- Rumors are circulating that you will not put up your candidacy, is that right?
- I am not inclined to put it. I tend to leave.
- Did they ask you or did you decide?
- My problems of the writer and time, my problems of the writer's fate are so much mine that I will not submit to any requests. There was no lateral interference.
- Did the Union of Writers become close to you during these years?
- I am deeply aware of the necessity of the union. And the problem of kinship and kinship is purely my internal problem, which I can also not talk about.
- You said that you realize the need for a union. In this structure do you see its existence?
- I consider the need for this form of union to be uniquely the only one, finally found through the efforts and suffering of generations.
- What was the biggest achievement in your position as the president of the Union?
- If there was an achievement, then I consider it natural, they were not related to me, whatever happened, it should have been like that, it is my duty as the president to demand to do something, which is inappropriate to notice.
- In other words, you didn't put in too much effort?
- No, I have also made efforts, I have also failed many times, and all that has taken a lot from me, from my spiritual world, as a result, a lot has been lost.
- What was lost?
- The biggest loss is that I didn't write my essay, I left it unfinished.
- But even before that (if you have written) the reader has not seen your writing.
- Good, but this imprisonment continued the silence of my previous years, contributed to the pause, deepened the crisis.
- Today, the main candidates for the president of the AMU are already known. Do you see worthy among them? If you don't want to give names, please just say yes or no.
- The effort that must be put into this position is so natural, so not imaginary, that I see many worthy people.
- Also among the circulating candidates?
- Yes, among them too. I don't consider being elected to the position of the president of the Union a big deal, it is a definition of many people's ability.
- These days, the only topic of conversation in writing and similar circles is the congress. Is it really an event that is being discussed so much?
- The Congress of the Union of Writers is not an event, as the previous ones were not events. There were a couple of exceptions (one - the founder in 1934, the other - during the melting period), which can be considered as events.
- Why do they talk so much?
- Well, they are idle, talking.
- They are idle, let them write.
- If they claim that under the new leadership they will achieve such changes, which will be an event in literary life, let them speak.
- And do you believe that there will be changes?
- I believe or not, it's my inner problem.
- Why are you constantly hiding something, will you tell later?
- It is not proper for me to say that this is such a place that I had such or such opportunities, or prevented, failed... No, I leave everything to their ambitions, if they can, let them do it.
- Will there be any surprises in your speech during the conference?
- Why should they be? I am a person of literature, literature is my bread and butter, I love the successes of literature, I am drawn to all the efforts that are made in that family. So my attitude will only be an attitude of love towards the man of literature, his world.
"Republic of Armenia", May, 2001.