PRESS RELEASE
The Armenia Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: pr@himnadram.org
Web:

27 November, 2007

The Armenia Fund Completes Sos – Sarushen Section of the North-South Highway

Yerevan, November 27, 2007 – Armenian President Robert Kocharyan attended
the opening ceremony of the12.4 km long Sos – Sarushen road section of the
North-South highway, rightly called the backbone of the country.

The Armenia Fund has been committed to the construction of the North-South
highway since 2001. Funds raised in Telethons 2001-2004 enabled to advance
with the completion of the 160.6 km highway which is of major strategic and
economic importance to the country.

"No talk about progress is serious unless we have good roads to walk and
drive on", president Kocharyan pointed out during the opening ceremony of
the road.

According to Ararat Khlghatyan, the Deputy Director of The Armenia Fund,
this was an important project to carry out since lack of the proper road
used to cause problems both for drivers and people living in nearby
villages. Now one can cover the road in 8-10 minutes and with mini buses
running back and forth farmers can commute between their home and the market
with no difficulty."

"Road construction is an important part of The Armenia Fund’s biography.
Thanks to The Armenian Fund, roads that were non-existent or in terrible
conditions, have turned into roads of life and hope. We now enjoy rather
than endure the long journey between Armenia and Karabakh, "said The Armenia
Fund Executive Director Vahe Aghabegians.

It is noteworthy that Sos-Sarushen is part of the Stepanakert – Karmir Shuka
road that links with a secondary road leading to Amaras, a remarkable 4th
century monastry located near the village of Sos in the Martuni region.
Hopefully the last km-s reaching the monument will be improved in the near
future and Amaras will no longer be considered a remote location to travel
to. Not only the North – South highway had its positive impact on the
political and socio-economic life of Karabakh, it helped gain easy access to
the great number of attractions in Karabakh that were difficult to access in
the past.
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The Armenia Fund