. Mr. Oskanian, accompanied by Armenia's Ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. Movses Abelian, had to intervene personally to help both the West Coast and East Coast delegates to select their respective spokesmen and to have them prepare a report to be presented to the conference. Attempts to have these arrangements made before the delegates' arrival in Armenia had failed miserably. Months ago, some of us had foreseen these difficulties, but our early warnings had fallen on deaf ears. With the polite and yet firm guiding hand of Armenia's top diplomat, the disagreements were grudgingly papered over to the relief of even those who were not satisfied with the outcome. Armenia's Ambassador to the UN acknowledged publicly that dealing with Armenia's adversaries at the UN was much easier than dealing with Armenian community leaders.

With this last hurdle overcome, the conference finally opened the next morning. The spokesman for each country sat around a multi-sided giant table along with the lay and church leaders of Armenia, Karabagh and the diaspora. After lengthy remarks by these leaders, delegates from 50 countries spoke around 5 minutes each (Armenian time), interspersed with speeches by representatives of Armenian political parties. Six reports were presented on lobbying, diaspora institutions, cultural and social issues, humanitarian aid, information and communication, and economic development.

At noon, the entire leadership and all of the delegates from around the world marched in a solemn procession to the Armenian Genocide Memorial where prayers were offered to the souls of the martyrs and flowers were placed around the eternal flame. It was a very emotional moment, probably the highlight of the trip to Armenia.

At the end of the second day, the conference came to a close with the adoption of a "Statement of Principles" and a "Statement on Karabagh." Committees will be formed on various topics in the next few months to plan the next steps of this historic pan-Armenian conference.

Now that the hardest part - getting started - is accomplished, I'm confident that in due time, we will resolve all outstanding issues and create a mechanism to coordinate our widely-scattered resources.

On Friday, Sept. 24, there was a conference for Armenian journalists as well as a businessmen's forum. At night, at the invitation of Prime Minister Vasgen Sarkisian, 2,000 guests (all the delegates and various officials from Armenia and Karabagh) were treated to an unforgettable dinner party under the stars in the fields of the famous battle of Sardarabad, across from Mt. Ararat. It was an informal night of merry-making which lasted late into the night with non-stop musical entertainment, sumptuous dinner and fireworks, not to mention the non-stop flowing wine, vodka and cognac. At the end of the night, Prime Minister Sarkisian, Locum Tenens Archbishop Bozabalian of Etchmiadzin and Catholicos Aram I sang together for the first and possibly the last time, after which the Prime Minister tried to sing solo.

Later that night, I overheard an European diplomat describe the party to a colleague as "una fiesta fabulosa." I couldn't agree more!

My Turn
By Harut Sassounian

Armenia-Diaspora Conference: A Global Family Reunion

The much-anticipated Armenia-Diaspora Conference, held in Yerevan on September 22-23, laid a successful foundation for a yet to be defined structure, which will help coordinate, if not unite, the disparate elements of a nation scattered throughout the world.

One indication that the conference was generating tremendous enthusiasm was the last minute arrival, unannounced and without hotel reservations, of a couple of hundred delegates above and beyond those who were expected, raising the total from the diaspora to over 1,000. These late arrivals further complicated the already difficult task of the Foreign Ministry employees who were up several nights to make all necessary arrangements. Needless to say, all flights to Armenia were booked up, and all hotel rooms in Yerevan were reserved. However, I had no difficulty getting to Armenia as I was probably the only delegate to arrive by cargo plane, accompanying the United Armenian Fund's 106th humanitarian airlift.

The enthusiasm of the delegates reached its peak when, a day before the conference, on the eighth anniversary of Armenia's independence, the new republic displayed its impressive military manpower and hardware with various units of armed forces marching in goose-step, and the latest tanks and missiles rolling down the main street with helicopters and jets flying overhead in formation. Viewing from an honor stand was the entire leadership of Armenia and Karabagh. Many of the guests watched the parade with great pride and teary eyes from the windows of their Armenia Hotel rooms overlooking the parade grounds on Republic Square (formerly Lenin Square).

Shortly after the parade, the delegates from the US were brought back to reality when they were summoned to a meeting with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. Oskanian, accompanied by Armenia's Ambassador to the United Nations Movses Abelian, had to intervene personally to help both the West Coast and East Coast delegates to select their respective spokesmen and to have them prepare a report to be presented to the conference.

