Armenia celebrates decade of independence

Politicians in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, have been celebrating ten years of the country's independence.

In an address to parliament, the Prime Minister, Andranik Margaryan, reiterated Armenia's determination to build a strong sovereign state.

Correspondents say the former soviet-republic -- one of the first to demand independence --has engaged in a delicate balancing act over the past decade.

They say strategic links with international financial institutions and key foreign states have allowed the country's economy to recover from near-total collapse.

But they also say the country is plagued by political instability which led to the assassination of the prime minister Vazgen Sarkisian last year.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service