CARSTENS: IMF INTERESTED IN COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

Pan ARMENIAN Network, Armenia
July 21 2005

21.07.2005 08:29

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of Armenia Tigran
Torosyan met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Deputy Managing
Director Agustin Carstens, reported the Press Service of National
Assembly of Armenia. In the course of the meeting the Armenian
Vice-Speaker noted the importance of the IMF-Armenia cooperation. In
his words, on that road the efficient IMF-Armenia cooperation may
have a good result. T. Torosyan informed that in the post-soviet space
Armenia has registered high indices in market economic development that
are close to those of a number of countries claiming accession to the
EU. T. Torosyan presented the process of democratic development in
the country and within that context the constitutional reforms that
are close to their completion. In his turn A. Carstens confirmed IMF
interest toward Armenia, explaining it also by the positive shift in
the economy. He also said that in their opinion as compared to other
countries of the region, Armenia’s more rapid development is explained
with systematic cooperation between all branches of power and flexible
economic policy of the Armenian Government. Carstens also informed
that certain technical cooperation programs are already worked out. In
his words, these will be implemented in the tax and customs systems
of Armenia, while in the near future the IMF intends to launch a
large-scale program in the South Caucasian countries. Chairman of the
Standing Commission on Budgetary and Economic Affairs Gagik Minasyan
noted the importance of the fact that the IMF will further see the
Armenian Parliament among its partners and expressed readiness to
promote this.