POLITICAL RESEARCHES INSTITUTE ATTACHED TO RA PRESIDENT FOUNDED
Noyan Tapan
Apr 19 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The Political Researches Institute
about what was much spoken in press, has been founded. Garnik
Isagulian, the RA President’s Advisor on National Security Issues,
the Chairman of the “National Security” party informed about this at
the April 19 press-conference. According to Isagulian, still two years
ago the RA Government made a decision on creation of the institute,
but if there was not direct assistance of the country’s President,
it is unknown when the institute would be founded. Isagulian informed
that the Politican Researches Institute attached to the RA President
got a good financing. 60 mln drams (about 130 thousand U.S. dollars)
was allocated from the President’s fund to the institution a year ago,
and it’s envisaged by the 2006 budget to allocate 107 mln drams to
the institution. RA President’s Assistant Vigen Sargsian and Deputy
Director of the institute Levon Andreasian are also involved in the
staff of the coordinating council of the institute headed by Garnik
Isagulian. The Director is Hovik Asrian, who in the past headed the
Committee on Human Rights attached to the President of the country, and
then was the President’s referent. The Political Researches Institute
which was first allocated 3 rooms at the presidential residence, is now
given 6 rooms in the building of the National Academy of Sciences of
Armenia. The main place of settlement of the institute will be the
5-stories building on the Arshakunyats avenue which is at present
being restored. The institute staff consists of about 70 people the
inner level of salaries of who starts from 150 thousand drams. As
Garnik Isagulian mentioned, experts of great fame are involved in
works of the institute. The most part of them works according to
contractual principles. According to Isagulian, at present experts
of the institute are on a mission in 5 countries: the U.S., Great
Britain, Russia, Georgia and the Middle Asian region. The institute
has 7 departments which make researches connected with different issues
of Armenia, NKR and the region. According to Isagulian, this analyses
are first of all made by the country President’s order. He mentioned
that besides the President, the Government, Ministries of Defence
and Foreign Affairs may order free analyses to the institute. The
institute is ready to make paid researches for other ministries
as well as for foreign clients. Garnik Isagulian assured that the
activity of the Political Researches Institute will be transparent
and open for the press. He called on mass media representatives
to address their questions to the administration of the institute,
avoiding information got from “well-informed” sources.”