Diplomats' Focus of Interest Returns to Syunik: 'Hraparak'

“Hraparak” newspaper reports that the focus of interest for diplomats accredited in Armenia is once again on Syunik. In the past week, a third ambassador has visited the region. Yesterday, the Ambassador of France to Armenia, Anne Louyot, was in Goris, accompanied by Human Rights Defender Kristine Grigoryan. She met with the regional governor, Robert Ghukasyan, inquired about the consequences of the September attacks, and visited affected families. On September 27, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Lynne Tracy, was in Syunik, followed by Russian Ambassador Sergey Kopyrkin on the 29th. Diplomats representing geopolitical centers had also visited Syunik in May of this year.

It is hard to imagine that diplomats coordinate their visits to Armenian regions, but it seems that it is not entirely coincidental that their visits, particularly to Syunik, coincide periodically. Due to geopolitical processes surrounding Syunik, diplomats may not want to yield ground to one another and are showing interest in southern Armenia. Incidentally, locals joke that their regional governor works part-time as a foreign minister, as he is constantly engaged in meetings with ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps.

For more details, see today’s edition of the newspaper.