MINISTER SAYS NO BIRD FLU IN ARMENIA

Mediamax news agency
21 Mar 06

Yerevan, 21 March: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today discussed
the bird flu situation with Agriculture Minister David Lokyan.

Quoting the results of the latest research by Armenian and US
specialists, the minister told the president that there is no H5N1
virus in Armenia, the presidential press service told Mediamax today.

The meeting also discussed the issue of establishing about 200 small
and medium-size processing plants in the republic. Kocharyan instructed
the minister to draft a relevant proposal as soon as possible and
noted the importance of helping the processing plants and making it
easier for them to get bank loans at a low interest rate.

Kocharyan and Lokyan also discussed the issue of irrigation, the
availability of fertilizers and the import of farming equipment.