PRESS RELEASE
Armenian General Benevolent Union Inc.
Viken L. Attarian
Chairman
805, Manoogian street
Ville St-Laurent, QC H4N 1Z5
Tel: 514-748-2428
Fax: 514-748-6307
E-mail: agbumontreal@bellnet.ca
Website:

Montreal, May 24, 2006 – His Excellency, Mr. Vartan Osganian, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, paid a short visit to Canada and
met with representatives of the Armenian community in the Embassy of Armenia
in Ottawa.

During the event, he introduced the new Deputy Chief of Mission to Canada,
Mr. Arman Hagopian, and then went on to describe the challenges facing the
Republic of Armenia on the eve of the 15th anniversary of its existence.

Mr. Osganian spoke at length about the upcoming 3rd Armenia/Diaspora
Conference which is to take place in September, 2006. He focused
specifically on a new initiative by the Government of Armenia to repopulate
and modernize the infrastructure of border villages to stop the migration of
youth from rural areas into Yerevan. The Minister is on a special worldwide
tour to engage Armenian communities to support this project.

At the end of the event, Minister Osganian kindly answered several questions
from the audience. AGBU Montreal was represented at this meeting by
chairman Viken L. Attarian, vice-chairman Raffi Chitilian, vice-chairman
Levon Afeyan and his wife Annette, board member Avedis Atamian and his wife
Suzanne, the director of the Armenian Studies program Manuel Kuesseyan and
the young intern at the Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr. Vrouyr
Moughalian.

For further information, please contact the AGBU at 514-748-2428 or at
agbumontreal@bellnet.ca