By Anna Ghazaryan

Armenian News-NEWS.am launches a series of interviews with foreign diplomats working in Armenia. Ambassadors will reveal the secrets of their diplomatic work and speak about the difficulties they are faced withб while moving to a new country. In our first interview UK Ambassador to Armenia Katherine Leach speaks about her work and experience as a diplomat.

About diplomacy

What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a diplomat?

I was going to say people might imagine the most difficult thing is moving around, constantly having to start everything from scratch in a new country, but that is the part I enjoy the most. The hardest thing is to think imaginatively about what you can really achieve in a country because often governments and diplomats are quite unwilling to take risks. I think the most difficult thing is to look with fresh eyes at the situation and try to give more challenging advice in your government and try to change policy of your government.

Have you ever made a bold move?

There was one occasion that sticks in my mind when I was working in Japan, through my help we managed to encourage development of a business network who wanted to lobby the government for more ambitious actions on green energy, environmentally friendly energy. It was important as Japanese business is often quite cautious and conservative and for businesses to come together and say: “we must much more dynamic and aggressive in lobbying the government on the issue” was surprising. I felt I made a contribution to it.

Do you think there are any words the diplomat must never say?

I think we try not to be rude, we try to be polite. I definitely say ‘yes’ more often.

What would you do if you were not a diplomat?

The sensible option is to be a lawyer. A fantasy option was to work for a charity which buys land and old houses and then opens them for public. It is a way of preserving England’s countryside.  

I used to work for environmental charity. It had million members and raised money to buy wild places to protect them. I did that before joining the foreign office.

Different countries

Do you think you must set a certain goal coming to a new country?

I think it is always good to try to set goals. When we arrived in Armenia we had a clear goal to improve the relationship between our two countries, particularly on the commercial side, to promote business links between the two countries.

You have worked in different countries. What do you think can your way of thinking change while moving to a new country? Do you take something form a new culture?

The core of you stays the same. But, in each country you live in, you appreciate different things which you do not see in your own country or which perhaps your country has lost. I see in Armenia tremendous hospitality and generosity towards strangers which in some ways we have lost in UK.  In Japan what I valued was enormous politeness towards people and culture of respect. The similarity for example between Japan and Armenia is an importance of family, parents, grandparents. We have lost that in the UK.

About Armenia

Do you remember the first impression about Armenia?

What struck me was how warm and funny the people were, the sense of humor. The landscape, if you are from south of rural England, a place with many farms, you feel like you are up in the mountains.

Do you know any words in Armenian?

I always try to learn the language. My Armenian is not as good as it should be because I speak Russian and it is easy to communicate in Russian. My plan for the next year is to focus on Armenian. The phrase I know is: “Shutov aveli lav klini”(It would be better soon). 

What things do you really miss being out of UK?

I miss some television programs and the sausages. I miss my friends and family. We have beautiful countryside and old houses looked after by charity and are open to general public. Old houses with large gardens, I love a British garden.

Two Ambassadors – advantages and disadvantages

You are appointed as two ambassadors. What advantages and disadvantages does your job have?

The huge advantage is you have two brains, two sets of energy thinking about Armenia and the embassy. Being an Ambassador is actually quite a lonely job. I am having someone else with a slightly different point of view who you can discuss things with. It generates more ideas. The main disadvantage it is quite unusual, people are a little bit surprised. But I hope once they meet both of us, they will understand it is no like having half an ambassador, it is like having two.