THE PRIME MINISTER’S US MEETINGS
Hayots Ashkharh Daily
Oct 23 2007
Armenia
On October 20, in the evening, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan left
for Washington from Los Angeles where he continued his Washington
meetings. On October 21, the newly appointed Managing-Director
of International Monitory Fund Dominick Straus-Kan started his
second working day with a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Serge
Sargsyan. At Dominick Straus-Kan’s request Serge Sargsyan introduced
the current tendencies of Armenia’s economic development as well as
the prospects of Armenia-IMF future cooperation.
In connection with Armenia-IMF future cooperation Prime Minister
Serge Sargsyan expressed opinion that RA-IMF program that is drawing
to a close in 2008 must continue. He also underscored that for
the future reforms Armenian government will advance affectionate
programs and expects corresponding technical assistance and political
consultations. The scope of those reforms will include modernization
of tax and customs administrations, issues of increasing the financial
sector and economic competitiveness.
On the second half of the day Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan hosted
OSCE Minsk Group Co-President Mathews Braise in RA Embassy. During
the tete-a-tete issues of mutual interest have been discussed.
On October 21 the Prime Minister had meetings with the heads of the
World Bank. The first meeting was with the vice-President of the World
Bank Shigeo Katsu. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with
the present level of the cooperation with the Bank and introduced
the supremacies adopted by RA government that can become the most
important directions of the future cooperation with the World Bank.
The vice-President of the World Bank said Armenia has been recognized
by International Development Association as a country that has recorded
high results in terms of economic indexes and pace of reforms and in
many countries it is introduced by the World Bank as a "successful
example" of effective reforms. The two sides shared the opinion that
by transferring from the status of a poor country to the status of a
country with average income Armenia must continue to actively pursue
the adopted policy.
The main topic of the meeting between the Managing Director of
the World Bank Grim Willy and Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan was the
prospects of RA economic development. The Prime Minister particularly
mentioned that the main issue of Armenian government would continue
to be the provision of high economic growth. But in his opinion it
is very important for this growth to be visible and essential for
every inhabitant of Armenia.
As the main directions of the future cooperation with the World
Bank the two sides underscored the development of the private
sector, economic competition and the issue of increasing economic
competitiveness.