THERE ARE ARMENIANS, BUT THERE ARE NO OPTIONS

Against the background of the deteriorating political situation in Syria, the Armenian press and the media in some other countries are carrying articles full of "concern about the fate of the Syrian Armenians". One of the most hotly debated options for "saving" the Syrian Armenians is the hypothetical possibility of their resettlement to the occupied Azerbaijani territories. The Armenian propaganda machine is already gaining momentum in that direction: There are letters inviting children of Syrian Armenians to Karabakh summer camps, someone from Karabakh has taken in four Armenian families from Syria, etc. But for some reason, they ignore a simple and well-known wisdom, which says that you should invite guests to your own house, not to somebody else's.

A close examination of this problem raises several questions. First, how and under what circumstances did the Armenians end up in Syria? Second, why are the Armenian authorities and ideologists inviting their brethren not to Armenia, which, incidentally, is not their historical homeland either, but to the occupied Azerbaijani territories? And, finally, can another Armenian adventure succeed?

Syria is one of the oldest states in the world. Some historians consider this country the cradle of world civilization. Since the third millennium BC, the unique geographical location of Syria has seriously interested warlike neighbouring countries - the Akkadians, the Hyksos, Hittites, Egyptians, Arameans, Assyrians, Babylonians and Persians. Each of the conquerors enforced their own order in Syria based on their own strategic interests. As Christian Byzantium appeared on the scene with its expansionist plans, the main focus was on the spread of Christianity with various other methods, including through artificial changes in the ethnic composition of the population in Syrian cities by settling Christian tribes, including Armenians, there. During the period of French rule in Syria, Paris also did its best to populate the economically developed areas and financial centres of Syria with loyal tribes, including Armenians. In this regard, inflating the myth about the "Armenian genocide" was quite useful for the expansionist policies of France early last century. This is how the number of Armenians increased significantly in Aleppo and Damascus, which eventually contributed to the creation of a wealthy and politically active Armenian community in Syria.

According to the Armenian version of the origin of the Syrian Armenians, during the First World War, France formed a 6,000-strong Armenian legion against the Turks and promised them Cilician autonomy at the expense of Turkish territory. But at the end of the war, Paris, agreeing with Istanbul, sent this legion to Syria, which became the nucleus of the Syrian Armenian community. Today, this community, which has increased to 120,000 people, is one of the main donors of the international Armenian diaspora and the current Armenian government, which is mired in corruption and faced with serious economic challenges.

Prior to the beginning of the current conflict in Syria, according to Armenian experts, the Syrian Armenians had no problems. But the recent events in the country clearly indicate that sooner or later, all ethnic communities, including Armenians, will have to make a difficult choice between the Assad regime and the rebels. In this context, there are different variations and suggestions to solve the "problem" of Syrian Armenians. For example, some Armenian "experts" suggest that their compatriots should take up arms and become an independent, significant political force in Syria, i.e. use the opportunity and gain some dividends in the political life of the country in the future. Given the activity of separate ethnic groups in Syria and the hypothetical possibility of federalization, it is unlikely that such an appeal is accidental.

The Armenian authorities, in turn, are also trying to get some benefits for themselves. Declaring through the media, politicians and experts the launch of another adventure called "the rescue of Syrian Armenians", the Karabakh clan ruling in Armenia is pursuing several aims. First, the authorities are trying to prove that Armenia, which international financial institutions have announced economically bankrupt, is still an attractive country even for wealthy Syrian Armenians. However, it is clear that such a trick will fail, as nearly half of Armenia's population has left the country in search of a better life. Even the Syrian Armenians have no particular desire to move to Armenia, which is choking in isolation, and especially to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, leaving a long-occupied place and sacrificing their wealthy status in Syria. By displaying "compassion" for the fate of Syrian Armenians, the Armenian authorities want to demonstrate their "care" about all Armenians regardless of their place of residence. At the same time, funding for the proposed "resettlement" is actually placed on the immigrants themselves. It is no accident that Syrian Armenians are openly protesting against high prices (550-600 US dollars) for Yerevan-Aleppo flights established by Armavia, the Armenian monopolist in the field of air transportation. However, the government of Armenia considers that there is no need to subsidize Armavia for these purposes.

This shows once again that it is not "concern" for the fate of the Syrian Armenians, but an attempt to use the conflict in Syria to populate the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and simultaneously win the support of another financial donor represented by the rich Armenian community.

Armenia is well aware that the balance of forces in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is changing in favour of Azerbaijan and it will have to withdraw from the occupied lands sooner or later. Therefore, Yerevan is trying to entice at least some of the Syrian Armenians (as mass settlement is not possible) to these lands in order to try to use the story about the "miserable fate" of the Armenian people, who have nowhere to live because of the "barbarians". To put it simply, it is an attempt to turn the Syrian Armenians, just like the whole Armenian people, into a hostage of its aggressive policy.

The domestic component of the idea is also of great importance. Manipulating offers to save its countrymen, Yerevan is trying to ease the pressure from the opposition ahead of the presidential elections as the opposition accuses the government of betraying the Syrian Armenians. In this situation, however, the Armenian authorities inadvertently encounter Russia's resentment, which may also have negative consequences for Sargsyan. According to the Armenian media, Moscow, which has its own geopolitical interests in Syria, has forbidden Yerevan from the mass resettlement of Syrian Armenians. And the Armenian authorities cannot dismiss this demand so easily, especially when Yerevan desperately needs another Russian loan and is still unsuccessfully negotiating to keep the price of Russian gas. Furthermore, Russia, which uses the Kocharyan card when necessary, will not miss this opportunity, which narrows the room for Sargsyan to manoeuvre ahead of the election. It is no accident that as soon as the press raised the issue of resettling the Syrian Armenians, the close relationship between ex-president Robert Kocharyan and Moscow was demonstrated to the authorities.

Interestingly, the Armenian diaspora, especially Dashnaktsutyun, who support the idea of "saving" the Syrian Armenians, also oppose their exodus from Syria. Apparently, the disappearance of the wealthy Armenian diaspora in Syria is runs counter to the far-reaching plans of Dashnaktsutyun. This organization is trying to prevent the Armenian authorities from direct access to the pocket of wealthy Armenian communities in various countries, maintaining its function as a bridge, coordinator or moderator, which allows it to influence the ruling regime in Armenia.

Based on all the above, we can conclude that the attempt to resettle Syrian Armenians to the occupied Azerbaijani lands en masse is doomed to failure, as was the case with the previous adventures to resettle of Hamshen Armenian and Armenians living in Kyrgyzstan to the territory.