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YEREVAN.- Armenia must not give up the idea of having national air carrier, member of Public Council Izabella Muradyan said.

Having a national carrier is strategically important for any state, she told reporters on Monday, commenting on problems Armavia company is faced with.

In the case of natural disasters, military escalation or any other emergency situations, air communication will become a crucial factor, she stressed.

For instance, virtually all Western airlines have canceled flights to Syria and Syrian Airlines maintain an air link to the outside world, Public Council member said.

Izabella Muradyan believes the government must have its influence on the management of the national carrier, while Armavia was a 100%-private company.

Commenting on the decision of foreign airlines to increase the frequency of flights to Armenia, she noted that Czech Airlines and Polish LOT also are in a poor financial situation, therefore, it is necessary to expand the list of options.