WB VICE-PRESIDENT: COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA EFFICIENT

Pan Armenian News
14.06.2005 07:58

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
World Bank Vice-President Shigeo Katsu and WB Yerevan Office head Roger
Robinson, reported the Press Service of the Armenian leader. Having
emphasized the successful implementation of programs in Armenia
by the WB, Shigeo Katsu qualified the cooperation with Armenia as
efficient. He also noted certain progress in economic development
of Armenia. Having expressed confidence that the cooperation will
further be efficient, R. Kocharian said, “We hold reforms being sure
that we are those who needs them first of all and our goal is to pass
the transition period as soon as possible.” In the course of the
meeting the parties discussed questions referring to perfection of
the tax and customs administration, enhancement of efficiency of the
activities of industrial infrastructures. In R. Kocharian’s words
these were announced a priority task and the Armenian party will
be consistent in working over it. “Administration, transparency,
publicity are the main aspects we have to actively work over,” the
Armenian President remarked. The interlocutors also concerned problems
of education system and health protection, as well as reforms of local
self-government bodies. Having mentioned the rate of education and
health reform is slow, R. Kocharian added a timetable of reforming
the system of higher education institutions and the scientific sphere
is already worked out. In the President’s words, decentralization is
the main policy line in the self-government reform. Having noted that
notable work has been done within the past two years, R. Kocharian
stated, “Our goal is to commission as much power as possible to local
self-government bodies, specifically in everyday matters.” Within the
context of the territorial policy the Armenian leader remarked the
importance of development of border settlements and poverty reduction.