MICROSOFT AND ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT
YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Minister of Trade and
Economic Development Karen Chshmaritian and the Chairman of Microsoft
Corporation Bill Gates signed the Agreement on Cooperation between the
Armenian Government and the Microsoft Corporation in Edinburgh on
January 30. The RA Deputy Minister of Trade and Economic Development
Tigran Davtian told this to reporters. According to him, the Armenian
delegation is in the capital of Scotland by the invitation of
Microsoft in order to participate in the event Government Leaders
Forum-Europe organized by the corporation.
T. Davtian said that under the agreement, Microsoft will implement a
number of investment, educational and innovation programs in Armenia
with the aim of further development of the Armenian IT
sector. Particularly, it is envisaged to create Microsoft Innovation
Center in Armenia. Besides, Microsoft envisages to provide Armenian
schools with softaware packages in Armenian and other assistance to
the IT sector.
According to T. Davtian, the Armenian government in its turn will
continue making efforts to protect copyright in the Armenian IT sector
and to take measures on the use of Microsoft’s legal software in the
state governance system.
He reminded that a principal agreement to start strategical
cooperation between the Armenian government and Microsoft was reached
at the meeting between the Armenian prime minister and European
regional vice chairman of Microsoft during IT Month held in Yerevan in
September 2006. The programs on cooperation of the sides in specific
spheres will be formulated through additional agreements which are
envisaged to be signed within a year.
T. Davtian said that signing the agreement with Microsoft is a logical
continuation of the process of increasing strategical cooperation with
world-famous companies such as Alcatel, SUN-Microsystems, Hewlett
Packard in order to develop Armenia’s IT sector.