ARMENIAN PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARIAN VISITS GOVERNMENT IN CONNECTION WITH END OF HIS TERM OF OFFICE

Noyan Tapan
April 4, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. In connection with his term of
office, the Armenian president Robert Kocharian on April 4 visited
the government and thanked the government members for their long
joint actvities.

According to a press release submitted to NT by the RA Government
Information and PR Department, R, Kocharian in particular said:

"I am grateful to the fate that I have had the luck to bear
responsibility for the Repubic of Armenia for ten years. These were
extremely interesting, hard, important and substantial years. The
country has passed a long path of development. Large-scale reforms have
been made in all directions in the country, and the main purpose of
these reforms was certainly modernization of the country. The results
are obvious: the life quality of our citizens have considerably
improved but we all also should realize that there is still much to
be done. The new president and the new government are facing numerous
challenges and problems whose solution will be no less difficult
and important for the country. The matter first of all concerns the
second-generation reforms in the economic sphere which require more
skills and professional knowledge and of course greater efforts. We
should take into account that it will be a more difficult period
for the authorities in terms of implementation as a decline in the
global economy has been forecast and it will require greater will,
force and energy from the new authorities, the new government in
terms of overcoming some difficulties.

The most important problem – that of security continues to face
the Republic of Armenia. The world has not become more secure in
recent years, our region continues to be full of contradictions,
and consistent steps will be necessary in order to strengthen
the country’s security and increase the fighting efficiency of
the army. Of course, all this should be combined with flexible and
adequate diplomatic steps. I am sure that some steps should be taken
to strengthe the bases of statehood. There are forces (also outside)
which do not want Armenia to be stable and prosperous. Unfortunately,
there are also figures outside who are ready to serve this purpose.

A weak country susceptible to influence can ensure neither its
security and the security of its citizens nor any serious democratic
achievements which we have had over these years. And of course,
my wish, my persuasion is that the future president and government
will succeed in giving an adequate response to these challenges in
their work".