Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian government approved the budget for the country’s participation in “Shanghai Expo-2010” World Exhibition at the sum of 569mln AMD today.

Mediamax reports that, speaking at the session of the government of Armenia in Yerevan today, Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan informed that this year 77.7mln AMD will be spent for preparing for the exhibition, and the remaining part will be used in 2010 and will be spent for designing the Armenian pavilion, maintaining it, for cultural programs, administrative and other expenses.

The Minister of Economy also informed that the Chinese side has expressed readiness to provide the Armenian delegation in Shanghai with technical assistance at the volume of $650 thousands.

According to Nerses Yeritsyan, as a result of the competition, the preliminary design of the Armenian pavilion is already chosen.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian called to active participation of the Ministries of Culture and Diaspora in preparing for the exhibition. Prime Minister noted that expenditures for participation in the exhibition will exceed the means, approved by the budget, expressing hope that funds will be raised from private sponsors.

The World Exhibition will take place in Shanghai from May to October, 2010. The topic of the exhibition is “Better City, Better Life”. It is expected that over 200 counties and international organizations will participation at the exhibition, the number of its visitors will make over 70mln people.