Aravot Daily had an interview with the high commissioner of Diaspora Affairs, Zareh Sinanyan.
Aravot Daily asked the former mayor of Glendale and the current high commissioner of Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan about what Hranush Hakobyan could have done that she didn’t, whether he worked with her and was close with her, and how he would evaluate her work. “I do not want to talk about that,” he responded.
When asked if he noticed anything positive from the former minister, Zareh Sinanyan said, “Let’s look toward the future.”
Zareh Sinanyan also talk about the dissolvement of the Ministry of Diaspora. “What did the ministry do that the commissioner’s office can’t? We will carry out the work much better than the ministry did.” According to him, the ministry didn’t do much to find solutions.
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He also said that he considers criticism about his appointment to be normal. He said that all issues have their solutions and that he has spent time with Armenians from all communities, especially Iranian-Armenians, since the majority of Armenians in Los Angeles are Iranian-Armenians. He also has had strong ties with the Russian-Armenian community, too.
Aravot asked what the top three problems are that he is facing and that he seeks to resolve immediately. He said, “I want to get to know the Diaspora better, go there physically, and understand what is going on.” Zareh Sinanyan did not agree that this was a problem that his predecessors faced. He said that it is necessary to understand what the Diaspora is and to not create extreme programs as a result. Also, he said that it is necessary to promote repatriation.
He was also asked about how former Minister of Diaspora Mkhitar Hayrapetyan announced after his visit to the US that 100 families were preparing to purchase apartments in Armenia to live in, and how many families returned in the end. Zareh Sinanyan said that he cannot give any numbers, but there certainly have been instances of repatriation.
Nelly Grigoryan
