AMBASSADOR OF ARMENIA TO AUSTRIA VISITS STATE OF VORARLBERG

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 07 2006

VIENNA, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ashot Hovakimian, the RA
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria
paid an official visit to Vorarlberg, Austria, from May 31 to June 1.

The RA Ambassador had official meetings with Governor Herbert
Sausgruber and Vorarlberg Parliament Chairman Gebhard Halder (the
latters represent the “People’s Party of Austria” headed by Austrian
Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schlussel).

Problems of securing continuation of the Armenia-Vorarlberg cooperation
and its development, particularly in the direction of commercial and
economic cooperation, mutual stimulation of tourism, deepening of
mutual cognition by organizing cultural events were discussed at the
May 31 conversation with Vorarlberg Governor Herbert Sausgruber. An
agreement was reached to organize Austrian and Armenian painters’
exhibitions, concert and sports events in Vorarlberg and marzes
of Armenia and to continue in future stimulating cooperation in the
health care sphere, particularly continuing the program of re-training
Armenian specialists in the Feldkirch Hospital.

Ambassador Hovakimian had a meeting on the same day with Nikolaus
Schwerzler, the 1996-2000 Chairman of the Ombudsmen’s European
Institute, an Executive Council member of the same institution at
present, who is the Chairman of the Vorarlberg Eastern Company as
well. The mentioned company was formerly engaged in cultural ties
with republics of the Soviet Union and had active relations with the
Armenian “AOKS.”

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, long-lasting programs of cooperation with
Vorarlberg Eastern Company were discussed, particularly agreements
were reached on issues of pupils’ exchange, organization of concerts,
exhibitions in Vorarlberg and Armenia, inviting Armenian sportsmen,
school age football players in the Bregenz annual sports competition,
etc.