HEAD OF THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK PRAISES THE PRESENT CONDITION OF ARMENIAN ECONOMY

ARMENPRESS
Nov 18, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 18, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsian received today the delegation headed by the head of Asian
Development Bank (ADB) Haruhiko Kuroda. The head of ADB noted that
this is his first visit to Armenia which has two main aims – to
discuss the directions of further cooperation and to take part in
the official opening ceremony of the Yerevan office of the Bank.

The public relations department of Armenian government told Armenpress
that Haruhiko Kuroda praised the present condition of Armenian economy
taking into consideration the high economic growth, limited increase
of prices and the carried out smart macro-economic policy.

According to the head of ADB, today quality infrastructures are
necessary for Armenian economy and the ADB and Armenian government
already cooperate in this direction.

In connection with this Armenian prime minister Tigran Sargsian
thanked for the Bank’s support in the reconstruction of rural
roads, the programs of water supply and sewage and in working out of
strategy of development of transportation sphere and considered the
above mentioned programs extremely important from the viewpoint of
proportionate development of Armenian territories which is considered
a priority for the Armenian government.

Tigran Sargsian presented to the guest the possible directions of
further cooperation and the existing potential. He particularly
underscored the importance of technical and financial support to
the pension reforms, support directed to the smoothening of the
results of global financial crises especially for the development
of infrastructures as well as the support to the implementation of
electronic management with the usage of rich experience of ADB and
the crediting of small and medium-sized enterprises through providing
loan recourses to Armenian banks.

The prime minister also expected the participation of ADB in the
works of establishment of techno parks and free economic zones and
development of transit transportation infrastructures.

The Armenian prime minister also asked Haruhiko Kuroda to support
the representation of our country in the ADB council for presenting
Armenian interests in the council.

The head of ADB considered all the suggestions of Armenian prime
minister important and noted that the bank has a great experience
in a number of spheres and is ready to support Armenia. To all the
spheres mentioned by Tigran Sargsian Haruhiko Kuroda also added the
information technology sphere where, according to him, Armenia has
a serious potential.

The head of the Bank promised to discuss the presented suggestions
circumstantially and to respond to them.