President’s congratulatory message on the occasion of new year

ARMENPRESS

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN ADDRESSES A CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE ON THE
OCCASION OF NEW YEAR

YEREVAN, JANUARY 1, ARMENPRESS: President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
addressed a congratulatory message on the occasion of New
Year. Presidential press service told Armenpress that in his message
the President of the country said;
`In a few minutes we will together celebrate the arrival of the New
Year. We are turning yet another page of the history of independent
Armenia, which was full of achievements and inspiring episodes as well
as complex events and tough situations. Year 2008 was a year of
changes, a year of making difficult and responsible decisions; our
country and our people were compelled to face the most serious
problems and a number of challenges.
First, it was the elections and political turmoil that became a
serious challenge for our country. The next challenge was the abrupt
rise of international prices for the most vital products. This was
followed by active military actions in the neighboring state which
disrupted the operability of the most important transportation
routs. The final part of the year was marked by the necessity to
mitigate the consequences of the global and financial crises. We are
emerging from these tremulous times with the stability that many
countries would wish to have, with the amplified enthusiasm, and a
stronger will. We have many problems and we are ready for new
decisions.
The foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia has become noticeably
more active in the year of the Artsakh’s 20th anniversary of
independence. The reforms have been carried on acquiring new impulses
in the areas of police, tax and customs administration, education, and
health care. The Iran-Armenia gas pipeline was completed. Twenty years
after the devastating earthquake in Spitak we reinforced our programs
for providing housing to all families which lost shelter.
The passing year has been a year of spirited cultural events and
major sporting achievements, a period of observable manifestations for
Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora triple union and a period of new ideas for
bringing closer the world-spread Armenians over the notion of the
Armenian identity. It’s been also a year of initiating ambitious,
unprecedented in their scope and significance national economic
projects, which proves once again that we can and we will make
flourish our home ` Armenia.
Dear Compatriots,
New Year is a holiday of expectations. At this moment, around the
festive tables, we expect that the coming year will be special in the
lives of our families and friends.
We are all united by simple and human desires. We all wish the
coming year to be peaceful and productive, we wish that our sons, who
guard our borders, return home safe and sound, we wish our children to
study well, we wish husbands, who are earning living abroad, come
back, and we wish that warmth and happiness reign in our families. We
wish our parents good health and joy.
We celebrate New Year surrounded by our families. Let us wish all
the best to those who are fulfilling their duty on their working
places, to those who at this moment are saving lives, or upholding our
security.
New Year is a holiday of kindness. I sincerely wish that there is
more kindness in our homes, I wish for the next year to be a year of
love and unity, and I wish troubles and worries of the last year are
left behind. We have plenty to do in 2009. Let us believe that we will
succeed together, standing shoulder to shoulder.
Dear Compatriots, brothers and sisters,
New Year is also a holiday of hope and faith. During these festive
days the current problems leave us for a while and the perpetual
values acquire a new meaning. We wish our families and friends good
health, success, and happiness. I am sending you the same good wishes,
trusting that all our good wishes will become true.
Rest assured that everything will be fine.
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!’

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS