NO CONSOLIDATION OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES OF WORLD YET
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 17, 2006 Wednesday 03:28 PM EST

Despite all its efforts, the World Armenian Congress has not yet
achieved complete consolidation of Armenian communities in the world,
Ara Abramyan, the president of the World Armenian Congress and of
the Union of Armenians of Russia, told a news conference on Wednesday
evening, summing up the results of the meeting of the General Council
of the congress.

Abramyan, a prominent public figure and entrepreneur of Russia, said,
“The World Armenian Congress now has an opportunity to form chapters
in various countries, but the problem is the communities are not yet
ready for this.” Therefore, the Yerevan meeting emphasized the need to
create effective mechanisms of cooperation of Armenian communities in
various countries and to overcome the existing difficulties, Abramyan
said. He believes the Armenian authorities can do much in this matter.

Despite difficulties that existed in relations with the Armenian
authorities earlier, there are presently no differences between
the World Armenian Congress and state structures of the republic,
Abramyan said.

The World Armenian Congress will participate in Armenia’s political
life in as much as the country’s laws permit and it is useful for
the republic, Abramyan said. “Half a million Armenian citizens reside
in Russia now, and I cannot remain indifferent to the policy of the
republic,” he said. “This does not mean that we will interfere in the
political processes,” he said. “Whoever may come to office in Armenia,
the World Armenian Congress will cooperate with the authorities,”
Abramyan said.