Attempts to have these arrangements made before the delegates' arrival in Armenia had failed miserably. Months ago, some of us had foreseen these difficulties, but our early warnings had fallen on deaf ears. With the polite and yet firm guiding hand of Armenia's top diplomat, the disagreements were grudgingly papered over to the relief of even those who were not satisfied with the outcome. Abelian acknowledged publicly that dealing with Armenia's adversaries at the UN was much easier than dealing with Armenian community leaders.

With this last hurdle overcome, the conference finally opened the next morning. The spokesman for each country sat around a giant, multi-sided table along with the lay and church leaders of Armenia, Karabagh and the diaspora.

After lengthy remarks by these leaders, delegates from 50 countries spoke around five minutes each (Armenian time), interspersed with speeches by representatives of Armenian political parties. Six reports were presented on lobbying, diaspora institutions, cultural and social issues, humanitarian aid, information and communication, and economic development. At noon, the entire leadership and all of the delegates from around the world marched in a solemn procession to the Armenian Genocide Memorial, where prayers were offered to the souls of the martyrs, and flowers were placed around the eternal flame. It was an emotional moment, probably the highlight of the trip to Armenia.

At the end of the second day, the conference came to a close with the adoption of a "Statement of Principles" as well as a "Statement on Karabagh." Committees will be formed on various topics in the next few months to plan the next steps of this historic pan-Armenian conference.

Now that the hardest part - getting started - is accomplished, I'm confident that in due time, we will resolve all outstanding issues and create a mechanism to coordinate our widely-scattered resources.

On Friday, September 24, there was a conference for Armenian journalists as well as a businessmen's forum. At night, at the invitation of Prime Minister Vasgen Sarkisian, 2,000 guests (all the delegates and various officials from Armenia and Karabagh) were treated to an unforgettable dinner party under the stars in the fields of the famous battle of Sardarabad, across from Mt. Ararat. It was an informal night of merry-making, which lasted late into the night with non-stop musical entertainment, a sumptuous dinner and fireworks, not to mention the continuously flowing wine, vodka and cognac. At the end of the night, Prime Minister Sarkisian, Locum Tenens Archbishop Nerses Bozabalian of Echmiadzin and Catholicos Aram I sang together for the first and possibly the last time, after which the prime minister tried to sing solo. Later that night, I overheard a European diplomat describe the party to a colleague as "una fiesta fabulosa." I couldn't agree more!

Armenian Mirror-Spectator, October 2, 1999 

Armenia Seeks Diaspora Partnership to Stimulate a Lagging Economy

By Barbara J. Merguerian

YEREVAN - In a major initiative to attract diasporan participation in the rebuilding of the nation, the Armenian government brought together over 600 individuals and representatives of diasporan organizations from all parts of the world to an unprecedented two-day conference held in the massive Sports Center (Hamalir) on the outskirts of Yerevan on September 22-23.

Showing confidence and pride following the eighth anniversary of the independent Armenian republic, which was celebrated with great enthusiasm on the eve of the conference, both Armenia's president and prime minister pledged to take a series of measures designed to encourage diasporan investment and to stimulate the nation's lagging economy.

For the delegates visiting Armenia, it was clear that a decade of foreign humanitarian aid following the 1988 earthquake and 1991 independence has eased living conditions only slightly for the average Armenian citizen, struggling to make ends meet under the most difficult economic conditions. This is obvious even to the most casual visitor here. For all the talk recently about substituting economic investment for humanitarian assistance, there has been relatively little result (with a few outstanding exceptions, such as the newly renovated Ani Hotel and a number of upscale restaurants and shops).

It is natural that the diaspora can and should take the lead in providing foreign investment. But government officials made it clear that such investments must be based on solid economic principles and not on emotion alone.

On the closing day of the conference, Prime Minister Vazgen Sargisian pointed out that Armenia has won the war for independence, accomplished peace and established irreversible stability, based on the unity of all forces. The economic struggle now facing the nation is just as important as the struggle for independence, the prime minister continued, and it will likewise require a united effort by the homeland and the diaspora.

The prime minister went on to outline a series of initiatives planned by his government to stimulate foreign investment. The first of these will be the establishment of an Armenian Development Agency, which will provide a "one-stop shop" for potential investors to obtain technical and legal advice needed to incorporate new businesses in Armenia and cut through the existing bureaucracy. The agency, designed as a bridge between entrepreneurs and the Armenian government, will be established in the next five-to-six months and will be placed under the direct jurisdiction of the prime minister's office. Its board of trustees will include economic ministries and representatives of the diaspora, and it will have branches in the Moscow, London, New York, Los Angeles and Beirut.

