Month: June 2005

GEORGIA’S FIRST LADY EXPECTS SECOND CHILD
Armenpress
TBILISI, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS: The 37-year-old Georgian president
Mikhail Saakashvili and his 35-year-old Dutch wife Sandra Roulof are
expecting a second child. The news was announced by a spokesman for
Saakashvili, The couple have a ten year son-Edurad. He said the First
Lady feels well and is being now examined in Holland.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN-JAPANESE BUSINESS FORUM TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN IN OCTOBER
Pan Armenian News
30.06.2005 04:08
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An Armenian-Japanese business forum will be held
in Yerevan in October. Representatives of largest Japanese companies
will participate in it. As stated by Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Armen Bayburtyan, the arrangement on holding the forum was made at a
Moscow round table with participation of Japanese companies that have
offices in the Russian capital June 24. As noted by A. Bayburtyan,
comprehensive information on the economic situation and investment
opportunities in Armenia was provided to the Japanese businessmen. In
the course of the round table promising fields of cooperation
like tourism, chemical production, energy and electronics were
determined. The commodity turnover between Armenia and Japan made
over $12 million in 2004. In Bayburtyan’s words, this does not use
the potential of bilateral commercial and economic cooperation to the
full. He also remarked that in Yerevan he had met with the Japanese
Foreign Ministry delegation headed by Deputy Director General of
the Department of Europe. In the course of the meeting the parties
discussed a wide spectrum of bilateral relations, as well as prospects
of regional developments with the participation of the Japanese party,
Mediamax reported.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KOCHARIAN RECEIVES PERNOD RICARD-EUROPE CHAIRMAN
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS: Tierry Billon, the chairman of French
Pernod Ricard-Europe company, one of the leading world manufacturers
of alcoholic drinks, told today Armenian president Robert Kocharian
he was fully satisfied with performance of its Armenian subsidiary-the
Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC), saying the YBC was an example of a very
successful business. “We are proud to represent high quality Armenian
products abroad,” he said. Tierry Billon was quoted by Kocharian’s
press office as saying that after YBC was privatized by Pernod Riccard
it sought to raise the quality of its produces. He said YBC’s exports
of brandy soared ten-fold after its privatization in late 1990-s. YBC
sells its products mainly to Russia and Ukraine.
Billon said parallel to production increase YBC is buying more
grape from local farmers. Last year YBC paid 3 billions to Armenian
farmers for purchase of grape, this figure is expected to rise
another 20 percent this year. He said YBC plans to establish new
vineyards here. Kocharian described Pernod Ricard as “very serious
and successful business partner,” saying also no one questions today
that the privatization of YBC was a successful deal.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

724 TAXI FIRMS OPERATE ACROSS ARMENIA
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS: Some 724 taxi companies were operating
across Armenia in the first five months of the year transporting
passengers by 4,182 cars. Deputy chief of taxation service, Robert
Kocharian, said today 291 companies with 2,476 cars worked in
Yerevan. Overall they paid 91 million drams in five months as fixed
taxes. Last year there were 607 companies with 3,520 cars which paid
137 million in aggregate taxes.
Robert Kocharian said this was a rapidly developing business,
predicting emergence of new companies soon, not ruling out that
part of the business avoids taxes. “We have not registered serious
violations here,” he said. The amount of monthly tax from each car
in Yerevan is 6,800 (around $15), in Gyumri and Vanadzor it is 6,200
drams and 5,600 drams in other regions.

ARMENIAN CHURCH WANTS INTER-FAITH DIALOGUE WITH IRAN
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS: Reverend Yeznik Petrosian, head of
a department at the headquarters of Armenian Church dealing with
inter-church relations, paid yesterday a visit to Iranian culture
center in Yerevan, an affiliation of its embassy here to meet with
center head Reza Atufi to look into the prospects of starting an
inter-faith dialogue between Armenian Church and the Islamic Republic
of Iran.
The headquarters of the Church said the two men discussed a scope
of issues pertaining to mutually beneficial cooperation and decided
to hold the maiden inter-faith conference in Etchmiadzin, where the
headquarters of the Armenian Church are. The conference will be titled
“Religion and Reason in the Changing World.” They also agreed that
such conferences should become permanent, and to be held in Iran
and Armenia.

KARABAKH PARLIAMENT FIRST SITTING TO BE HELD TODAY
A1plus
| 13:12:45 | 30-06-2005 | Politics |
Today the National Assembly of 4 convocation of the Nagorno Karabakh
republic will hold its first sitting.
Out of 33 newly elected deputies are independent, 12- members of
Democratic Party of Artsakh, 10 – members of Free Fatherland party
and 3 represent ARFD-Movement 88.
Ashot Gulyan is likely to chair the parliament. As elected a deputy the
latter was yesterday dismissed from the post of Minister of Education,
Culture and Sports.

KOCHARYAN HAS BEEN INFORMED ABOUT THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
A1plus
| 20:20:45 | 29-06-2005 | Official |
As a result of the work of the President’s Control Service numerous
shortcomings of the post-graduate education system have been
revealed. The President has said that the orders established are
imperfect and do not secure objective selection of students. Besides,
in many cases they are not taken into account, and in some places
people do not even know about the existence of such order.
According to Robert Kocharyan, it is clear that the military service
plays an important role here. It deforms the whole process, as the
224 places of post graduate education were all taken by boys.
During Robert Kocharyan’s today’s working consultation a wide circle
of issues referring to post-graduate education has been discussed.
Robert Kocharyan has mentioned that the aim of the consultation is to
take active measures to avoid suchlike phenomena next year. According
to the President, the field must be regulated within months, so that
next year the process is fair, clear and transparent for everyone.
As a result of the consultations the President has ordered to process
a program on the basis of the offers sounded mentioning the clear-cut
aims, responsible structures and dates of fulfillment.

MEMBERS OF UNION OF ARCHITECTS DISFIGURE YEREVAN
A1plus
| 15:30:56 | 30-06-2005 | Politics |
The National Press Club has initiated a series of discussions with
the topic “Yerevan today”. Today’s guest was chairman of the Union
of Architects Mkrtich Minasyan
He did not deny that during the soviet period some architects of the
union made Yerevan look a fright and complained that people cannot
apply any measures to prevent others to disfigure it now. “At that
time the administrative mechanism was extremely strong and there was
a problem of dwelling constructions. However to date it is impossible
to struggle against those who are building up the city”, he said.
To note, in his words, it is good when a cafe in vanguard style
looks nice near an old construction in Abovyan street. However it
is bad when Andranik Manukyan is building a hotel different from the
neighboring Wine Factory in style.
Minasyan explained the current situation by the fact that
the construction boom after the USSR collapse began very
unexpectedly. Besides, he called the construction of tall houses
dangerous. “We have forgotten about the consequences of the
earthquake”, he said.
At the end of the meeting the chief architect hardly recalled his
latest work. It turned out to be a small church in the suburbs. Another
church will be built in Russia.

ARMENIAN BRANDY MOSTLY EXPORTED
A1plus
| 14:05:00 | 30-06-2005 | Politics |
“Pernod Picard Company is successfully developing activities in
Armenia. We are satisfied with the results of the work and are proud
to represent the high-quality Armenian trade mark abroad”, Tierry
Bieu at the meeting with Robert Kocharyan.
In Mr. Bieu’s opinion after the privatization of the brandy factory
the company’s main goal is the improvement of the quality of the
production. In his words, the volume of export and sale have increased
10 times as compared to 1990. At that over 90% is exported to Russia
and Ukraine.
He also noted that along with the increase of brandy amount produced,
the purchase of grapes also increased. Last year the factory bought
grapes to the sum of 3 billion AMD. This year the sum will grow
with 20%.
Stating the improvement of the quality as a priority issue, he also
said that the company is trying to create favorable conditions for
the employees.
Robert Kocharyan in his turn noted that Armenia has obtained a serious
partner and there is no doubt that the privatization of the brandy
factory was a right bargain.

INTER-CONFESSIONAL RELATIONS WITH IRAN DEVELOP
A1plus
| 13:39:01 | 30-06-2005 | Culture |
Yesterday on invitation of Director of Cultural Center of the Iranian
Embassy Reza Atuffi and with the blessing of Catholicos of All
Armenians Garegin II, responsible for inter-church relations, bishop
Yeznik Petrosyan visited the Cultural Center to meet with Reza Atuffi.
The purpose of the meeting was to start inter-confessional dialogue
between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Islamic Republic
of Iran. The parties agreed on conduction of inter-confessional
symposium in Holy Echmiadzin with the topic “Religion and reason in
modern changeable world”, which will have a lasting nature.
Meetings in Armenia and Iran will be held.