YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, ARMENPRESS. Latvian airline Air Baltic plans to resume flights twice a week to Yerevan from 2 May 2021, Armenia’s ambassador to Latvia, Tigran Mkrtchyan, said in an interview with Neatkar-gs. The Ambassador also spoke about relations between Armenia and Latvia, the Armenian diaspora, the COVID-19 pandemic and other problems during the interview.
ARMENPRESS interviews the ambassador:
Journalist: On 22 August we celebrate the 28th anniversary of the status quo of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Armenia. Latvia identified Armenia’s independence on 8 January 1992, but diplomatic relations between Latvia and Armenia were established on 22 August 1992. How is it that the status quo of diplomatic relations ended a year after the collapse of the Soviet regime? Union?
Tigran Mkrtchyan: To a large extent, it is not only up to the governments of Latvia and Armenia. Armenia had already complied with its Declaration of Independence in 1990 (23 August), but the referendum on Armenia’s independence took place on 21 September 1991. I would like to remind you here that the First Republic of Armenia was proclaimed in 1918 and independent until 1920. Therefore, we can say that 1991 saw the recovery of the State of Armenia.
As for the status quo of diplomatic relations between two states, there is a protocol that needs to be respected. Meetings of foreign ministers, etc., etc. will be held. As far as I know, the status quo of diplomatic relations with many states continued until the early 1990s. We will also have to take into account the fact that the era without delay that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union was not straightforward for Armenia.
Reporter: I the times when, in the winter of 1991-1992, Armenia had to triumph over the blockade of power.
Tigran Mkrtchyan: Yes! A very complicated and confusing time lasted until 1994. There was a war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The border with Turkey has been closed. The overall scenario was very problematic. The war took place not only in Karabakh, but also along the borders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. At that time, in many spaces crossed by the pipeline carrying energy from Georgia to Armenia, there were acts of sabotage. These were very difficult times. I went to school. Our space was only connected to electric power for a few hours a day, then food had to be cooked because there was no fuel at all. I did my homework with the softness of an oil lamp.
Journalist: Images from that era capture a characteristic detail: entanglements of electrical cables in all the alleys of Yerevan. Because other people tried to help each other when the electricity was cut off in a community that you still couldn’t have a few blocks away.
Tigran Mkrtchyan: Yes, other people have tried to help each other. Our neighbor bought an electric generator. When his wife saw my brother and me read with the light of an oil lamp, he advised our circle of relatives to plug an electrical cable into their generator so that at night we could have strength for a soft bulb. And we can simply do our homework or read gently and gently. The stage was not normalized until 1994/95, when the war nevertheless ended. I don’t forget that.
I had started my studies at the university and the biggest replacement in our daily life is the availability of electricity 24 hours a day. By the mid-1990s, the structure had resumed, but during the past 1990s and early 21st century, daily life had already progressed considerably. I am sure that diplomatic relations between Armenia and Latvia would have been established much earlier if we had not had such difficulties.
Journalist: A feature of that era was also a massive migration from Armenia to other countries, not only to Russia, but also to the United States, Western Europe and other countries with a giant Armenian diaspora.
Tigran Mkrtchyan: We have to take into account the fact that the Armenian diaspora in other countries is very important. Several migratory waves were established. As early as the 19th century, there was an abundant migration of Armenians. Many Armenians had to go to other countries of the 1915 Armenian genocide and without delay afterwards. At first they went to the Middle East, then to the United States, South America, Canada and Western Europe. Unfortunately, many Armenians also left when the Armenian state was restored. On the other hand, the revolution in Armenia in 2018 gives us hope that many Armenians will return to their homeland, laying the foundations of democracy.
Journalist: How is dating built between the Armenian diaspora and the Republic of Armenia?
Tigran Mkrtchyan: Several years ago, the Ministry of the Diaspora was created, with the particular objective of building and maintaining relations with the Armenian diaspora. Many projects have been implemented. Armenians from the diaspora are invited to stop in the country, participate in cultural and sporting events, etc. The diaspora is encouraged to participate in a wide variety of occasions in Armenia. Currently, there is a High Commissioner of the Diaspora under the authority of the Prime Minister and its task is to coordinate relations between Armenia and the diaspora.
It is cooperation at the government level, but there are also other modes and degrees of cooperation. One component of this cooperation considers relations at the point of political components. Armenian political components have a long history. The oldest ones were already formed towards the end of the 19th century and that is why there are centers of Armenian political components in many countries.
However, the greatest vital contribution to maintaining relations with the diaspora belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has clerics and churches throughout the world. For example, in the Baltic countries, a new diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church (based in Riga) was recently established. The Church is a vital player in the diaspora because there are many schools, cultural and educational centers organized and maintained throughout the Church in other countries.
Reporter: Do all ethnic Armenians have Armenian citizenship?
Tigran Mkrtchyan: Yes! Those who come to live in Armenia have no challenge with this story. When the war broke out in Syria and Iraq, Armenians living in those countries can simply apply for Armenian citizenship, unload a passport and travel to Armenia. Many Armenians in these countries have seized this opportunity. Of course, there are also restrictions for Armenians living in countries that do not recognize dual nationality.
Reporter: How has Armenia been affected by the Covid-19 crisis?
Tigran Mkrtchyan: Regarding the immediate spread of Covid-19 worldwide, the Armenian government has implemented several measures to involve the spread of the virus. On 16 March 2020, the Armenian government declared a state of emergency. It is still in force because there are new cases of infection every day and more than a thousand people have died from the virus. When the crisis began, we got very broad assistance from Lithuania, which sent medical masks, medicines and a team of medical workers to Armenia to help fight the virus. Estonia has also helped inflamed Young Armenians with Covid-19.
