TUNIS (Armenpress)–Alcatel–the world’s leading telecom equipment supplier–headed by an ethnic Armenian Serge Tchuruk–pledged to open its regional center in Armenia. Alcatel and the Armenian Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF) signed a memorandum to that end in Tunis on November 16 on the sidelines of the UN World Summit of Information Society (WSIS). The memorandum was signed by Tchuruk and Armenian Deputy Trade and Economic Development Minister Tigran Davtian.
Serge Tchuruk–who has managed the French group for the past decade–met last week in Yerevan with President Robert Kocharian and Prime Minister Andranik Margarian. He was quoted by official sources as saying that he was ready to help them launch "certain programs on the research and introduction of innovative technologies" in Armenia.
EIF chairman Bagrat Yengibarian said the Alcatel center will promote further development of information technology and help prepare high-level professionals. He said Alcatel will furnish the center with state-of-the art equipment.
Alcatel was the largest supplier of telecom equipment to the ArmenTel telephone operator and to its recently established mobile phone competitor–VivaCell. Earlier this year Alcatel and the Greek firm Intracom won a multimillion-dollar contract to set up Armenia’s second wireless network operated by VivaCell.
