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06/13/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Oskanian And Mamedyarov Discuss Contentious Issues in Karabagh Conflict Regulation 2) Iran Supports Peaceful Settlement of The Karabagh Conflict 3) Armenians Convert Savings as Dram Gains Strength 4) Armenian Parliament to Convene Hearings on Dual Citizenship 5) Events Mark 40th Day after Armenian Plane Crash 6) Iranian Diplomat Discusses Natural Gas Pipeline 1) Oskanian And Mamedyarov Discuss Contentious Issues in Karabagh Conflict Regulation YEREVAN (Armenpress)--Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov met Tuesday in Paris to discuss settlement of the Karabagh conflict. The negotiations were conducted with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen and personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office Andzey Kasprchik. The Armenian Foreign Ministry press service reported that during negotiations, Oskanian and Mamedyarov discussed the principles and approaches over which the two countries disagree. They decided to continue negotiations. 2) Iran Supports Peaceful Settlement of The Karabagh Conflict YEREVAN (Yerkir)Iran's Deputy Ambassador to Armenia Ali Akbar Jokar said Tuesday that Iran believes that the Karabagh conflict can only be settled through negotiations. At a news conference in Yerevan, he said that Tehran repeatedly confirmed its readiness to assist in the settlement of the Karabagh conflict. "Iran enjoys good relations with all its neighbors and is interested in stability in the region," he said. 3) Armenians Convert Savings as Dram Gains Strength YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The chairman of Armenia's Central Bank, Tigran Sarkisian, said Tuesday that the renewed strengthening of Armenia's national currency, the dram, against the US dollar has led to Armenians converting their dollar savings into drams because they have finally begun to trust their currency. The dram has gained almost 9 percent in additional value against the dollar in less than a month and is now worth over 30 percent more, in dollar terms, than it was right before the start of its dramatic appreciation in late 2003. The Central Bank attributed this to a sizable increase in multimillion-dollar remittances from hundreds of thousands of Armenians working abroad. Sarkisian said a further rise in their amount this year has boosted demand in the dram and pushed up its value as a result. Last week, the Armenian Government's mid-term economic outlook said that the Government expected the economy to continue its robust growth and enable a further increase in public spending on education and social programs in the next few years. The document presented by Deputy Finance and Economy Minister Pavel Safarian forecasts that Gross Domestic Product will rise at an annual rate of at least 6 percent from 2007 through 2009. Official statistics show that the Armenian economy expanded by 12 percent in the first four months of this year, putting it on track to register a double-digit growth for a sixth consecutive year. Safarian said continued growth is expected to raise the country's GDP per capita, a key indicator of living standards, from the current $1,600 to $2,300 by 2009. Armenia's macroeconomic performance in recent years has been repeatedly praised by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Both financial institutions have endorsed the government's assertions that the growth has considerably reduced widespread poverty. The dram's strengthening, for example, has hit hard a large part of Armenia's population which is dependent on cash regularly sent by their expatriate relatives. Some analysts say it is stifling the country's modest exports. Official statistics show their total volume falling by nearly 8 percent to $253.7 million in the first four months of this year. Armenian imports, by contrast, rose by 13 percent to $584 million during the same period. However, Safarian said the anticipated economic growth will enable the Armenian Government to raise the average salary of civil servants and school teachers by 40 percent to 124,000 drams ($295) and 82,500 drams respectively in the next three years. He said the Government will also raise its tiny monthly pensions and poverty benefits by 2,000 drams each year. 4) Armenian Parliament to Convene Hearings on Dual Citizenship YEREVAN (Armenpress)The Armenian Parliament's Foreign Relations permanent commission will conduct parliamentary hearings on Dual Citizenship starting June 23, said leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Faction (ARF) Hrayr Karapetian. He noted that representatives of interested organizations, parties, political figures will be invited to participate in the discussion. 5) Events Mark 40th Day after Armenian Plane Crash YEREVAN (Yerkir/Armenpress)Relatives of those killed in the crash of an Armavia Airline arrived in Sochi, on the Black Sea Coast of Russia, Tuesday to mourn the deaths of their loved ones and attend a ceremony marking the 40th day after the tragic event. Armenian Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatian also took part in the ceremony, saying that a stone, which will become part of a planned monument to the crash victims, will be laid. Members of the Armenian Consulate and administration of the Krasnodar region also attended the events. The victims' families also attended a requiem service in the St. Gevorg Church in Tbilisi, Georgia, on their way to Sochi. In Tbilisi, they were met by the members of Georgian Parliament, Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Hrach Silvanian, and representatives of the local Armenian community who expressed their condolences. Saying that Georgians grieved together with Armenians the Ambassador noted that "At this difficult moment we understand what means real friendship." An A-320 airplane belonging to Armenian company Armavia crashed into the Black Sea on May 3 killing all 113 passengers aboard. 6) Iranian Diplomat Discusses Natural Gas Pipeline YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Iran's Deputy Ambassador to Armenia, Ali Akbar Jokar discussed the natural gas pipeline running from Iran to Armenian, which is currently under-construction. Russia's state-run natural gas monopoly, Gazprom, was reported earlier this year to have secured ownership of the pipeline as part of a controversial settlement of its recent gas dispute with Yerevan. The information was initially confirmed by Gazprom, but subsequently refuted by the Russian giant and senior Armenian officials. "There are no changes yet in the project," Iran's deputy ambassador to Armenia, Ali Akbar Jokar, insisted on Tuesday. "Changes may only happen with the consent of all parties [to the project.]" Asked whether his government would object to the possible change of pipeline ownership, Jokar said, "Since there is nothing concrete, such a prediction can not be made at this point." Work on the first 40 kilometer section of the pipeline, financed by a $34 million Iranian loan, began late last year and is scheduled to be complete by next January. Armenian and Iranian officials say the construction is proceeding according to plan. The pipeline will ease Armenia's strong energy dependence on Russia, presently its sole supplier of gas. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. 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