World Armenian Congress to set up strategic studies center
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
October 13, 2004 Wednesday

YEREVAN, October 13 — World Armenian Congress and the Union of
Armenians of Russia will set up a center for strategic studies and
an Armenian investment fund, president of these two organizations
Ara Abramyan said on Wednesday.

Abramyan leads the work of an international Armenian economic forum
that convened in Yerevan.

He said the objective of the strategic studies center is to set
the main guidelines for the development of Armenia and the Armenian
community in the economic, social and cultural spheres, and work out
ways of realizing them.

The emerging Armenian investment fund will handle programs developed
by the center, as well as other projects.

Abramyan proposed to conclude an agreement on cooperation between
the Armenian government and World Armenian Congress, in order to set
the main parameters of economic cooperation and terms of implementing
investment programs.

Priorities are the development of entirely new mechanisms of
integrating Armenia’s economy into the global economy and international
business organizations.

He believes the country’s economic development should proceed along
the lines of pooling the efforts of business circles of the Armenian
diaspora and Armenian authorities, as well as the assistance to
specific business programs aimed at facilitating the socio-economic
development of the country.

A more effective use of the political and economic potential of the
Armenian diaspora in foreign states, and the opportunities provided by
international financial and economic organizations assumes increasing
significance, Abramyan said.

He proposed to discuss at the forum the projects to build a business
and trade center in Yerevan, and a housing complex in central Yerevan,
renovate the highland resort of Tsakhkadzor and build a tinned food
factory in the regional center of Yekhegnadzor.