President Serzh Sargsyan has praised Armenia’s emerging class of businesspeople who, as he put it, “are seeking to create their long-term and weighty handwriting instead of gaining momentary profits.”

“It is this class of businessmen that is the major support base of any country,” said Sargsyan Tuesday addressing more than a hundred representatives of Armenia’s business circles whom he had invited to a reception at his residence ahead of the New Year and Nativity festivals.

“The ending year has been a difficult year for our economy, a period full of problems. Each of you has had to deal with problems caused by the unfavorable economic environment and in the process of seeking solutions also constantly consider the human factor, realizing your social responsibility before your employees and their families,” said Sargsyan, as reported by his press office.

Sargsyan emphasized that the government-businesses cooperation has made it possible to “avoid the worst – social upheavals and a great negative impact on the most socially vulnerable strata of the population.”

Looking ahead, Sargsyan expressed a hope that “the major principle of economic unity” will remain in force also in 2010.

The head of state also singled out the role of the banking system, which he said has survived the durability test and “should become an engine of activity for small and medium-sized enterprises.”

In the end, Sargsyan vowed that his government “will take all measures for 2010 to become a year of recovery.”