FAO Director visits Armenia

[Hunanian Jack]

FAO DIRECTOR VISITS ARMENIA

ArmenPress
Sept 3 2004

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS: The visiting Director General of the
UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Jacques Diouf, met today
in Yerevan with senior officials of the Armenian agriculture ministry
to discuss ways of stepping up cooperation between the organization
and the government of Armenia. Minister David Lokian commended FAO
for implementing a string of development projects and releasing funds
to fight rodents and locusts that damaged last year's crop.

FAO is also helping the government to get prepared for AgriForum
international conference, slated for October 28-30 in Yerevan and
Armprodexpo fair-2004.

Before 2003 FAO worked in Armenia as part of the UNDP, but decided
to set up its own office in Yerevan in 2003 November to step up
cooperation with its government.

Jacques Diouf said today that FAO is well aware of Armenia's
agriculture problems and stands ready to help the government to resolve
them by providing it with relevant information and technical support.