After Alen Simonian's Visit, Rwanda Removes Reference to the Armenian Genocide from Museum: 'Zhoghovurd'

'Zhoghovurd' daily reports. 'Official trips by government deputies not only provide no benefit to our country, but, on the contrary, sometimes coincidentally have negative consequences for the Republic of Armenia. 'Zhoghovurd' has researched the French publication Le Point, which states: 'Under Turkey's pressure, Rwanda has removed the reference to the Armenian Genocide from the museum dedicated to the Tutsi genocide.'

It is clear why this East African country, which does not particularly have diplomatic relations with Armenia, decided to take such a step. Meanwhile, what are the current authorities doing in this regard, who are far from foreign policy and diplomacy? The parliament members, who travel to any country at the expense of the state budget, are reportedly not working or conducting parliamentary diplomacy but often touring as tourists.

For example, back in 2022, a delegation led by Parliament Speaker Alen Simonian went on a week-long working visit to Rwanda at the expense of the state budget to participate in the 145th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The delegation comprised 7 individuals, including Civil Contract faction members Tsovinara Vardanyan, Heriknaz Tigranyan, Hasmik Hakobyan, and others. Last year, under the same Alen Simonian's directive, ruling party MP Hripsime Grigoryan was sent to Rwanda from July 16-21 to participate in a conference titled 'Women Represent.'

It turns out that local authorities spend significant amounts of money on business trips, claiming that these trips establish diplomatic ties with other countries for state interests, but in reality, they do nothing to serve our state. Evidence of this is the shameful anti-Armenian decision made by Rwanda, about which the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not issued any statement. In fact, Nikol Pashinyan's government cannot even establish relations with a country located far away in Africa to maintain existing traditions and structures. Failures are everywhere.'