In the next episode of the “Dilemma” podcast, dedicated to security issues, these questions are analyzed by High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan, diaspora expert Suzanna Barseghyan, and Head of the Research Center on Security Policy Areg Kochinyan.
- Is the Armenian diaspora a single entity, or does it consist of multiple, distinct diasporas?
- Should the diaspora play a role in shaping Armenia’s foreign policy?
- Is Israel’s diaspora experience applicable to the Armenian context?
- What does it mean to assume responsibility for the state as a diaspora?
- Can the perspective of “Azerbaijan has oil; we have a diaspora” be strategically beneficial?
- Is it possible to preserve the Armenian diaspora without an independent homeland?
- What role should the Armenian state take in its relations with the diaspora?
Zareh Sinanyan
“The ‘risk’ is ever-present; however, it is critical to have institutions dedicated to addressing security concerns and neutralizing risks. Simply acknowledging the presence of risk without action is the worst approach. We must overcome primitive, superficial justifications for ‘doing nothing’ and instead engage in calculated, rational responses, fully integrating the diaspora into our security system.”
Syuzanna Barseghyan
“Especially after the 44-day war, we must recognize the diaspora as a resource of strategic importance to the Republic of Armenia, which is essential from a security perspective.”
Areg Kochinyan
“One of our most significant challenges is that many of our compatriots lack the understanding that this is not a ‘community.’ Unlike the environment they live in, this is not merely a community; it is a State.”
