Armenia, Diaspora vulnerable now

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia is facing serious challenges, an analyst specializing in international relations said.



"The Armenian Center for National and International Studies will work to resist these challenges, since both Armenia and Diaspora are vulnerable now," Richard Giragosian, the new ACNIS director told a news conference in Yerevan today.



He said the center will engage in regional political and economic affairs and named strategic research and national security issues as ACNIS priorities.



Mr. Giragosian denied any links between his future activities and Heritage party leader and ACNIS founder Raffi K. Hovannisian.



"Our record will be available for all," he said. "Independence of political forces will be the guiding principle of the center."



Richard Giragosian is a regular contributor to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) publications and is a contributing analyst for the London-based Jane's Information Group.