MANAGER OF WORLD BANK YEREVAN OFFICE AT PARLIAMENT

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Oct 25 2006

On October 24 the President of the National Assembly of the Republic
of Armenia Mr. Tigran Torosyan received the Manager of the World
Bank Yerevan Office Mr. Roger Robinson, who is ending his mission in
our country.

Mr. Robinson thanked the President of the National Assembly for the
four and a half years of effective work noting, that during those
years our country has achieved serious economic results and a stabile
development rate, which is not less important. Mr. Robinson stressed
the importance of three factors for the development of each country –
political, economic and social. He noted that these three factors are
not achieved simultaneously because the economic development is always
ahead, while the political and social developments require longer
time because they imply a change in the mentality and perceptions of
people, as well as in the relations between each other and with the
state. The World Bank does not interfere with the politics, but the
success of the forthcoming elections is important for maintaining
the economic development, noted Mr. Robinson adding that he will
officiate in Kyrgyzstan but he will always stay friends with Armenia.

Wishing success to the future activity of Mr. Robinson, the President
of the National Assembly Mr. Tigran Torosyan noted that in the post
soviet countries the importance of economic developments was stressed
during the first years of independence, but the logical course of
the development made people realize that the social life also has
to be improved and the success of the country is conditioned by both
political, social and economic reforms. The improvement of political
mechanisms has a special significance in the reforms of the social
life. The President of the National Assembly noted that Armenia is
in an interesting state of development and expressed confidence that
it is possible to succeed through reforms of social life in 2-3 years
and create full opportunities of a worthy life for people.