ARMENIA MUST BE MORE ACTIVE IN DEFENDING ITS CITIZENS’ RIGHTS ABROAD

Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 5 2006

YEREVAN, June 5. /ARKA/. Armenia must be more active in defending
its citizens’ rights abroad, Vice-Chairman of the Constitutional
Right Union (CRU), Chairman of the Editorial Board, “Iravunk” (Right)
newspaper, Hayk Babukhanyan told reporters.

“I believe that the measures taken by our Government in this direction
are extremely unsatisfactory. The result is a negative attitude to
Armenians both in Russia and in other countries over the last few
years,” he said.

In this context Babukhanyan pointed out that Armenia’s authorities
must create such conditions in the country that would allow people
to stay instead of going abroad for money. “Armenians staying in
other countries, particularly in Russia, are is unsatisfactory social
conditions, not equal with the local population, which is frequently
the cause of their violating the law,” Babukhanyan said. He pointed out
that this phenomenon casts aspersions on the entire Armenian nation.

He also stressed that Armenia’s authorities have no political programs
of raising Armenia’s reputation abroad.

The Migration Agency, RA Ministry of Territorial Administration,
reports that a total of 833.3ths people left Armenia in 2005 against
737.8ths in 2004.