Month: June 2005

HEADS OF PRESIDENTIAL STAFFS OF ARMENIA, RUSSIA DISCUSS ISSUES RELATED TO ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN COOPERATION
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. Heads of Presidential Staffs of Armenia and
Russia Artashes Tumanyan and Dmitry Medvedev discussed a number of
issues related to Armenian-Russian cooperation Tuesday in Yerevan.
According to Armenian Presidential Press service, the sides stressed
the necessity of searching ways for full-scale exploitation of the
Armenian enterprises handed over to Russia under a property-for-debt
program. Besides, issues related to Caucasus ferry complex launching,
some regional economic programs and Iran-Armenian gas pipeline were
discussed at the meeting. M.V. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MOST SMOKERS IN ARMENIA AMONG EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. Armenia ranks first among the European
countries as to the number of smokers, Chairwoman of the RA
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and
Youth Affairs Hranush Hakobyan stated at a round-table “Present-day
problems of Armenia’s antismoking policy”. She also added that the
country ranks 8th in the world. “According to official statistics,
35% of cancer cases result from smoking,” she said. Hakobyan said
that all Armenian citizens are smokers. “The lack of smoking rules
results in nonsmokers becoming passive smokers,” Hakobyan said. She
also reported that 64% of men and 10% of women are smokers in Armenia.
Armenia’s citizens spend 25mln USD on tobacco every year. Four to
six persons dies from smoking in Armenia yearly. According to NGOs,
Armenia’s revenue from the import and sale of tobacco increased by 60%
in 2001-2003 totaling 42mln USD. P.T. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONTEST FOR BEST WORK ON ANTISMOKING CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCED IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. The Armenian Public Health Alliance (APHA)
has announced a contest for the best work covering the application of
antismoking legislation, APHA Chairman Hovhannes Markaryans stated
at a round-table “Present-day problems of antismoking campaign”
organized on the occasion of the World Day without tobacco. He added
that the contest will start on May 31 and last until September 30,
2005. “An independent jury will select the best analytical work and
conduct an independent study,” Markaryants said. According to him,
articles, TV and radio programs and films, as well as photographs,
can take part in the contest.
The round-table has been organized by the APHA as part of NGOs
initiative Cooperation for Open Society.
The WHO declared May 31 World Day without tobacco. The organization
elaborated a framework antismoking convention to prevent mass addiction
to tobacco. Armenia acceded to the convention as well. P.T.
-0–

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES RUSSIAN FEDERATION PRESIDENTIAL STAFF HEAD
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan received
Tuesday Russian Federation Presidential Staff Head Dmitry Medvedev.
According to Armenian Presidential Press Service, issues related to
current stage of Armenian-Russian cooperation, particularly expansion
of economic ties between the two countries. Kocharyan pointed out
Armenian-Russian relations development at present.
In his words, Russian investments activation is seen recently in
Armenia.
Medvedev, in turn, passed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s greeting
to Kocharyan saying considerable work is already done to implement
the agreements reached in the course of the meeting between the two
countries’ Presidents in this year March. M.V. -0–

Karabakh to counterbalance Azeri oil with democracy – NKR prime minister
Mediamax news agency
31 May 05
Yerevan, 31 May: The Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR] will
counterbalance Azerbaijan’s oil resources with its commitment to
liberal ideas and protection of human rights, Anushavan Daniyelyan,
NKR prime minister, has told representatives of the French office of
the All-Armenian Hayastan fund at a meeting in Stepanakert .
Daniyelyan extended his gratitude to the guests for their active
participation in fund-raising for the construction of the North-South
highway.
Asked what resources the NKR authorities rely on against the background
that Azerbaijan possesses a factor like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
pipeline, Daniyelyan said: “We have every opportunity to create a free,
law-governed and democratic state.” He said that “a democratic country,
which is governed by liberal ideas and which protects human rights,
has even a brighter future than an authoritarian state rich with
natural resources”.

Russia transferring materiel from base in Georgia to Armenia
Interfax
May 31 2005
MOSCOW. May 31 (Interfax) – A train carrying excessive ammunition
and military hardware belonging to the 12th Russian military base
in Georgia’s Batumi left on Tuesday to deliver the materiel to the
102nd Russian military base in Armenia’s Gyumri.
“This is excessive ammunition and hardware, which is being transferred
to supply the 102nd base according to an earlier endorsed plan,”
deputy commander of the Russian military contingent in the South
Caucasus Col. Vladimir Kuparadze told Interfax by telephone from
Batumi on Tuesday.

