YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Acting President and Prime Minister of Armenia Robert Kocharian met Tuesday with Armenian Relief Society Central Executive Chairperson Vanuhi Issadjanian and chairperson of the Armenian Relief Cross (ARS of Armenia) Alvard Petrossian.
The ARS representatives voiced their content with the re-registration of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the revision of sentences of political prisoners. They considered those steps as the beginning of a new political process in Armenia.
The Prime Minister’s press service reported that Isajanian and Petrossian said the ARS has scheduled a conference on "Diaspora-Homeland at the doorway of the 21st century" in Armenia. Welcoming that initiative–Kocharian emphasized the Armenian government’s readiness to promote such a conference.
With regard to Armenia-Diaspora relations–Kocharian underlined that the ties should be built on the principles of mutual understanding and cooperation.
The Armenian Diaspora is capable of playing a significant role in the political–economic and spiritual development of independent Armenia–he noted.
According to Kocharian–Armenia is the homeland of the entire Armenian nation and each Armenian should be given an opportunity to make his own contribution to the reconstruction of his homeland.
Issadjanian noted that Diasporan Armenia’s are concerned about the issue of dual citizenship. Kocharian said that a nation which has a broad diaspora should not have such restrictions in its legislation.
