ArmenPress
Oct 8 2004
ARMENIA HAS CHANCES TO BECOME A REGIONAL YOUTH CENTER, YOUTH ALLIANCE
CHAIRMAN SAYS
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, ARMENPRESS: Supported by the European Council
Youth Foundation, the Armenian Alliance of Youth Clubs organized a
seminar titled “Impact of conflicts on environment” in Sevan on Oct
5-11 which discussed regional conflicts. Delegates from Azerbaijan,
Georgia and a number of European countries participate in the
seminar.
The chairman of the alliance, Atom Mkhitarian, mentioned that
Europe wants to see a coordinated youth policy in the region. The
fact that delegates from Azerbaijan also participate indicates that
Armenia has a chance to become a regional youth center which will
contribute to implementation of many youth projects.
The governor of Gegharkunik Stepan Barseghian spoke about the
damages caused to the region by the Karabagh conflict, saying that
both the economy and the ecology suffered from it. According to him,
unemployment is high in the region as some 15,000 refugees live
there. Concurrently, it was mentioned that agriculture has been
developing in the region recently. A whole-sale agricultural market
is built near Georgian border in Bagratashen where the farmers may
realize their output.
In S. Barseghian’s opinion the war has changed the images of trust
among the regional nations and such seminars may help to recover it.
Highly evaluating the organization of the seminar, representatives
from Azerbaijan noted that special attention should be paid to
environmental protection issues. In their opinion, because the land
is mined in the conflict zone, it is impossible to use for
agricultural purposes. Such contacts may help to build understanding
between the two nations when the Karabagh conflict is resolved, they
said.
Speaking on the refusal to host Armenian delegation for NATO
sponsored Partnership for Peace project, the Azeri said it had
political motives. “We think that Armenian public figures will not
meet obstacles when visiting Azerbaijan while the visit of military
men should be decided on the state level,” they said.