WAC STEADILY ACHIEVING ITS GOALS
Azg/am
15 Oct 04
Ara Abrahamian at Yerevan Economic Forum
The World Armenian Congress (WAC) after its creation in October 2003
passes complex process of organizational formation.
However, despite the huge complexities on the way of consolidations of
efforts of the Armenian communities and individuals, our organization
step by step re alizes the purposes put by the Constituent Assembly
of WAC. In May of the current year WAC organized a conference with
participation of leading scientists from all over the world with the
purpose of creation a Commission of Experts on Genocide at WAC, called
to develop uniform pan-Armenian position on all questions connected
with normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. First of all the
Commission should define the period of time within which the Armenian
Genocide was carried out and define the size of indemnifications for
the caused damage and territorial claims to Turkish Republic.
The staff of the Commission experts was confirmed at the Conference
and the work began. It is coordinated by the Armenian Institute of
International Law and Political Science in Moscow under the direction
of professors Barsegov.
However, as we emphasized the Constituent Assembly will fall short
achieving serious successes in the issue of Genocide recognition
and normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, to achieve a fair
solution for Karabakh unless Armenians unite all efforts to support
social and economic progress of Armenia. On the one hand, it requires
involvement of Diaspora businessmen in economy of Armenia. On the
other hand, Armenian economy and businessmen should urgently flow
together with international business structures. Armenian economy and
business should find its place in the international economic community.
For achievement these two seemingly different purposes the WAC
has undertaken steps both for establishing ties between Armenian
businessmen in Diaspora itself and Diaspora with Armenia, and for
creation of an international association for establishing direct
business ties between leading companies worldwide. We opened
the Pan-Russia Association for Foreign Economic Relations with the
support of Russian authorities and with participation of Commercial and
Industrial Chamber, together with Russian Union of Industrialists and
Businessmen. Russian-Argentinean, Russian-South Korean Associations
were organized around Pan-Russian. The Associations Russian- French,
Russian-Brazilian, Russian-Italian are undergoing the process
registration. Creation of Russian-Georgian, Russianâ^À^Ó Kazakh
Associations is envisaged.
Thus, WACâ^À^Ùs aim is not only to promote structural registration
and consolidation of efforts of the Armenian businessmen in Diaspora
but also to try to lift the Armenian business on a new qualitative
level of foreign economic relations more appropriate to the present
stage of globalization. Therefore at the forthcoming forum we shall
discuss all issues concerning creation of Russian-Armenian Association
as one of the links of global structure, covering the key figures of
the international business community who are already involved in the
International Association of Foreign Economic Relations.
This Association does not replace but supplements existing functional
mechanisms and successfully working institutes responsible
for adjustment of business ties between businessmen of various
countries. As a matter of fact, the given mechanism allows adjusting
direct contacts between 50 leading companies representing each of
the countries.
Armenian businessmen and public figures of Armenia and Diaspora
as well as members of governments and heads of associations of the
businessmen of number of participating states take part in creation
the global business structure at the Forum.
I want to note, that the key purpose, which the World Armenian
Congress puts before itself by holding the Forum, is developing and
realizing concrete business projects assisting the social and economic
development of Armenia as well as effective use of available political
and economic potential of Diaspora and of international financial
and economic structures.
The Forum anticipates:
1. Information from the Armenian government and local and international
organizations on the current condition and prospects of development
of Armenian economy, on investmentsâ^À^Ù rate and key sectors of
economy that are most attractive for overseas investors.
2. Discussion and formation of a new concept of Armeniaâ^À^Ùs
participation in the system of the international economic relations and
inclusion of Armenia in the global system foreign economic relations.
3. Explanation of the concept, basic tasks and intermediate term
programs of new structures of the World Armenian Congress: he Center
of Strategic Researches and Investmentsâ^À^Ù Fund of Support of
Small and Average Business.
4. Search of the long-term partners for formulation and realization
of the tasks and joint realization of a number of projects.
Would like to look at the abovementioned tasks a bit closer.
a. Participation of Armenia in the system of foreign economic
relations. Transport communications problem and difficult geopolitical
position of the region are the first stumbling blocks on the way of
Armeniaâ^À^Ùs development. It is necessary to compensate these
natural restrictions by more active participation of Armenia in the
system of foreign economic relations. The Pan-Russia Association
of Foreign Economic Relations, which is also the organizer of
todayâ^À^Ùs Forum, can play an extremely important role in
opening transport corridors for Armenia. The Association is called to
systematize and to activate direct contacts in the system of economic
relations between businessmen of various states.
We assume to involve Georgia in the structure of the Association as
well. In my report made recently at the economic forum in Tbilisi the
issue of Yerevan-Moscow railway opening was lifted. I am sure that
this issue can be settled if the interested sides make necessary
efforts in this direction. The issue of railway opening should top
the agenda of the countries bearing loss from the closed railway,
i.e. Armenia, Georgia, Russia.
b. Work of the Center of Strategic Researches of the WAC and
Investmentsâ^À^Ù Fund of Support of Small and Average Business. The
basic task of the Center of Strategic Researches will be defining key
problems of development of Armeniaâ^À^Ùs and Diasporaâ^À^Ùs
political, economic, social and cultural spheres, researches into
these spheres and elaborating of programs and projects for improving
the spheres.
The Investment Fund of Support of Small and Average Business is the
second major institute, which will promote realization of both programs
developed by the Center and separate business projects. Some business
projects will be presented to the Forum to get done by 2005. WAC
hopes to find partners among Armenian and foreign businessmen to
reach this goal.
This Forum is our first step on the way of uniting all efforts
of Armenian businessmen and international financial and economic
structures with the perspective of realization both average and
wide-range economic projects that brace economy of our fatherland. I
am sure that we will not stop here.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress