ARKA News Agency
April 13 2005
214 shares of 212 companies registered at Armenia’s Securities
Commission by Jan 1, 2005
Steps to ensure equal competition made in Armenia
RA Minister of Foreign Affairs: the issue of recognition the Armenian
Genocide is important for Armenia from the standpoint of safety
Armenia to celebrate Global Youth Service Day
Government commission set for World War II Victory celebration
preparation holds Wednesday a widened session
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214 SHARES OF 212 COMPANIES REGISTERED AT ARMENIA’S SECURITIES
COMMISSION BY JAN 1, 2005
YEREVAN, April 13. /ARKA/. By January 1, 2005, the RA Securities
Commission had registered 214 shares of 212 companies, against 225
companies by January 1, 2004, Commission Chairman Eduard Muradyan
told a press conference. He reported that in 2004 the RA Securities
Commission registered two issue prospectuses, one of them being open
issue, when shares worth a total of 633mln AMD were placed.
In 2004, the Commission considered 36 declarations of registration of
issuers (basic documents on the information on activities). After the
Commission discussed them, 53 amendments were proposed. Muradyan
reported that only 25 declarations were registered as a result. In
2004, the Commission stopped registering the securities of 41
issuers, which violated the country’s legislation.
In carrying out its supervisory activities in 2004, the RA Securities
Commission received 1,716 reports of companies, organized hearings
attended by the companies’ representatives. To eliminate faults in
the reports, the Commission issued 61 instructions.
Muradyan also pointed out that in 2004 the Commission carried out
work to consolidates the registers of shareholders of 20 emitters. As
a result, 6,676 shareholders’ accounts were consolidated.
The Commission also conducted inspections of 44 emitters, including
37 current checks, recording 1,708 violations. The Commission made
relevant decisions and issued 190 instructions.
In 2004, the Commission discussed complaints received from
shareholders and registers 18 complaints about violations of
corporate management requirements.
In 2004, the RA Securities Commission initiated 123 actions on
administrative violations, and in 177 cases relevant decisions have
been made. A total of 16.76 AMD fines were to be paid. Legal
proceedings were initiated against 23 entities, and claims for the
payment of 10.6mln AMD have been made. A total of 6.2mln AMD were
confiscated in favor of the state budget.
The RA Securities Commission was formed in August 2000. It has five
members appointed by the RA President for five years. The Commission
is entitled to license, register, regulate and supervise the
activities of broker companies, stock exchanges, RA Central
Depositary, as well as other self-regulating organizations
specializing in securities. P.T. -0–
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STEPS TO ENSURE EQUAL COMPETITION MADE IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, April 13. /ARKA/. Steps to ensure equal competition and put
an end to `patronage’ in business are being made in Armenia, RA
President Robert Kocharyan stated at his meeting with the members of
the newly elected Presidium of the Union of Manufacturers and
Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA). The RA presidential press service
reports that as an instance the RA President cited inspections of tax
and customs sphere conducted by the Presidential Supervisory Service
to ascertain interrelated persons in business. `The most simple and
efficient means here is ensuring transparency, which reveal all
deviations and makes struggle more effective,’ Kocharyan said.He
pointed out the importance of businessmen proposing mechanisms of
accomplishing this task. The meeting participants also discussed
problems of ensuring equal competition in business, encouraging local
producers, especially their export activities, softening effects of
exchange rate fluctuations.
Addressing the problem of taxation of the import of production
equipment, President Kocharyan pointed out that, considering the
urgency of this issue, he issued relevant instructions to the
establishment in charge of the economic sector. Kocharyan said that a
package of proposals is currently under preparation, which envisages
new solutions and is being discussed with international financial
organizations. Kocharyan assured the businessmen that the
possibilities of resolving all the problems raised at the meeting
will be thoroughly discussed and most effective will be selected.
President Kocharyan wished success to the businessmen, pointing out
that simultaneously with developing their business they should pay
more attention to their tax commitments. P.T. -0–
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RA MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: THE ISSUE OF RECOGNITION THE ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE IS IMPORTANT FOR ARMENIA FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SAFETY
YEREVAN, April 13. /ARKA/. The issue of recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is important for Armenia from the standpoint of safety, as
RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian stated at a press
conference in Yerevan. `Without recognition of the Genocide and
admitting the fault by Turkey, we cannot trust that neighbor, which
from the military standpoint is quite powerful and definitely
protects Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh issue’, he said. According to
him, with such a neighbor Armenia cannot feel safe. Oskanian
emphasized that though 90 years later after the Genocide the fact of
it hasn’t been uniquely recognized by international community,
Armenia should be consistent in its activity. The Minister noted that
on the threshold of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
Turkey not only fails to recognize it, but, on the contrary, pursues
even more sever policy. `Instead of being more tolerant and
understanding, Turkey chose contrary position, and today hearings are
held in Turkish parliament on possible counteraction to the efforts
of Armenia to achieve international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide’, he said. According to Oskanian, `this seriously undermines
the authority of Turkey, and will return to Turkish authorities as a
boomerang’. Oskanian emphasized that there are serious discrepancies
between the Turkish authorities and the population regarding that
issue, and Turkish intellectuals more actively discuss that issue and
accept the mistake. `We in our turn ought not to forget bloody pages
of the history, and should every year pay tribute to the victims of
the Genocide to obtain justice’, he said.
No diplomatic relations have been established between Armenia and
Turkey. The stumbling block between the two countries remains to be
the event of 1915 in Ottoman Turkey. The fact of the Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915, as a result of which over 1,5 mln
people were massacred, is recognized by some states. A.H.-0–
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ARMENIA TO CELEBRATE GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY
YEREVAN, April 13. /ARKA/. Armenia will celebrate Global Youth
Service Day on April 15-17, 2005. Programs of community service and
special event will be carried out. As the Press Service of Prohect
Harmony told ARKA News Agency, also, the events will include visits
of schoolchildren to elderly houses in various marzes of Armenia,
concert of young musicians of Swallow NGO, visits to veterans of
Great Patriotic War in Vayots Dzor, Human Rights workshop for
disabled children in Lori marz and visit to Gavar children’s home.
Orphan children from different orphanages in different regions of
Armenia will visit the Internet Computer Centers of the Armenia
School Connectivity Program network. In addition, cleaning works will
be carried out in different regions of Armenia giving youths an
opportunity to make contribution through the volunteerism. 303
schools of Armenia School Connectivity Program network will
participate in the cleaning works.
Project Harmony Yerevan office holds this event 6th year running in
Armenia in association with more than 100 organizations of different
countries
Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is an annual global event organized
by Youth Service America and the Global Youth Action Network,
together with a consortium of 32 International Organizations,
including the UN, Peace Corps, WB, Habitat for Humanity
International, Jane Goodall Institute, Roots&Shoots program, etc.,
and 150 National Coordinating Committees
The Project Harmony opened its office in Armenia in 2000, when it
launched the Armenia School Connectivity Program in the country.
Armenia School Connectivity program is a program of the US Department
of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs funded through
the FREEDOM Support Act and implemented by the Yerevan office of the
Project Harmony. The project budget is $12.5mln and envisages the
opening of Internet computer centres in 330 Armenian schools, 300 of
such centres actually functioning now. L.V.–0–
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GOVERNMENT COMMISSION SET FOR WORLD WAR II VICTORY CELEBRATION
PREPARATION HOLDS WEDNESDAY A WIDENED SESSION
YEREVAN, April 13. /ARKA/. Government commission set for World War II
Victory celebration preparation held Wednesday a widened session in
Armenian Defence Ministry. According to Armenian Defence Ministry`s
Spokesman Seyran Shahsuvaryan, the course of the preparatory work for
the celebration was discussed at the Wednesday’s session presided by
Armenian Defence Minister Serge Sargsyan. The session participants
came up with a number of proposals focused on proper holding a series
of events connected with the Victory.
Speaking on behalf of 9015 Armenian veterans of World War II,
Major-General Rafik Karapetyan, the Chairman of Armenian Union of
Labor Veterans, Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies, proposed
to change the name of one of Yerevan’s schools by naming it after
General Safaryan. Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakaryan said a decision on
the issue will be made within a week.
Alexan Harutyunyan, the Chair of the Council of Public TV and Radio
Company of Armenia, presenting a lit of TV programs about the war
broadcast on television and radio, said a series of films about
Armenian soldiers buried in Europe are being shoot now by Yerevan
studio.
Fadey Sargsyan, the President of National Academy of Science of
Armenia, speaking on behalf of veterans, thanked Armenian President,
Government and Defence Ministry for cordiality and willingness to
organize festive events that is necessary not only for veterans , but
also for young generation to implant patriotic ideas in the young.
Armenian Defence Minister Serge Sargsyan said summarizing the session
that `May 9 is the double holiday for our nation’. He said he
convinced that `proper celebration of this glorious holiday depends
on warm and cordial attitude of all of us toward it’. M.V. – 0–