YEREVAN, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. Currently Armenia has 47 diplomatic representations abroad, two of which, in Hague (the Netherlands) and Batum (Georgia) were opened in 2008. It is expected to open Embassies in another 3 countries by the end of 2009, in Lithuania, Finland, and Japan. Their opening was planned earlier, but was delayed because of the financial-economic crisis. RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosian reported at the discussion of the account of 2008 state budget execution at RA National Assembly Standing Committees. According to him, Armenia has only two commercial representations abroad, in Brussels (Belgium) and Switzerland, which rather carry out functions of representations at international organizations. It was mentioned that RA Foreign Ministry's position is the following: Armenia's Embassies should be engaged in development of bilateral economic relations. In this respect it is desirable to have commercial attaches at all Embassies. It was also mentioned that Armenia strives for getting buildings for its representations abroad with the ownership right as far as possible. At present 14 of the buildings of Armenia's representations are the ownership of RA, 12 have been given to RA by various Diasporan organizations for gratuitous use, the others are rented.

---