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AZG Armenian Daily #221, 18/11/2006
Meeting
RA PRESIDENT: SETTLEMENT OF CONFLICTS SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS
PRECONDITION FOR ESTABLISHING DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION
Armenia imparts great importance to the regional cooperation,
RA President Robert Kocharian said in his yesterday's speech in
Bertelsmann Fund in Berlin.
"We believe that the resolution of conflicts itself should not
be considered as a precondition for establishing dialogue and
cooperation. Moreover, the regional cooperation should be considered
as a great trust-building measure, aimed at resolving existing
disagreements. It is obvious, that unsettled conflicts hinder the
process of natural development of the South Caucasus. That is why
we are determined to achieve the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs work hard to bring
closer our positions. Unfortunately, despite active negotiations
underway, there is little room for optimism. Our principle position
is that the people of Karabakh have implemented their right for
self-determination. It has been done in full accordance with the
international law. Many currently independent states came into
existence after former empires perished. Independence of Nagorno
Karabakh was attained during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Moreover, it was the time of the end of the grand ideological
contradictions. Nagorno Karabakh has never been a part of independent
Azerbaijan. Through a successful construction of its statehood Nagorno
Karabagh Republic has proved its right for existence. It regularly
conducts democratic presidential and parliamentary elections. We
witness the development of the civil society. A generation has
already grown up, which considers itself to be the safeguard of that
statehood. We do not recall any case of a nation willingly putting it
down independence it has been enjoying for over 15 years. No one has
intention to do it in case of Karabakh. We speak about irreversible
changes that took place in the people's mentality," R. Kocharian
said. "In the course of many years Armenia has been consistently
shaping its foreign policy, based on the concept of advantaging
from overlap of interests rather than exploitation of disagreements
existing in our region," RA President Robert Kocharian said. "This
has allowed us to combine perfect relations with Russia, EU, United
States, and Iran. It is also an important part of transformation of
our country and society. For decades, living in the Soviet Union,
we were trained to watch the world as black and white, representing
enemies and friends. The policy of complementarity also applies to our
security model. Armenia is an active member of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization, and at the same time has done a substantial
progress on its cooperation with NATO. The Individual Partnership
Action Plan has been approved, setting the framework for a long-term
institutional cooperation," he said. Besdies, he added that Armenia has
to keep on developing the sector of financial services. RA President
emphasized that Armenia has a good potential for shaping effective
banking system, which is being continuously improved. "Although we
see a considerable growth of foreign investments in Armenia, we know
there is still much to do in the near future", R. Kocharyan said,
having expressed gratitude for the technical assistance and direct
participation of Germany in this sphere of Armenia. "The Program of
technical assistance and financial cooperation, being carried out
together with KFW and GTZ, contributes greatly in this direction",
RA President said.
Moreover, R. Kocharyan noted that Armenia's membership to the World
Trade Organization in 2003 contributed to the country's integration
into the world economy and made the relations with partners more
predictable. In the recent joint investigation of Wall Street Journal
and Heritage Foundation, Armenia has taken the 27th place in the world
by the index of economy openness. "Efficiency of reforms reflects in
digits. The annual GDP growth within the last 6 years has totaled to
12,2%. The volume of foreign investments in 2005 has amounted to $500
mln", R. Kocharyan said. He stated that the achieved progress allows
the RA Government to start solving the social problems, set before
the society. "I would like to especially mention the Program for
overcoming the poverty, having been developed in close cooperation
of the Government with international financial organizations and
Armenia's civil society. This experience is used by the World Bank as
an example for the development of such programs in other countries",
the President said. The processes developing in Armenia since the
proclamation of its independence can be characterized as economic,
social and political reforms, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
said. He added that no single sphere has been left unreformed after the
collapse of the USSR and Armenia's transition to democracy and market
economy. Armenia has reformed its institutions, revised its policy,
restructured its economy. This processes were hindered by an imposed
war, severe power crisis and continuing blockade, but the Armenian
authorities responded by mobilization of resources, more active
reforms and more effective administration, Kocharyan underscored.
