YEREVAN BIDDING LAST FAREWELL TO PRIME MINISTER MARGARYAN

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 28 2007

YEREVAN, March 28 (Itar-Tass) – Armenia is bidding its last farewell
to Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, who suddenly died last Sunday.

The president has declared a day of mourning – the black-rimmed
national flags are hoisted half-mast, all the cultural and recreation
functions, as well as the radio and TV entertainment programs are
cancelled.

The coffin with Margaryan’s body was taken on Wednesday from his
apartment to the lobby of the Spendiarov National Academic Opera and
Ballet Theatre, where it will lay in state.

The mourning procession halted en route at the Headquarters of the
Republican Party of Armenia, which Margaryan headed for ten years,
and also at Government House, since he was at the head of the Armenian
cabinet, beginning from May 2000.

In spite of drizzling rain, numerous representatives of the
Armenian public circles and political parties came to bid farewell
to Andranik Margaryan. They told Itar-Tass that the tenth premier
of the independent Armenia was unquestionably a key figure on the
country’s political scene.

He had agreed to assume this responsible post in 2000, at the time
when the country’s domestic political situation was quite difficult
and had thereby played a most important stabilising role, they added.

Whereas Armenia had nine prime ministers during the preceding nine
years, i.e. on the average one every year, Margaryan had headed the
cabinet for seven long years.

Precisely due to this fact, political experts had dubbed him "the
Armenian stability premier". It was during his premiership that
Armenia became a member of the World Trade Organisation and was able
to annually record amazing economic growth rates.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed profound condolences
to President Robert Kocharyan, to all the leaders of Armenia, to the
relatives and near ones of the deceased in connection with the sudden
death of the country’s prime minister.

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and High
Representatives for the Common Foreign and Security Police Javier
Solana have addressed telegrams of condolences to the Armenian
leadership.

Russian Minister of Transport Igor Levitin heads the Russian delegation
to the funeral of Andranik Margaryan.