Month: October 2006

ARMENIA HAS APPEARED IN BLOCKADE

A1+
[07:21 pm] 03 October, 2006

Russia has stopped air, land, sea, railway and postal communication
with Georgia. Willingly or unwillingly Armenia will suffer from the
Russian-Georgian relations. Georgia is the main transit for taking
Armenian goods overseas. Will the Russian – Georgian relations have
their side-effect on the Armenian economy. We offer our Internet
readers to answer the following question via on-line polling.

Last week we offered our readers to present their evaluation on the
level of informative and a telecommunication technology which is
considered to be the most developed field in Armenia.

Five percent of those surveyed think it is excellent, six percent
say it is good and twenty-one percent find it satisfactory. 64
percent think that our economy lingers and we are left behind other
countries. Four percent couldn’t give a definite answer to our
question. 326 readers participated in the polling.

ARTHUR BAGDASARYAN’S COMPLAINTS AND THREATS

A1+
[08:49 pm] 03 October, 2006

Today Arthur Bagdasaryan has appeared in the hall of sessions for
the second time after his resignation from the NA Speaker’s post. His
arrival coincided with the time when deputies make announcements and
aroused great interest among the deputies.

At exactly 5:00 o’clock when the deputies were registering for making
announcements, Mher Shahgeldyan and Heghine Bisharyan from OYP entered
the hall and managed to register their names. All the deputies were
struck by the fact that Arthur Bagdasaryan, who wasn’t in the hall,
was the 11th deputy to make an announcement.

All the deputies made suppositions on this score when in the
long run Arthur Bagdasaryan gave the answer to their concern. He
announced that Orinats Yerkir intends to appeal to the Constitutional
court to find out what factors the increase of gas, electricity and
telephone charges was determined by and how the Committee Regulating
Public Services will count for this taking into consideration the
devaluation of dollar. "Out of 228 currency changes 90 have closed
down. We counter monopolization of the field by a few oligarchs",
said Arthur Bagdasaryan and added that there must be decrease of
charges whereas today, "the charges of gas, electricity remain the
same though the rate of the dollar decreases".

ARMENIA IN THE LIST OF 20 BEST COUNTRIES

A1+
[08:13 pm] 03 October, 2006

World Bank and International Financial Cooperation made a report
on the Armenian business sphere. Today the report "Business – 2007"
was presented to the RA Prime Minister.

Simon Diankov, head of the working group, noted that on the whole
there are favorable conditions for the Armenian business enlargement
due to the results of the recent reforms realized in different spheres
of the country. In his words, the fact that Armenia occupies the 34th
place in the list of 175 countries by its index already testifies to
his predictions.

Armenia is also included in the list of 15 countries which successfully
implemented all the reforms within the past two years. According to
the report, property registration, contract signing and leasing have
become easier. There is also great progress in license granting.

The report didn’t neglect the spheres where, despite the realized
reforms, there is still much work to be done. The authors of the
report claim that their report is aimed at enhancing business sphere,
rising public level, as well as at opening new working places. They
underline that at present Armenia is likely to appear in the list of
20 best countries of the world by the index of the reforms. They also
added that the World Bank and the International Financial Cooperation
are ready to render assistance to Armenia in this respect.

Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan focused on the issue of presenting
the reforms anticipated in different spheres next year to businessmen
and public more comprehensibly as it will give a chance to have a
complete picture of reforms.

THERE IS NO DISCORD AMONG THE CO-CHAIRS

A1+
[09:31 pm] 03 October, 2006

The OSCE Minsk group has not finished its work, claim the
Co-Chairs. Today they announced that the Armenian and Azeri Foreign
Ministers will meet in Moscow on October 6.

The Co-Chairs are a little indignant at yesterday’s meetings in Baku
and the interpretation of the Azeri mass media. US Co-Chair Mettew
Bryza says that he couldn’t sleep the whole night after seeing his
announcement on GUAM in the press. According to the Azeri press
data, Mr. Bryza said that GUAM countries can render assistance to
OSCE Minsk group in Karabakh conflict settlement. Today Mr. Bryza
read his opinion on the GUAM in front of the Armenian journalists;
"GUAM member countries are not OSCE members."

Bernard Fassier, French Co-Chair says that he didn’t announce in
Baku that Karabakh cannot participate in the negotiation process at
present. He didn’t answer the same question in Yerevan either. He
didn’t exclude the possibility that peaceful troops may be located
in vacated territories by 2006.

Tomorrow the Co-Chairs will leave for Karabakh. Mr. Bryza assured that
the Co-Chairs are of the same opinion on all questions, and there
is no discord among them. "I can assure that the Karabakh conflict
settlement has not a military solution," said Mettew Bryza. Bernard
Fassier said that unless Armenians and Azeris are ready to live side by
side as neighbours, the Karabakh conflict won’t be settled. As for the
time when the conflict will find its final solution, Mr. Fassier said,
"Let’s live and see."

