The
opportunities of cooperation with Austria are great if our officials make
more efforts.The first agreement between Armenia and Austria was signed
in 1994. But the relations weren’t active as a matter of fact. The NA chairman
Arthur Baghdasarian’s official visit intended to make the cooperation more active.
The deputy Minister of Economy and Labor of Austria, the chief of the department
on issues of EU enlargement, the cochairman of the Armenian-Austrian intergovernmental
commission Yohan Sax produced an interesting estimation during his meeting with
Arthur Baghdasarian. According to it every Austrian "has bought" from
Armenia goods cost 2 cents but every Armenian "has bought" goods cost
1 Euro 80 cents. Mr. Sax explained with his example that the good circulation
between Armenia and Austria doesn’t have large scales and the 93% of exporting
goods from Armenia are carpets. A large group of ruling officials from the
Ministry of Economy and Labor came to the meeting with Arthur Baghdasarian and
agreements round 10 issues were acquired. And a pitiful reality was found out.
The Armenia-Austria intergovernmental economical commission formed more than two
years ago hasn’t developed any activity with the "help" of the cochairman
of the Armenian part Karen Chshmaritian. The cochairman of Austrian part declared
yesterday that the commission has only held a sitting and even in those days when
the RA president arrived Austria. The Austrian part has asked to the Government
of Armenia for several times to inform by corresponding writing round what issues
they want to cooperate. That information had to be declared till September of
the last year to include that project in the budget of next year. The Minister
of Economic development and industry of Armenia is still thinking of those issues
but the Austrians have made and use their budget where there isn’t any project
regarding to Armenia. Yohan Sax who was rather humorous person was constantly
stressing on his friendly relations towards Armenians. First he said that he had
spent his honeymoon in Armenia then he remembered that the Austrian Officers got
used to marry Armenian carpet seller women. Yohan Sax also had tasted Armenian
cognac: "I have drunk Ararat cognac so much that I see two Ararats, one is
in Armenia another is in a foreign country." Mr. Baghdasarian stressed
during his meeting with the president of the National Academy of Science Herbert
Mangle that Armenia considered very important the scientific progress and it has
great capacity to achieve success in various spheres of science. It was decided
during the meeting that Mr. Mangle will arrive in Armenia in September and will
determine the scientific and academician items of these two countries in situ.
The Academy of Austria has the experience of cooperation with approximately 50
countries / also Georgia and Azerbaijan/ and Mr. Baghdasarian suggested Armenia
to become the 51st. Herbert Mangle accepted the proposal of cooperation but also
stressed that they usually discussed the possibilities of contacts with different
countries and sign agreements with those countries to which they are sure the
work will be prolonged. By the way the Academy of Austria gets 80 million Euroes
from budget and scientific centers are being financed separately. Yesterday
Arthur Baghdasarian met the deputy chairman of the Parliament of Vienna Erika
Shtubenfol. Margaret Yesayan