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN CENTRE FOR INNOVATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION TO OPEN IN YEREVAN ON JUNE 1
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. Russian-Armenian Centre for Innovational
Technologies in Education will open in Yerevan on June 1. According to
the Press Service of RF Embassy in Armenia, the centre will function in
the building of Yerevan branch of Moscow State Economic, Statistical
and Information Science University. The Centre is organized with the
assistance of RA Ministry of Education and Science and RF Embassy in
Armenia. L.V.–0–

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM OF EVENTS OF ARMENIA’S YEAR IN RUSSIA TO BE PRESENTED TO RUSSIAN SIDE BEFORE MID-JUNE 2005
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. Preliminary program of events of Armenia’s
Year in Russia to be held in 2006 will be presented to Russian side
before mid-June 2005. According to Armenian Governments Press and
Public Relations Department, the arrangement was made Tuesday at the
meeting of Hovik Abrahamyan, Armenian Regional Administration Minister
who is in charge of the events organization, with Dmitry Medvedev, the
Head of Russian Presidential Staff who is in charge of organization of
Russia’s Year in Armenia. Abrahamyan stressed importance of Russia’s
Year in Armenia in 2005 and Armneia’s Year in Russia in 2006. The
Minister expressed satisfaction with the events held in Armenia in
the frame of Russia’s Year. He singled out Moscow Art Theatre after
Chekhov and Bolshoy Theatre tours in Armenia and photo exhibition
dedicated to 60th anniversary of victory in Great Patriotic War.
Medvedev, in turn, expressed gratitude to Armenian Government for
organization of the events. The sides discussed further cultural,
scientific, educational, youth trade and economic events of Russia’s
Year in Armenia. The sides emphasized necessity of holding such events
not only in capitals and big centers, but also in provinces.
M.V. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA, RUSSIA CONSIDER CUSTOMS STATIONS NECESSARY FOR OPERATION OF FERRY SERVICE
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. RA Minister of Defense, Co-Chairman of the
Armenian-Russian Economic Cooperation Commission Serge Sargsyan
has held a meeting with Head of the RF Presidential Staff Dmitry
Medvedev. The Information and Propaganda Department, RA Ministry
of Defense, reports that the sides emphasized that the Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s visit was an impetus to more effective
settlement of a number of issues. Speaking of the current level of
Armenian-Russian economic cooperation, Sargsyan pointed out that about
160 intergovernmental, and interagency agreements are currently in
effect. The sides pointed out main directions that require specific
steps. In particular, the sides pointed out the necessity of putting
into operation a ferry service, which is of vital importance for
Armenia.
Pointing out a high level of bilateral relations in the defense
sphere, the sides stressed the importance of intensifying traditional
Armenian-Russia cultural and humanitarian ties. P.T. -0–

ARMENIAN, NAGORNO-KARABAKH PARLIAMENTS’ SPEAKERS DISCUSS INTER-PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION ISSUES
YEREVAN, May 31. /ARKA/. Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh National
Assembly’s Speakers Arthur Baghdasaryan and Oleg Yesayan discussed
issues related to inter-parliamentary cooperation on Tuesday.
According to Armenian national Assembly’s Public Relations Department,
results of bilateral cooperation for last years were discussed at
the meeting. They pointed out high level of cooperation and said
the agreement made by the Speakers two years ago is fulfilled
completely. Oleg Yesayan presented the results of activity of
Nagorno-Karabakh’s third convocation Parliament and election processes
in the republic. He assured that the elections will be transparent
and about 50 international observers are expected to be present in the
elections. He also noted that the third convocation Parliament adopted
twice greater number of laws than previous one. In his words, open
hearings have become traditional and parliamentary control has been
set over the period of the third convocation Parliament activity. He
noted that parliamentary representation of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
in Armenian National Assembly established direct ties between the
legislative bodies of the two republics.
Karabakhi Speaker also stressed the importance of the fact that
Nagorno-Karabakh lawmakers had been included in all the Armenian
parliamentary delegations composed for visits.
It should be noted that this is believed the last working meeting of
Armenian and Karabakh Speakers, because Oleg Yesayan won’t run for
the June 19 parliamentary elections in Karabakh. M.V. -0–