STEPANAKERT (Noyan Tapan)–A delegation led by the president of Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR) Arkady Ghoukassian is in the United States in preparation for the now-traditional Thanksgiving-Day Telethon in support of the republic.
The delegation recently participated in a similar phone-a-thon in France–which collected funds in support of the strategic "North-South" road in the MKR.
President Ghoukassian met with Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan–Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the Eastern USA and Canada on Tuesday–November 19–in New York–according to the Information Department of the MKR President.
During the meeting–also attended by Prelacy Executive Council members–the MKR President discussed the socioeconomic situation in Karabagh. He stressed the importance of the North-South road for the development of the country. Archbishop Choloyan expressed the willingness of the Church to render assistance to Karabagh in the construction of such a key transport route.
A reception in honor of the MKR President was organized by the Diocese of the Armenian later in the day. The Primate–Archbishop Khajag Barsamian–and various leading figures of the local community were present. President Ghoukassian expressed gratitude toward the Armenian Diaspora for its constant moral and material support to Karabagh. He pointed out the importance of the further expansion and deepening of cooperation among Armenia–Karabagh–and the Diaspora in the realization of pan-national tasks.
Ghoukassian met with philanthropist Louise Simone later that afternoon. The MKR President informed her of the goals of his visit to the US–and Mrs. Simone acknowledged the importance of the construction project and expressed readiness to render assistance. The MKR leader also met with a representative of the Armenian Assembly of America leadership and discussed a wide range of economic and political issues.
Ghoukassian also met with New York business circles and discussed ways of attracting foreign investment to the MKR. The MKR leader noted that legislative and tax measures favorable for foreign capital investment have been taken in Karabagh. Members of the MKR president’s delegation and Armenia’s Ambassador to the US–Arman Kirakossian–as well as Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the UN–Ambassador Movses Abelian–also attended the meetings.