President: Nagorno-Karabakh republic continues improving its water supply infrastructure

STEPANAKERT, November 21. /ARKA/. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic will keep improving its water supply infrastructure, Karabakhi President Bako Sahakyan said on Sunday at a gala event held as part of Telethon-2011 in Los Angeles.

“Effective usage and protection of water resources are among the most important components of the process of strengthening Artsakh’s statehood,” the president’s press office quoted him as saying.

Sahakyan said that water is a strategic resource, which is becoming more and more significant in the global policy, and the republic possesses huge water resources.

“Some 66 communities have been provided with water for the recent three years,” he said. “A 470-km network of pipelines has been built here. AMD 4.3 billion has been spent for implementation of this program. Of this amount, 60% of these expenses have been borne by Hayastan All Armenian Fund.”

The president said that many schools, kindergartens, medical centers, residential houses and roads have been built and recovered thanks to this fund.

Pargev Martirosyan, head of Armenian Apostolic Church’s Artsakh Diocese, Grigor Hovhannisyan, consul general of Armenia in Los Angeles, David Babayan, chief of the Nagorno-Karabakh president’s press office, Robert Avetisyan, permanent representative of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in the United States and Canada, as well as clerics, politicians, representatives of various organizations and benefactors from Armenian communities overseas were present at the event.

Hayastan All Armenian Fund started holding annual telethons in 1998. This year’s telethon will begin on November 25.The funds to be raised here are intended for improvement of Nagorno Karabakh’s water-supplying facilities.

About $21 million was raised during the 13th telethon in 2010. The then telethon was held under “Water is Life” motto.

The money raised then has been spent for construction of water-supplying facilities in Nagorno Karabakh and development of rural areas in Armenia.

Hayastan All Armenian Fund was established in 1992 for implementation of national projects and development of infrastructures in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Members of the fund’s Armenian president-headed board of trustees are respected representatives of Armenian communities worldwide.-0---