The prime minister also pledged to create a commission to study and expose corruption. Admitting that corruption is of "disproportionate size," Sargisian warned nonetheless against overemphasizing its significance. The government will work with the United States Embassy and the World Bank in this endeavor, he indicated.

The government understands that investment and loans will not materialize unless there is a complete overhaul of the economic, legal and tax systems and completely transparent financial processes, the prime minister continued. The diaspora is perceived as an equal partner in this process, and it is recognized that capital must be invested on the basis of economic feasibility.

Earlier, on the opening day of the conference, President Robert Kocharian commented on two aspects of the Armenia/diaspora relationship: first, the diaspora's struggle for self-preservation should be carried out through existing institutions and with the cooperation of an independent Armenian homeland, and second, the strengthening of the Armenian state and economy should be realized through the active participation of the diaspora.

Specifically, the president proposed joint initiatives designed to foster communications, including the establishment of an international Armenian television channel, reinvigoration of the Armenia Fund, systematic organization of athletic and cultural festivals such as the recent Pan-Armenian games, creation of a permanent youth center and the establishment of professional and business organizations (similar to the recently formed jewelers' association). All of these initiatives are mutually beneficial and do not create political issues, he pointed out.

The conference ended on the second day with the approval of a broad declaration of principles and with an agreement to continue the process of homeland/diaspora cooperation and coordination. The Armenian steering committee which planned the conference will continue its activity with a goal of eventually creating a mixed Armenia/diaspora committee. Several working groups with representatives from Armenia and the diaspora will investigate specific areas of cooperation. Another Armenia/diaspora conference will be held, perhaps next year.

The organizers of the conference (the ministries of foreign affairs and of defense) overcame daunting logistical problems to bring together such a large and diverse group of people. Included in the tight schedule was an emotional procession from the conference site to the Genocide Monument, with a snow-covered Mount Ararat glistening in the distance.

Orchestral, dance and choral performances took place in the evenings, and the grand finale proved to be an elegant and dramatic dinner held outside the beautiful Sardarabad Museum, featuring a showcase of performers displaying traditional and modern Armenian music and dance.

Some came away from the conference disappointed with the absence of more concrete results. Many suggestions were made on the issue of dual citizenship, and several delegates called upon the government to form a specific ministry or department to deal with the diaspora. However most agreed that an important first step had been taken at the conference and that a serious discussion had been initiated on the important task of placing Armenia/diaspora relations on a new basis more fitting to the 21st century and the existence of an independent Armenian state.

Armenian Mirror-Spectator, October 2, 1999

"Central Council."  

The recent Conference has extended the opportunity for the Diaspora to achieve what, so far, it has not. One main factor that was mentioned and is now being pursued by the committee formed in Yerevan is the approach to the professionals. This challenge could be and should be taken up by the already existing (five on the scene) such organizations, to expand into the other fields that do not yet exist and have not as yet formed. Namely the "Banking & finance," "the Travel & Transport", "the Communications", "the agricultural," "Education & Culture", "The Construction" etc., etc. before the next conference is convened.

