ARMENIAN PRESIDENT GOT A COOL RECEPTION DURING THE MEETING WITH DIASPORA BUSINESSMEN IN JUNE, REPORTS ” WASHINGTON POST”

07.09.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. During a visit to Washington last June, President of Armenia Robert Kocharian got a cool reception from the Diaspora businessmen, reads the issue “Armenia Pins Economic Hopes on Peace” by Michael Dobbs, published in “The Washington Post” on September 6.
According to participants in the meeting, “the country needs to put its own economic house in order before appealing for more funds from outside”, writes Dobbs.
In the absence of large-scale funding from the Diaspora, Armenia’s only hope of economic salvation lies in an international reconstruction effort tied to a peace settlement. U.S. officials have been attempting to line up promises of assistance from international lending institutions for both Armenia and Azerbaijan as soon as they reach an agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh, reports “Washington Post”.
On June 5, 2000 the president of Armenia Robert Kocharian met with Armenian Diaspora businessmen in New York. More than 50 Diaspora businessmen from the USA, Canada and Latin America were present at the meeting. Robert Kocharian said he would like every Diaspora businessman have economic interest in Armenia. He stressed that stability is again established in the country, and Armenia is ready “to get” investments.-0-