Kocharyan: Local Elections Important Factor Of Stability Of State

KOCHARIAN: LOCAL ELECTIONS IMPORTANT FACTOR OF STABILITY OF STATE

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2005

YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. Local elections held in Armenia are
important factor of stability of state, RA President Robert Kocharyan
said during his meeting with President of the Congress of Local and
Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Giovanni Di Stasi, the RA
Presidential Press-Service reported ARKA News Agency. Kocharyan pointed
out that decentralization is the major direction of territorial policy,
which first of all means development of local government. He also
reported that this policy has also been reflected in draft amendments
to Constitution of Armenia.

The sides also discussed issues of regional cooperation.

Particularly, Di Stasi proposed the idea of establishing the regional
centre of local governments, which will promote economic, social and
cultural partnership among them. Kocharyan welcomed the idea and said
that Armenia always supported regional cooperation, and considers that
such cooperation will promote formation of atmosphere of confidence,
as well as settlement of regional conflicts.