JAPAN’S CREDIT PROGRAMS AIM TO ASSIST ARMENIA WITH ITS ECONOMIC REFORMS, ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Oct 25 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian authorities attach
special importance to the consistent development of friendly relations
with Japan – one of the leading countries in the Asian-Pacific region,
taking into account this country’s contribution to maintenance of
peace and stability in the world and its assistance to developing
countries. The Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian stated this
at the October 25 meeting with the Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipoentiary to Armenia Yasuo Saito (residence – Moscow). He
noted with satisfaction that over the last 10 years the Japanese
government has provided assitance to Armenia both as official
development-aimed assistance at the bilateral level and through
international financial organizations. According to the prime minister,
general, cultural, small grant, and techical assistance programs, as
well as concessional credit programs related to such important sectors
of the Armenian economy as agriculture, small and medium enterprises,
community infrastructure, energy, culture, education and health care
are aimed at assisting Armenia with its economic reforms. A. Margarian
pointed out the agreement on allocation of a 150 million-dollar
concessional loan to the Armenian government for re-equipment of the
Yerevan Thermal Power Plant and welcomed the Japanese government’s
intention to implement 2 new grant programs on development of rural
communities in the near future. He said that the development of rural
communities, especially mountainous and border ones, is one of the
priorities of the Armenian government’s economic policy, because the
poverty level is especially high in these communities.

According to the RA Government Information and PR Department, during
the meeting the sides also underlined the importance of cooperation
at the international level. Ambassador Saito indicated the scarce
natural resources and considerable intellectual potential as the
common features of the two countries, adding that if the latter is
efficiently used, the country may achieve a remarkable success.