YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–An international scientific conference dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the chair of Armenian studies at the Paris National Institute of Oriental and Civilization Studies ended in Yerevan on Wednesday. On the same day–Yerevan State University and the Paris Institute signed an agreement.
The agreement–which was signed for five years–provides for developing long-term programs of joint Armenian studies–the exchange of scientists and students between the two establishmen’s and the preparation of joint editions of textbooks.
The rector of the Paris National Institute of Oriental and Civilization Studies–Andree Burge–pointed out that this agreement will mark the beginning of the implementation of a number of important practical works which will be also supported by the French Embassy in Armenia. He presented Yerevan State University with a book dealing with the 200-year history of the institute.
The rector of Yerevan State University–Radik Martirossian–decorated Andree Burge with a memorial medal and invited him to attend the celebration of the 80th anniversary YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–"Local structures of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation should become our committee’s major advisors; they must provide us with unbiased and true information about local events and the activities of self-government bodies," the presidential advisor–chairman of the Presidential Committee for Local Government Issues–Armenian Revolutionary Federation Executive Council of Armenia representative Vahan Hovanessian said at a meeting with the ARF’s Vayots Dzor regional committee.
Hovanessian–accompanied by a group of Diasporan businessmen–visited Vayots Dzor Monday to examine the situation in the region as well as survey the local party organization’s activities.
During the meeting–the social and economic situation in the region as well as ways of tackling unemployment were discussed.
The same problems were discussed at a meeting with the governor of Vayots Dzor–Pandukht Manoukian. Hovanessian also met with managers of the region’s wineries. Businessmen–who accompanied Hovanessian–showed interest in some economic problems–and an agreement was reached with the local authorities on further contacts for investmen’s in the region.
On Wednesday–Hovanessian also the chairman of the Commission on the elaboration of the single state policy of territorial management–said–at a meeting of the Commission that–"It is not so much a multi-party Parliament or free elections but local government which is the main guarantee for democracy."
The meeting discussed issues of distribution of powers among institutions of local government–territorial government bodies and ministries in particular.
A member of the commission–Yerevan’s Deputy Mayor Kamo Areyan–stressed that some functions of republican departmen’s should be transferred to local government bodies–especially–in the educational–public health and social spheres.
Areyan also pointed out that there are a number of contradictions in legislative acts regarding local government–tax policy and privatization policy in consequence of which institutions of local government are unable to make the best of their functions. In particular–according to him–the process of privatization and the process of handing over state property to institutions of local government proceeded separately from each other.
The commission will submit proposals to the president as well as work out draft amendmen’s to the Constitution and the legislation after specifying its position on the given issues.