On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Armenia on May 28, 1928, an event was held in Paris which was attended by former leaders of Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as Oliver Baldwin, a Colonel of the Armenian Army, a member of the Dashnaktsutyun party, and the son of British politician Stanley Baldwin.
Addressing the French, he said:
“Hello a thousand times (in Armenian: Բարև ձեզ, հազար բարի)!
Listening to Armenian folk songs, I imagined myself in Armenia. I imagined Nakhijevan, Dilijan, and entire Armenia that I love so much!
I served in the Armenian army, and I saw with bitterness the year 1920. I saw the occupation of Armenia by the Bolsheviks on December 2, and I sympathized with the popular uprising against the Bolshevik authorities on February 18.
Today, on this solemn occasion, the main thing that I have to tell you is the following. Never believe the words and promises of great nations. England absolutely forgot about Armenia. England even forgot its former warriors. They will die, and no one will take care of them. They are victims today.
Trust only your strength, your children, and grandchildren. They are the ones who must one day put the tricolor on Ararat. I believe that the day is not far when the Middle East explodes again. But, Armenians, if you trust only your own strength, I believe that you will succeed.”
“Forward” Paris daily, May 1928, photo and text from Mikhail Babayan’s Facebook page.
Source: www.aniarc.am