By: G. Avagian

Armenians had no future living in Azerbaijan* 

Some people thinks, that forced migration of Armenians from Azerbaijan is a consequence of the Karabagh movement. Let's find out first when and why Karabagh movement had begun. In fact, it began exactly after Karabagh was put into Azerbaijan, beginning from 1920s.It was a permanent, but hidden movement, mostly out of sight, with stormy outbursts from time to time. It was the natural result of the separation of a part of a nation from its native land and from its native people, that constitutionally had its own state system, and subordination to other people with its state system. This act probably could have been tolerated if social,economic,national and cultural interests of the Nagorno Karabagh Armenians were taken into account and relations were formed on mutually beneficial civilized ground. Unfortunately, just from the very beginning Azerbaijan conducted an apparently discriminatory policy towards national minorities in order to assimilate or make them emigrate.
Here are the facts: according to the 1926 census data Azerbaijan had 15 nationalities, consisting of more than five thousand people; by 1979 census data three of them were represented as Azeris, that is they were fully assimilated. These are Talishes ( they were 77.300 in 1926), Mountainous Jews (10.300) and Persians (9.400). Those partially assimilated were the Kurds (they were 41.200 in 1926, and only 5.500 in 1979) Tats (correspondingly 22.400 and 8.800), Thakhourians (correspondingly 15.600 and 8.500). In this case, as they say, no interpretations are needed.
What had happened with the Armenians, living in Azerbaijan, in this period:
1.On the eve of World War II the nomadic Lezghins, engaged with sheep-breeding, were lodged in Armenian villages in the part of Shamakhi-Nukhi to make them settle and to change the ethnic composition of villages. By the way an essential part of Lezghins had already been assimilated before the war.
2.Enterprises processing agricultural products (for example wine making factories) were transferred from Armenian villages into Azeri ones, though only Armenians were engaged in industrial wine making.
3.During the (Nikita) Kruschevian march of villages enlargement and integration the Azeri villages were joined to the Armenian ones and were headed by Azeris.
4.Delivery of educational manuals in Armenia to the Karabagh Armenian schools from Armenia was forbidden. Armenian schools in Azerbaijan were closed and disappeared gradually.
5.The most cruel actions were directed towards the Armenian colony in Baku.
The Armenian schools were all closed, the Armenian Pedagogical institute was eliminated and the Armenian theater was forbidden. Otherwise more than 200.000 of the Armenian population fully lost its national roots. That is why hardly 10% of Armenians from Baku speak their native language (they are Russian speaking).
6. The process of exile of the Armenians had begun long ago, but became stronger in 1950s.Suffice it to say, that more than 150.000 of Armenians were pushed out from Azerbaijan in 1959-1979.Armenians left the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic though they were the majority of population at the beginning of the century. Almost 170 Armenian villages fully disappeared or diminished in the Shamakhi-Noukhi (Shaki) region and along the right bank of the river Kura.
7. Specific weight of the Armenian population of the Nagorno Karabagh Autonomous Region by agricultural economic census data of Azerbaijan in 1921b was 94.73%, decreased to 75.9% by census data of 1979. The absolute number of Armenian population in 1921 was 122.500 and 123.100, in 1979. That is, in 60 years it increased only for 600 people. While, the natural growth should be 250.000 people as minimum. Consider also that mainly young people left the NKAR more precisely, it is better to represent the national policy of Azerbaijan and Armenia by the incorruptible language of figures , during 1959-1979, that is long before the Karabagh movement. It seems to us that the following tables will be very useful for all those, who want to comprehend the reasons and consequences of the events, taking place in Karabagh and around it.
Tables data show the following:
1.During 1959-1979, that is long before the beginning of the Karabagh movement in 1988, the number of Armenians, living in Azerbaijan regions decreased1.5 to 2 times and almost the same way decreased the percentage of the Armenian people in the general population.
2. During the same period the number of Azeris in Armenia, on the contrary, increased one and a half to two times and almost the same way increased the specific share of them among the general population.
3. The number of Armenians was greatly decreased in Shushi region of Karabagh, governed by Azeris during that period of time.
4. The number of Armenians increased a little in some town populated areas of Azerbaijan. However, the migration of the Armenians from towns increased in 1980.
5. The number of Azeris greatly increased in the towns of Armenia, except Yerevan.This is explained, from one side by the fact, that Azeris, living in Yerevan began to change their flats with Armenians, exiled from Azerbaijan (mainly from Baku and other cities), from the other side, Azeris, are mainly farmers and prefer to live in the country, specially the Masses region not far from Yerevan.
6. So we can summarize: the number of Armenians in Azerbaijan essentially decreased and at the same time the process of assimilation extended. On the opposite side, the number of Azeris in Armenia was increasing and they were enlarging their settlement gradually. Let's try to imagine the demographic changes of the two republics in near future.
7. It's grievous, that the leadership of Azerbaijan run an extremely discriminatory policy towards other nations, especially Armenians, at the same time gloating about international friendship and from time to time blaming the leadership of Armenia and its intellectuals for nationalism. The soviet leaders of Armenia understood everything and did nothing.

Only a few intellectuals tried to answer, to speak about the brutal policy towards Armenian people in Azerbaijan. They were silenced by the super internationalist and scrupulous leaders of Armenia. Now we are picking up the fruits these opposite national policies in the two neighboring republics. This is the truth.


THE DYNAMICS OF THE ARMENIAN POPULATION NUMBER IN COUNTRY-SIDE OF AZERBAIJAN

The results of the census in the Soviet Union of 1970 on Azerbaijan SSR N 1, p 2, Baku, 1972
The results of the census in the Soviet Union of 1979 on Azerbaijan SSR N 2,, Baku, 1981



THE DYNAMICS OF AZERI POPULATION NUMBER IN COUNTRY-SIDE OF ARMENIA