On February 6, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the presentation of the memoirs of a prominent Soviet diplomat, Ambassador Hamazasp Harutyunyan entitled “Hamazasp Harutyunyan: notes of a diplomat” took place. The President of the Public Council Vazgen Manukyan, the Head of the State Language Inspectorate Sergo Yeritsyan, Ambassadors accredited to Armenia, leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, scientists and journalists attended the presentation.

Welcoming the attendees, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said: "The presentation of Mr. Harutyunyan's book awakens very warm memories because I have had the honour and happiness to closely know the Harutyunyan family. I have often been in their home, been welcomed by Mrs. Harutyunyan - wonderful Madame Anahit. The son of Harutyunyan, Hovhannes, was my classmate and also a close friend. The Tumanian spirit was always present in that house; you know that Madame Anahit was the granddaughter of the great Tumanyan.

Diplomats are usually reserved: they have to weigh every word, every remark, every letter, even a comma, suppress their feelings. It is through the memoirs, perhaps not explicitly, but in some way, that the human emotions of diplomats are being expressed.
Unfortunately, this book is not important for Mr. Harutyunyan anymore as he is not with us. But it is important for us, for our generation and for the future generations of diplomats.

I have known many diplomats who spoke with reverence about him. Mr. Harutyunyan was a talented economist, brilliant diplomat, bright personality and worthy son of the Armenian nation.

A great and rewarding work has been done by those who have published this book. And I bow before them."

Vazgen Manukyan presented his memoirs about Hamazasp Harutyunyan and mentioned in his remarks that he had the honour to personally meet the great diplomat and statesman, while studying in Moscow. He underlined that the rich experience and productive activities of Hamazasp Harutyunyan can be instructive for the youth nowadays and expressed hope that the book of memoirs will find its place in the relevant international studies manuals and institutions.

Sergo Yeritsyan, who was in charge of publicising the book, thanked the Foreign Ministry and personally Minister Nalbandian for organizing this presentation. He spoke about the publication of the book, its artistic and academic significance, noting that it is a valuable manual in diplomatic, as well as Armenology studies. Noting that the book presents a very small part of the activities and memories of the great diplomat, Mr. Yeritsyan hoped that it will have a follow-up, at the same time mentioning that the Armenian translation of the book is in progress.

Reference: Hamazasp Harutyunyan was born in 1902. He graduated from Moscow State University, then from the postgraduate studies of the University of Minnesota, where he has earned a Phd in economics. From 1930 to 1943 he worked in the Institute of Economics of the USSR Academy of Sciences. From 1943 he started his diplomatic work. From 1944 to 1954, he served as Head of Economic Affairs Department of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and as USSR representative at the UN Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, in 1948-1953 he was member of the Board of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 1954-1955 he served as a Counselor, in 1955-1958 he was the Head of the European Department and the USSR Representative at the Administrative Council of the International Labor Organization, in 1958-1963 he was appointed as USSR Ambassador to Canada, in 1963-1970 he was a senior officer in the USSR Foreign Ministry's Central Apparatus. Harutyunyan participated in conferences in Tehran, Crimea, Potsdam, Paris Peace Conference, United Nations General Assembly sessions and various international conferences. During the last years of his life he has been a lecturer at the Moscow State University and the Moscow Institute of International Affairs.

Hamazasp Harutyunyan was awarded with a number of high and highest state awards of the USSR.