Meeting
RA PRESIDENT: SETTLEMENT OF CONFLICTS SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS
PRECONDITION FOR ESTABLISHING DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION
Armenia imparts great importance to the regional cooperation,
RA President Robert Kocharian said in his yesterday's speech in
Bertelsmann Fund in Berlin.
"We believe that the resolution of conflicts itself should not
be considered as a precondition for establishing dialogue and
cooperation. Moreover, the regional cooperation should be considered
as a great trust-building measure, aimed at resolving existing
disagreements. It is obvious, that unsettled conflicts hinder the
process of natural development of the South Caucasus. That is why
we are determined to achieve the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs work hard to bring
closer our positions. Unfortunately, despite active negotiations
underway, there is little room for optimism. Our principle position
is that the people of Karabakh have implemented their right for
self-determination. It has been done in full accordance with the
international law. Many currently independent states came into
existence after former empires perished. Independence of Nagorno
Karabakh was attained during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Moreover, it was the time of the end of the grand ideological
contradictions. Nagorno Karabakh has never been a part of independent
Azerbaijan. Through a successful construction of its statehood Nagorno
Karabagh Republic has proved its right for existence. It regularly
conducts democratic presidential and parliamentary elections. We
witness the development of the civil society. A generation has
already grown up, which considers itself to be the safeguard of that
statehood. We do not recall any case of a nation willingly putting it
down independence it has been enjoying for over 15 years. No one has
intention to do it in case of Karabakh. We speak about irreversible
changes that took place in the people's mentality," R. Kocharian
said. "In the course of many years Armenia has been consistently
shaping its foreign policy, based on the concept of advantaging
from overlap of interests rather than exploitation of disagreements
existing in our region," RA President Robert Kocharian said. "This
has allowed us to combine perfect relations with Russia, EU, United
States, and Iran. It is also an important part of transformation of
our country and society. For decades, living in the Soviet Union,
we were trained to watch the world as black and white, representing
enemies and friends. The policy of complementarity also applies to our
security model. Armenia is an active member of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization, and at the same time has done a substantial
progress on its cooperation with NATO. The Individual Partnership
Action Plan has been approved, setting the framework for a long-term
institutional cooperation," he said. Besdies, he added that Armenia has
to keep on developing the sector of financial services. RA President
emphasized that Armenia has a good potential for shaping effective
banking system, which is being continuously improved. "Although we
see a considerable growth of foreign investments in Armenia, we know
there is still much to do in the near future", R. Kocharyan said,
having expressed gratitude for the technical assistance and direct
participation of Germany in this sphere of Armenia. "The Program of
technical assistance and financial cooperation, being carried out
together with KFW and GTZ, contributes greatly in this direction",
RA President said.
Moreover, R. Kocharyan noted that Armenia's membership to the World
Trade Organization in 2003 contributed to the country's integration
into the world economy and made the relations with partners more
predictable. In the recent joint investigation of Wall Street Journal
and Heritage Foundation, Armenia has taken the 27th place in the world
by the index of economy openness. "Efficiency of reforms reflects in
digits. The annual GDP growth within the last 6 years has totaled to
12,2%. The volume of foreign investments in 2005 has amounted to $500
mln", R. Kocharyan said. He stated that the achieved progress allows
the RA Government to start solving the social problems, set before
the society. "I would like to especially mention the Program for
overcoming the poverty, having been developed in close cooperation
of the Government with international financial organizations and
Armenia's civil society. This experience is used by the World Bank as
an example for the development of such programs in other countries",
the President said. The processes developing in Armenia since the
proclamation of its independence can be characterized as economic,
social and political reforms, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
said. He added that no single sphere has been left unreformed after the
collapse of the USSR and Armenia's transition to democracy and market
economy. Armenia has reformed its institutions, revised its policy,
restructured its economy. This processes were hindered by an imposed
war, severe power crisis and continuing blockade, but the Armenian
authorities responded by mobilization of resources, more active
reforms and more effective administration, Kocharyan underscored.