Armenia-Diaspora relations to be based on joint work and not charity: Armenia’s PM

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met on September 23 in New York with the representatives of the Armenian community and referred to the Armenia-Diaspora relations.

He stressed that in Armenia-Diaspora relations not charity must be encouraged but joint work.

“The Armenians throughout the world may support Armenia only in one way – start economic activity in the country, establish a business and work. Today Armenia’s perception is the following: it is a country where one can start economic activity, establish a business, get income, become rich and make rich. Our call is the following: we want Armenia to be perceived not as a country which needs charity but development programs like “Tumo” center which has become one of the most important centers in Armenia,” he said, expressing hope that new international brands will establish in Armenia and strategically change the fate of the state and the people.

“The time of surviving Armenia has ended, the time for developing Armenia has come,” the leader of the country said.

Speaking about Armenia’s foreign policy, Pashinyan said Armenia is going to develop relations with all the international partners but is not going to do it on the account of relations of other partner states.

“We will try to bring the relations with Russia, EAEU partners, Iran, Georgia, EU and the USA on new, higher level. We must be more confident in these relations, with approaches peculiar to sovereign state. Our foreign policy must serve our interests and not stem from the necessity to keep the power,” he stated.