Vazgen Manukyan: By striving for small goals, we will not achieve  anything. Pursuing big goals, small problems will be solved  automatically

ArmInfo.In recent decades, the "possess and protect" formula of the world history of humanity continues to work, which is reflected in the example of Artsakh. .  This is stated in the article of the first Prime Minister of Armenia  Vazgen Manukyan, provided to the ArmInfo agency.

<I want to look at the issue of Artsakh from this point of view,  leaving aside the fact that this is our historical land, our national  feelings, the fact that Armenians live there, etc. Let's consider  Artsakh as wealth, as a resource. From this point of view, it is  difficult to calculate the price of Artsakh. Including mines,  including the recently discovered Berdzor mine, which is estimated to  hold about $50 billion worth of gold reserves. Taking into account  also the reserves of fresh water, which today in the world are  considered one of the largest deficits for future generations, taking  into account the fertile lands of Artsakh, by which Artsakh provided  a certain amount of food not only to itself, but also to Armenia.  Taking into account the struggle for food all over the world, it can  be calculated that by 2020 Artsakh, with the existing limits, would  cost at least $200-250 billion. This means that the loss of Artsakh  will mean the loss of 100 thousand dollars for each inhabitant of  Artsakh and Armenia>, Manukyan noted.

He continued that if we look at the problem from the point of view of  "having a lot of resources, protect them and distribute them  effectively", then Artsakh is a huge wealth. <The formation and  efficient distribution of wealth has been Armenia's biggest problem  since independence. This distribution is unfair and unequal, which is  connected not so much with the factor of efficiency, but with the  patronage, the participation of some authorities, which have been  from the very beginning and continue to this day.

The question arises whether the current astounding wealth and high  quality of life in the West is related to the formula I mentioned?  Because it seems that the wealth of the West is formed due to the  correct organization of internal life, due to the development of  science, education, engineering and technology, in which they are  incomparably ahead of other countries of the world, although some  countries are already able to catch up with them with new  technologies.

Where did the wealth and influence of the West, which has been  operating for about 500 years, begin?  Before that, for centuries,  the West was a poor and rather illiterate society, the scientific and  cultural values created by Ancient Greece were forgotten. The  Crusades became an important prerequisite for the development of the  West. At that time, wealth and science were mainly concentrated in  Arab, Muslim countries and in China. The Crusades brought new  knowledge, new science, new resources. The discovery of America by  Columbus became an important page in the development of the West,  when, having destroyed local civilizations, they transferred this  huge wealth to Europe. When Great Britain occupied India, colonialism  began, bringing great misfortune to many peoples, but ensuring the  formation of a new layer of wealthy people in Britain.

China, all of Asia, Africa were under the colonial domination of the  West. And the poor Western society began to grow rich, culture,  science, education, technology began to develop, a new world was  built where natural resources were very cheap and gave these states  the opportunity to develop. A new stage has already begun in the  West, when this huge wealth was accumulated in the hands of a group  of people, a new layer of the rich was formed, the new structure of  the internal life of states>, the First Prime Minister of the  Republic of Armenia noted.

Manukyan wondered what the Armenians had earned during that period.  During these 500 years, the Armenians did not have a state, but the  history of the Armenian people of that period is very valuable. At  the time when England wanted to conquer India, the British calculated  that much of the wealth, trade and influence of India was in the  hands of the Armenians, so they could not conquer India without the  help of the Armenians. Armenian merchants in India and the  surrounding countries were granted all the privileges and rights of  English citizens. And the Parliament of England decided that  Armenians have the right to serve as officers in the British army.  Prior to this, only the British had the right to be officers. After  the conquest of India, the British began to oust the Armenians from  the economic arena, and was a famous Bengal uprising against the  British in India there, led by an Armenian. 11 military units  participated in the uprising, one of which consisted entirely of  Armenians.

When the Dutch merchants first set foot in China, they reported in  their reports to the government that much of China's trade was in the  hands of the Armenians, that the Armenians braided their hair like  the Chinese, that they had a lot of weight in China, and that they  needed to get along with the Armenians, to play a role there.

<At that time we had a fleet of Armenian merchants, each of the ships  belonged to individual companies and individuals, but its total  number exceeded the entire English fleet. Unlike other foreigners,  the entry of Armenian merchants to the Philippines was free,  encouraged by local authorities. In some areas, the monopoly of trade  was in the hands of the Armenians.

We have accumulated enormous wealth, values in the private,  individual sector, we have played a big role in modern civilization,  especially in culture, military affairs, science, revolutions, the  Reformation. The fact that we had the opportunity to achieve such  results speaks of the mercy of our people.

In his article on nations, Kant writes that the Armenians have a  special gift and are able to trade and conduct business from one end  of Europe to the other end of Asia, enjoying the respect and love of  all peoples. For all that, we did not have a state and could not  protect our huge wealth. Not only did we lose it all, but we were  slowly and deliberately erased from history. All states were  interested in taking credit for everything that the Armenians had  created. History is written by the winners. It is true that we lost  all these riches, but that period was very important for the Armenian  people.

Having lost the state, the Armenians were able to create a global  network and, interacting with different peoples, working in different  areas, acquired new qualities. And these achievements of the network  structure and new qualities are very important in today's era and  give us additional advantages. The qualities and values of our people  were added to those qualities that we can see, looking back more than  500 years ago, to the times when the Armenian state fought with Rome  and experienced its ideological and religious development in  Jerusalem>, continued Manukyan.

The First Prime Minister of independent Armenia noted that in 1988,  with the development of the Armenian Republic in the USSR, the  strengthening of the Diaspora and the processes taking place in the  world, a favorable situation developed, which had not been for  centuries, but the problem of Artsakh arose, which advocated  reunification with Armenia and the establishment of a modern  independent state based on national values, ensuring the freedom and  protection of citizens, the opportunity to legally build a prosperous  life.

"In some ways we have succeeded, in others we have failed. And the  blame for these failures lies not with others, but only with us. Now  we have suffered a painful defeat and are experiencing the  consequences of this defeat. The great task to become the leading  nation in the world requires great effort to secure great results,  the fruits of which must be available to all our people. Only then is  survival and development possible.

By striving for small goals, we will not achieve anything. Pursuing  big goals, small problems will be solved automatically. Therefore, we  should be able to find strength in ourselves again, stand up and take  advantage of the opportunities available today to face the world with  dignity even after our defeat," Vazgen Manukyan concluded.