Armenians Get Down to Business

This week's visit from a delegation of government and business leaders from Cambridge's sister city of Yerevan has laid the groundwork for business relations with the Armenian capital, officials said.

The nine visitors toured the Polaroid plant in Cambridge yesterday, then discussed possible joint ventures with the company's executives, according to Cambridge Vice Mayor Alice K. Wolf.

Wolf said the vice mayor of Yerevan, who is among the visiting Armenians, met yesterday with Massachusetts Speaker of the House George Kevarian (D-Everett). The head of the Yerevan Chamber of Commerce also met with former Cambridge City Manager James Sullivan, now president of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, she said.

"The visit has been extremely successful so far, almost to the point of overload," said Deborah Welsh, treasurer of the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association. "I expect there might be several contacts made for further joint trade or joint ventures, such as maybe joint hospital research."

However, Welsh said an obstacle in planning projects has been the Armenians' inexperience with the American business process. None of them has been in the United States before. The delegation will meet with American trade experts at a seminar today to discuss strategies for trade between the U.S. and the Soviet republic, Welsh added.

Earthquake Remembrance

The memory of the recent earthquake that leveled several cities and killed tens of thousands in Armenia has subdued the mood of the visit.

The Armenian representatives are "exhausted and sad from the earthquake," Welsh said. "For Armenians, who are really ebullient people they are really toned down." She said the delegation will visit a local Armenian church on Sunday to mark the last of the traditional 40 days of mourning for the quake's victims.

Last night, the delegation attended the annual meeting of the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association, where it presented the world premiere of a documentary about life in the Armenian capital. Tomorrow, the group will participate in a breakfast hosted by the NAACP in memory of Martin Luther King Jr., Wolf said.

The delegation will leave Cambridge for Washington Tuesday morning before flying home, according to Welsh.

In addition to discussing trade issues, the Armenian visitors have had a taste of American life. "They have travelled on the subway as well as in cars." Wolf said. "and one of them went to the Celtics game."