FIRST ARMENIA IS STATE THEN FATHERLAND
Lragir.am
21-08-2007 15:12:00
More effective activities and more distinct steps are needed to promote
the Armenia-Diaspora relation than the pan-Armenian games or the
Armenia-Diaspora forums, said Aspet Kochikyan, a Lebanon-based Armenian
analyst, who held a news conference on August 21 at the Friday club.
According to him, the pan-Armenian activities which do help sustain
the Armenia-Diaspora relation are not enough to use fully the existing
resource.
"The law on dual nationality was adopted last year. In the Diaspora,
in most communities, people are interested in the procedure of living
in Glendale and being a citizen of Armenia," says the Lebanese Armenian
analyst Aspet Kochikyan, adding that efforts in this direction are
belated.
He says presently Armenia is in a region where all the countries
are on the way towards shaping their identity, and in this context
Armenia must be an active player in the region to escape isolation. In
this sense, according to the analyst, harmony with the Diaspora is
especially important.
"The Diaspora is tired of the Armenia-oriented approach of the past
17 years, it helps Armenia but gets nothing in return except for kind
words that the Diaspora is our support, only cliches and no policy,
no efforts are likely to be made," Aspet Kochikyan says. At the same
time, he thinks it is important for the Diaspora to have a pragmatic
rather than a romantic approach toward Armenia, perceiving Armenia
first as a state then as a Fatherland.