VARTAN OSKANIAN HAD FAREWELL MEETING WITH STAFF

ARMENPRESS
April 11, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, ARMENPRESS: Outgoing foreign minister Vartan
Oskanian had a farewell meeting with staff on Thursday to thank all
diplomats who has worked with him for the last 10 years. He also
thanked the technical staff who have made their work in Armenia and
abroad possible. He then thanked ambassadors who have worked hard,
against great odds, to maximally promote our interests.

"We can all be proud of our work, and we can all feel satisfied that
we are performing a civic duty. We are all citizens of Armenia – you
by birth, I by choice. For me, the decision to pack up and return to
Armenia after independence was a default decision, a non-decision,
an obvious choice. Having come, I’m not now preparing to go’ he said.

"I’ve been here since almost the beginning, working with you, to create
something out of nothing, to build a new institution and a new kind
of institution. I have served as Foreign Minister since the beginning
of President Kocharian’s term. I had served as Deputy Minister and
First Deputy Minister under President Ter Petrossian. In other words,
I have served not a man, but a people and a country. Together, that’s
what we have done since independence — we have served the state,
the Republic of Armenia. I am proud of the work we have done together."

"During these 10 years, I believe much has changed in the nature of
our work. Of course the Republic of Armenia has changed and progressed
such that many objective conditions have changed – we don’t wait 2,
3, sometimes 5 months to get paid. We have paper on which to print
treaties, conventions and documents. We are not hostage to irregular
flights into and out of Armenia.

There are other differences, too. Diplomats, and all staff, are
accepted solely on merit and not for any other reason. Diplomats are
assigned postings solely based on professional circumstances and not
for any other reason. This ministry has a reputation now for being
the cleanest, the most professional, the best regulated, and not
corrupt. And that’s no small reason to be proud," Oskanian said.

"Now, we must perform our job in the changed environment of the last
several months. When we allowed the political tensions and emotions
of the election and post-election period to reign, they demonstrated
that we sometimes imagine that revolution can be an alternative to
reforms, and that revenge can take precedence over reconciliation. No
one knows better than we in this building that that is false. No one
knows better than we that our domestic strength, integrity, stability,
morality and perseverance are our best – actually our only – calling
cards in the international arena," Oskanian said.

"I will continue to work with you. I don’t intend to terminate my
public engagement, but to enter a new phase. I don’t intend to be
foreign minister but I intend to work domestically to help the next
minister to succeed internationally," he said.