CO-CHAIRS ARRANGE A MEETING BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Panorama.am
21:30 03/10/06

Armenian and Azeri foreign ministers will meet on October 6 in Moscow,
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs told a press conference late today. In
their words, the foreign ministers will have another meeting after
this one followed by a meeting on the level of presidents.

Russian co-chair said the negotiations will run around the known
document.

Yesterday the co-chairs met with Azeri president and foreign
minister. Today, they had a meeting with the Armenian president and
foreign minister and tomorrow they will meet with the president of
Nagorno Karabakh.

The major aim of co-chairs’ visit is to establish links between the
leadership of the two countries.

Yuri Merzliakov said they have reached that aim.

All chairmen affirmed that they are optimistic about the continuation
of talks. "Nagorno Karabakh conflict has no military solution,"
American co-chair Matthew Bryza said, also saying Minsk Group process
has got a new push. "We do not say that we expect sharp changes now
or that all difficulties are over. However, we observe the readiness
of both sides to deliberate issues and move forward," he said. In his
opinion, both sides have low trust to each other, which is caused by
dissemination of inaccurate information.

The co-chairs think it expedient to continue talks around the same
document because three things have become clear after July when the
co-chair said they have no more creativity. First, the co-chairs have
understood that the sides cannot make much progress without their
mediation. Second, there are two co-chairs with records in Karabakh
conflict settlement. Third, Matthew Bryza is a person with lots of
creativity. Based on these factors, the co-chairs have decided to
continue based on the document, which have become known to public
recently.

The co-chairs say they did not violate the principle of secrecy
when they released information on the document on the table of talks
because only one principle became public.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COMPACT DISC WITH KOMITAS SONGS RELEASED

Panorama.am
15:28 03/10/06

A presentation of Komitas songs performed by Hasmik Papian, soprano,
and Vardan Mamikonyan, pianist, was held today in Yerevan. The disc
was recorded in Bavarian Radio in Super Audio CD format, a high quality
compact disc. In the words of Hasmik Papian, in the past the foreigners
were touched by the music of Komitas and now they have the chance to
read the text as well. "If they understand what the song is about,
they will have willingness to learn about our country," Papyan thinks.

Papyan and Mamikonyan plan to perform in France within the framework
of the Year of Armenia in France.

Anyone can purchase the disc now in Yerevan and order it via
internet.

CHIEF COACH NAMES FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN COMBINED TEAM

Panorama.am
13:18 03/10/06

The chief coach of the Armenian national football team,
Ian Porterfield, named the football players who will play at
Armenia-Finland and Serbia-Armenia games on October 7 and 11
respectively.

Armenian Football Federation press services say a number of football
players are invited to play in the games, among them goal keepers
Gevorg Kasparov, Armando Hambarzumyan, Feliks Hakobyan, Edle Apula
Edima Bete. The Finland national combined team will arrive in Yerevan
on October 4.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CHESS TOURNAMENT KICKS OFF IN YEREVAN

Panorama.am
13:17 03/10/06

International youth chess tournament kicked off in Yerevan today in
the House of Chess. Before the opening, the participants respected
the memory of Tigran Petrosyan, 9th World Champion.

Smbat Lputyan, vice chairman of Chess Federation of Armenia, Armenian
chess players always take part in chess championships with great
delight. In the words of Lputyan, youth championships take place in
Yerevan for the third time. "Youth tournaments are very interesting
and memorable," Lputyan said.

Young chess players from 50 countries take part in the tournament
which will run until October 17.

DIASPORA ARMENIAN STUDENTS FACE PROBLEMS WITH LOCAL YOUTH

Panorama.am
16:02 03/10/06

About three thousand foreign citizens of Armenian decent study at the
higher educational establishments of Armenia. Unfortunately, many
of them have problems when communicating with local students. This
is dictated by different types of mentality and often causes
disappointment.

Taking into consideration these differences, youth-student organization
Tkhruni of Social-democratic Party Hnchakian issued a statement
together of youth organization "Nikol Aghbalyan" of Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnakcutiun) saying "difference in
mentality of the youth from Armenia and the Diaspora causes difficult
relations and conflicts." In a discussion at Pastark on October 3
the participants urged respective state structures to deal with the
problems of Diaspora youth. The appeal was particularly addressed to
the department of Diaspora at the ministry of foreign affairs.

Reasons for mockery may be western Armenian language or the appearance
of students from the Diaspora like long hair for men or shabby
jeans.

DEPUTY OF PARLIAMENT MEETS ARMENIAN PORNO SITES IN INTERNET

Panorama.am
14:47 03/10/06

Tatul Manaseryan, deputy of parliament, asked Grigor Malkhasyan,
deputy minister of justice if there is punishment against creators
of porno sites in Armenia.

He said he had seen such a site in internet which also deals with
the sale of women. The deputy justice minister said such people are
fined 200-400 times of their salary or are sentenced to one year of
jail. He also said the prosecutor’s office and the police must deal
with such cases and not the ministry of justice.