Ambassador Arman Kirakossian's Remarks at the Fifth Anniversary of NFSAT
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Washington, DC

September 4, 2002

Dear Mr. Gerson Sher,
Dear guests,

I am honored to host tonight's event dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the National Foundation for Science and Advanced Technology in Armenia. It came into existence in 1997, with the help and support of the U.S. CRDF, and is probably one of the most successful U.S. government assistance programs in Armenia.

Its success is anchored on a number of factors. First, and foremost is the existing scientific potential of Armenia and what is usually called the human capital of the nation. Armenia has more than 140 scientific institutes, centers, and other units. Also important was the professionalism and efforts of the CRDF staff in Washington, DC and Yerevan, and the dedication and hard work of the NFSAT and collaborating scientists in Armenia and the United States.

The story of the Armenian science in the last decade was a story of survival and adaptation to the new conditions. The government funding is decreasing, and the scientists are hard pressed to find new sources of financing and new venues of cooperation with the international scientific community. I think that the CRDF and NFSAT activities in Armenia are important precisely because they help our scientists work on cooperative projects with the private sector in Armenia and reach out to the R&D institutions, universities, and scientific establishments in the United States and other countries.

The Armenian government views the science sector, including the research institutes and laboratories, as an essential factor in the long-term economic and social development of the country. The primary objectives of the reforms in this sector should be the optimization of the structure and management of the scientific institutions, and securing a steady flow of financing for them. In addition to state budget financing, the government envisages incentives for encouraging private sector and third-party financing of R&D projects.

I often travel to the Armenian communities in the U.S. I want to promote an interest in the Armenian economy, science, and culture, and in turn, I have the opportunity to find out more about the issues of concern to our community, their great potential and their dedication to the homeland. Aside from commerce and investment, we also expect the Armenian Diaspora to be an active participant in Armenia's social, scientific, educational, and cultural life. I think it is fair to say that everyone is interested in helping preserve Armenia's educational and scientific potential, and, in fact, there are many programs run by individuals and by organizations that assist the Armenian universities, secondary schools, and scientific institutions. There are successful examples of cooperation, like the American University of Armenia or the CANDLE project. Most scientists who emigrated from Armenia recently are helping establish ties between their alma-maters and the institutions where they work. The members of the Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America are prominent in helping establish scientific collaboration and bring assistance to the Armenian scientists in Armenia.

Once again, I am delighted to host tonight's event, and I want to thank the CRDF for organizing it. I wish continued success to your programs in Armenia.