The National Dream: The Guarantor of State Longevity

   By Arshak Mesrobian

The survival and development of nations are not a matter of chance. Every nation, through the course of its history, shapes a meaning for its existence—a unifying goal, a national dream, and a vision for the future. This encompasses national identity, a system of shared values, and collective historical memory.

The national dream is born from a nation’s historical experiences: its wars, struggles, defeats, and hardships, as well as its victories and moments of rebirth. It becomes the core of the national consciousness and transforms into a driving force behind vital ambitions for the future.

Far from being a mere abstraction, the national dream is a cohesive and comprehensive concept. It defines the essence of the nation-state, charts its strategic direction, and shapes its perception of the future. It is reflected and enshrined in key state documents, from the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution, and in other legal and political documents of national significance. Thus, the national dream becomes the foundation for strategic planning and forms the axis of state policy. Sectoral strategies are then developed to advance these overarching goals, by clarifying each sector’s priorities in short, medium, and long-term timeframes. In doing so, the framework for the state’s national security model is also established.

Every state builds and operates its governance system based on its national objectives, core values, and the responsibility of safeguarding sovereignty.

What has occurred, and continues to unfold in Armenia under the leadership of Nikol Pashinyan, particularly in recent times, stands in direct contradiction to these fundamental principles of statehood and to the very idea of building an independent and sovereign nation-state.

Deliberate efforts are underway to dismantle the essential components of the Armenian national dream. These efforts are evident in several key areas. First, national symbols are being downgraded by the current administration, such as attempts to change the national anthem and provoking artificial debates over national symbols such as Mount Ararat and Mount Aragats. Second, there is an attempt to close the chapter on the Artsakh liberation movement, intending to extinguish the spirit of righteous struggle at large. Third, unresolved historical truths and wounds are being called into question, as reflected in the administration’s ambiguous and denialist stance regarding the Armenian Genocide.

This process is unfolding not only in the political arena but also extends into the moral and legal domains. A campaign of hostility is being directed against the people of Artsakh, who are persistently accused of not having fought and are unjustly burdened with the blame for its loss. In this manner, the nation’s historical past, the memory of innocent victims, and the heroism of its martyrs are being renounced.

Representing the gravest consequence of this legal agenda, the final phase of the policy involves efforts to amend the Constitution and place the Declaration of Independence in jeopardy. Armenia’s Third Republic now stands at risk. Should the Declaration be nullified and the Constitution cease to be grounded in the national objectives enshrined within it, the final chapter of the Third Republic’s history would effectively be closed. Whatever may emerge in its place remains open to speculation, but one thing is certain: in essence, it will no longer be Armenian.

Therefore:

It is imperative to put an end to this destructive process by implementing the following roadmap:

1. Support the Government-in-Exile and State Institutions of Artsakh.

Support the uninterrupted operation of Artsakh’s government-in-exile and state institutions, ensuring continuity of Artsakh’s political legacy and adapting it in response to present realities and challenges.

– Resources should be allocated to increase the international visibility and recognition of these institutions.

2. Convene a Pan-Armenian Assembly

Organize a Pan-Armenian Assembly with the participation of political parties, community organizations, educational, academic, and cultural institutions operating in Armenia, Artsakh, and the diaspora, as well as the Armenian Apostolic Church. The goal would be to develop a pan-national program aimed at realizing the Armenian national dream and reinforcing the pillars of statehood.

– Establish a Pan-Armenian Council to oversee the coordinated implementation of the pan-national program’s objectives through phased short, medium, and long-term action plans.

– Adopt a declaration valuing and upholding the Armenian people’s right to state sovereignty, reaffirming the unresolved status of Artsakh and its right to self-determination, and the commitment to resolve the constitutional crisis of the Third Republic.

– The Council’s work should lay the groundwork for forming and organizing an alternative, parallel government, complete with full institutional attributes.

3. Declare the Illegitimacy of the Current Regime

Clearly document and present the ruling regime’s lack of legitimacy to the international community, showcasing the reality of the “consensus (-1)” situation.

– Develop a comprehensive report to inform the international community about the unlawful actions and anti-democratic nature of the current government, supported by the signatures of the Pan-Armenian Assembly’s participating organizations to illustrate the consensus (-1).

– Transform the Pan-Armenian Council into not only a coordinating body but also the bearer of a national political mandate.

4. Organize Institutional and Network-Based Resistance

Build an institutional and networked resistance to liberate Armenia’s Third Republic from the grip of internal enemies.

–  Proper coordination of actions on both domestic and external fronts is necessary.

– For the purpose of restoring constitutional order, create a situation of complete de facto dual governance within the country, not merely through street protests but also at the institutional level, by asserting the legitimacy of an alternative government grounded in the defense of the real and vital interests of the Armenian people

It is essential to tackle the pan-Turkic agenda pursued by the Erdogan-Aliyev-Pashinyan alliance by advancing the concept of a United Armenia, whose first and non-negotiable step must be the re-liberation of Artsakh.

Only through such measures can Armenian sovereignty be reasserted, and the nation reclaim its rightful and dignified place in the emerging multipolar world order.