SERIOUS ECONOMIC PROGRESS RECORDEED IN ARMENIA

Arka News Agency, Armenia
April 19 2007

YEREVAN, April 19. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan believes
that serious progress has been recorded in Armenia’s economy.

Speaking at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna,
he said that it is for the seventh year that Armenia has recorded
two-digit economic growth, 3% inflation and increase in exports,
foreign investments and external reserves.

According to Oskanyan, these macroeconomic achievements allow the
country to start dealing with such problems as poverty reduction,
unemployment and population’s low incomes.

"Another serious problem we must deal with is to fill the gap between
urban and rural areas," Oskanyan said.