Acknowledgments

The preparation of the Report would not have been possible without the support and valuable contributions of a large number of individuals and organizations.

Recognition is due to the Presidency of the Republic of Armenia, as the executing agency of NHDR 1999 and especially Gassia Apkarian, National Project Director, for the cooperation and support to the preparation of the Report.

Several institutions, organizations and individuals shared their experience, research materials and data with authors. The group is grateful to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs; Internal Affairs; Education and Science; Industry and Trade; Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports, Social Welfare and Prime Minister's Office for their reviews, recommendations and suggestions. Recognition is due to the National Academy of Sciences and the Armenian Center for National and International Studies for their cooperation.

Special thanks are due to the Ministry of Statistics, State Register and Analysis for the willingness to cooperate and support in providing statistical data.

A round of discussions held at the UNDP Yerevan Office with the participation of the Human Development Experts Club members including Gagik Yeganian, Shiraz Kirakossian, Irina Vanian and Nelson Shahnazarian, was of great assistance for the final elaboration of the Report. The remarks of Tigran Sargssian and Nerses Mkrtchian provided useful comments and enriched the content of the Report.

Recognition is due to the staff of the UNDP Yerevan Office, particularly David Akopyan and Anahit Simonian, as well as UNDP consultants Artashes Darbinian and Astghik Mirzakhanian for their helpful comments and suggestions rendered during the preparation of the Report.

Of special interest for the authors' team were discussions with the heads and representatives of UN agencies, including the UNDP Resident Representative, Katica Cekalovic, World Bank Resident Representative Owaise Saadat, UNHCR Representative, Thomas Birath, DPI Representative, Valeri Tkatchouk, UNICEF Officer-in-Charge Jean Michel Delmotte, WHO Programme/Liaison Officer, Hrair Aslanian, IOM Officer-in-Charge, Nilim Baruah and others. The debates, recommendations, comments, professional advice and data proved very useful for the Report.

Thanks are due to Haroutun Marzpanian, the editor of the Armenian text, Elizabeth L. Winship, the editor of the English text, and Mickael Shahinian for the design of the Report and the cover page.

NHDR 1999 is illustrated with photos of fragments of ancient Armenian monuments and architectural ornaments. We would like to thank Gagik Gyurjian, Head of the RA Department of the Preservation of Monuments of History and Culture and Alexander Tamanian, the owner of Tamanian archive for their kind permission to use them.

The authors wish to acknowledge their great debt to Katica Cekalovic, UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative. Her deep commitment to and support for independent and stimulating Report had inspired all of us.

Thankful for all the support that they have received, the authors assume full responsibility for the opinions expressed in the Report.