We hope that the restrictions will become effective sooner or later and we will emerge from this crisis. Unfortunately, it was the Covid-19 crisis that hindered the progression of new relations between Latvia and Armenia. Normal direct flights Riga-Erevan-Riga had to resume in May after a long era of preparation, but until February it became clear that this would not be possible. We expect flights to resume next year. In March, the direct flight Vilnius-Erevan-Vilnius was scheduled to open, once again, those plans had to be postponed. A few days ago, I had a verbal exchange with Wolfgang Reuss, the CEO of Air Baltic, and he told me that Air Baltic plans to resume flights twice a week to Yerevan from May 2, 2021.
Reporter: Does this mean that cultural occasions will also have to be postponed?
Tigran Mkrtchyan: No! On 21 September, we plan to commemorate Armenian Independence Day and the 30th anniversary of Armenia’s declaration of independence. We have invited the Akhtamar Quartet to Latvia, a set founded in Brussels and a well-known Europe and we hope that your concert will be possible. In the spring of 2021, we would like to organize a chamber music concert through world-renowned violinist Sergei Khachatryan and his sister, pianist Lusine Khachatryan.
Before I communicate on other projects for the future, I would like to recall last year’s most significant opportunity for Armenian-Latvian cultural cooperation. In 2019, the Latvian Radio Choir recorded the “Liturgy” of Komitas (1869-1935), a priest of the Armenian Apostolic Church who is now considered the greatest vital Armenian composer. The last edition of his Komitas “liturgy” ended a few weeks before his arrest in Constantinople on 24 April 1915 – this date has become the Day of Remembrance of those who suffered the Armenian genocide.
In 2019, Vache Sharafyan, a new Armenian composer, transcribed Komitas’ paintings, intended for the men’s choir, adapting them for a combined choir. The Latvian Radio Choir, under the direction of conductor Sigvards Klava, sang the “Liturgy” in a glorious concert committed to the 150th anniversary of Komitas. Soon after, they also recorded “Liturgy” as a compact disc that already collects reviews from top critics. Reviews of the CD have even been published through newspapers such as “Independent”, “Guardian”, etc.
This year we plan to organize the presentation of the Latvian translation of Franz Werfel’s “Forty Days of Musa Dagh”, recently published through the J.A. publishing space.
The novel tells the story of the 1915 Armenian genocide, but focuses not only on the bloodbath and tragedy of the victims, but also on one of the few episodes of resistance. It is a story of heroism and involuntary heroes, a chronicle of the resistance of the condemned and at the same time of hope and religion to the end. The publication of this e-book was published through the European Creative Europe Programme, through the Austrian Government, the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (which provided money for Komitas’ “Liturgy” project) and members of the Armenian diaspora of Latvia (Mkhitar Mkhitaryan, Ovik Mkrtchyan).
Journalist: Many countries have already opened their cities and tourist attractions. And Armenia?
Tigran Mkrtchyan: Since 12 August, we have lifted the ban on Armenia by air. EU citizens do not want a visa for Armenia, i. my. Latvians can pass to Armenia whenever they want. However, given the caution to be observed due to covid-19 and the general reluctance to Array, I believe that the stopover in Armenia will probably be postponed, perhaps until May 2021, when Air Baltic will resume its direct flights to Yerevan.
Reporter: If an authentic one is still not possible, how about a virtual tour? Call five of the most attractive tourist attractions that deserve to be visited by Latvian travelers!
Tigran Mkrtchyan: In fact, there are more than five attractive and charming sites in Armenia. But if I have to mention only five, the first would be the Holy See of St. Etchmiadzine in the city of Vagharshapat. All guests see Etchmiadzin Cathedral. Built in 301, it is the oldest preserved Christian church. There are also other churches, museums and other sites in Etchmiadzin where you can learn a lot about the history of Christianity.
The site at the moment would be Lake Sevan, the largest lake in Armenia and one of the largest mountain lakes in the world, located at an altitude of about 2000 m. Sevan can be enjoyed not only in summer when you can swim after an arduous hike, but it is a wonderful position for any time of year, for example, to model Sevan’s famous trout.
The third most striking place would be the Khor Virap Monastery, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Armenia. The view of the sacred Ararat mountain from Khor Virap is breathtaking. Visitors can also see the underground criminal (dungeon), the position where St. Gregory the Illuminator was imcriminate, who helped Armenia become a Christian.
Another stopover site is Tatev Monastery, which can be reached via the world’s longest cable car according to Guinness World Records: 5.7 km. Not far from Yerevan is the Geghard Monastery (10th century), which was established in the 4th century, as well as the ruins of Garni, an ancient Zoroastrian temple, built two thousand years ago. In the 4th century, when Armenia was Christianized, all other pagan temples were demolished, but Garni survived until the 17th century and then collapsed into an earthquake. Later, the temple was rebuilt and today is the only Greco-Roman route that is still preserved in Armenia.
Last but not least, Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, houses to the maximum museums, architectural and ancient monuments, recreational sites. I will call here only one of Yerevan’s many attractions: Matenadaran, the custodian of ancient manuscripts. Yerevan also has fabulous nightlife and world-class jazz clubs.
Latvians who do not yet forget Armenia as the manufacturer of the world’s greatest production brandy, I can say that Armenia has also begun to produce wines that can compete with the highest productive of the most productive.
In thirty years, Armenian winemakers from Argentina, Lebanon and other countries that have returned to their ancestral homeland have managed to identify a suitable wine sector. Although the holidays in Armenia are problematic, I would like to invite you to notice the aura and exclusive smell of Armenian mountains, forests and rivers taking a sip of an elegant Armenian brandy or red wine.