December 13, 2008 - 14:06 AMT
Tigran Sargsyan: Armenia and Diaspora form a stronger state
'The 1946-1948 Repatriation and its Lessons: The Issue of Repatriation Today' international conference kicked off in Yerevan today on initiative of the Armenian Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and the National Academy of Sciences.

The opening ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Minister of Diaspora Affairs Hranush Hakobian, MPs and other officials.

"We have organized this conference to work out a special repatriation program, taking into consideration the mistakes made in 1946-48," Minister Hakobian said. "The Armenians who are preparing to return to homeland should know what they will do here and what kind of problems they can face. "

For his part, Prime Minister Sargsyan said, "Armenia together with Diaspora is quite another country. Our Diaspora is not so far from us, as it was during the Soviet era. Today it's an inseparable part of our life."