YEREVAN. - Leader of opposition Heritage party Raffi Hovannisyan believes that Armenia-Diaspora Forum will not solve any basic problem, being of superficial and ceremonial nature, said the politician at a press conference on Saturday.

“I learned about the event and the official invitation only yesterday. Actually I have never been invited to ceremonies and events for the past 16-17 years. Only recently I have acquired certain status, let’s say, and got, although belated, still an invitation. Quite unfortunately I leave for Kiev tomorrow to participate in international forum of MPs on issues of struggle against racism, nationalism and anti-Semitism and therefore I will miss the forum in Armenia. I of course welcome the initiative, however the previous experience shows that these events have been superficial and ceremonial, without really touching upon topic of serious concern. From all this I expect filming of Presidents and Catholicoses, followed by a discussion that will raise the spirits for 20th anniversary of independence,’’ said Hovannisyan.

Armenia-Diaspora forum will bring together 500 representatives from 50 countries. Within the framework of two-day conference on Armenia’s 20th anniversary ministers, experts, the media representatives, and political party activists will come up with their reports.

Four thematic sessions are scheduled: “The language and education”, “The youth problems”, “The Genocide’s 100th anniversary” and “The new mechanisms of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation.”