Month: March 2007

ECONOMIST PREDICTS HIGHER US DOLLAR EXCHANGE RATE

Panorama.am
18:25 13/03/2007

The exchange rate of US dollar may go up to 360-380 drams in April-May,
Edward Aghajanov, an economist, made a forecast today.

The economist believes the exchange rate will go up artificially. "It
will be done for the purpose of making the election campaign cheap
or at no cost for some people," he said. After the parliamentary
elections, the exchange rate will sharply go down, he said. "Our
economy is in an absurd condition.

Everything is possible in our country," the economist believes.

FUTURE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE ACCEPTABLE FOR ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

Panorama.am
18:26 13/03/2007

Public and elit opinions on the Armenian genocide coincide in France,
Hilda Choboyan, representative of the Armenian Cause Office of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnakcutiun), told reporters
today. In her words, all three candidates for the presidency of France
support the political line of condemning the Armenian genocide. They
only differ in the attitudes on the bill imposing punishment for not
recognizing the genocide.

"Although Segolen Roayal has not made any statement, it is known that
his co-party fellows have submitted the bill imposing punishment for
not recognizing the genocide," Choboyan said. She said the same refers
to Nikolia Sarkozi who is against Turkey’s membership to EU. On the
other hand, Fransua Bayrumi, who is not against condemnation of the
Armenian genocide and is against Turkey’s membership in EU, does not
think that the Senate must approve the bill imposing punishment for
refusing to recognize the Armenian genocide.

WINE NOT CLEARED BY CUSTOMS BECAUSE OF NOT BEING EXCISED

Panorama.am
20:40 13/03/2007

Customs state committee released a statement today according to which
12 tones of Georgian wine imported by Turiel Ltd is not cleared by
customs because of not being excised, as the law requires.

According to the statement, the importers have to acquire excise
stamps from an upper customs body before they are imported into the
territory of Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

JERMUK GROUP ADVISER SAYS TESTED BOTTLE OF MINERAL WATER NOT OF THEIR COMPANY

Panorama.am
18:22 13/03/2007

"FDA has made test only on 500 ml water, one bottle," Edgar Ghazaryan,
adviser to chairman of Jermuk Group Co., said speaking about the
sensation around "Jermuk."

On March 7 US government Food and Drug Agency (FDA) informed the
American consumers that the mineral water imported from Armenia is
harmful for health because it contains big quantity of arsenium. As a
result, USA, Canada and Honk Kong have refused to import that mineral
water from Armenia.

Ghazaryan said the American agency had released that the test is made
on mineral water in green glass bottle. The adviser said the almost
all mineral waters are in green glass bottles except for Georgian
"Borjomi." Ghazaryan showed the picture of the label of the tested
mineral water which has one deer on it whereas the Armenian bottled
mineral water has 2 deer on the label. The adviser believes it has
been done intentionally.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF SWITZERLAND

ArmRadio.am
14.03.2007 10:08

On March 13 RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian participated in the
fourth session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The same day in Bern Minister Oskanian met with President of the
Confederation of Switzerland, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign
Affairs Mrs. Micheline Calmy-Rey. During the meeting issues related
to the state of bilateral relations and Switzerland’s participation
in the development programs of Armenia, particularly in the rural
poverty reduction program, were discussed.

The interlocutors also referred to the UN Human Rights Council session
held in the UN Office in Geneva.

RA FM presented to the President of Switzerland the peace process on
Karabakh conflict settlement in light of the meeting with the Foreign
Minister of Azerbaijan expected today. The Armenian-Turkish relations
and possible developments were also discussed.

Returning to Geneva Minister Oskanian met with representatives of
the Armenian community of Switzerland.

ISSUE OF RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MAY BE RAISED IN THE ISRAELI KNESSET TODAY

ArmRadio.am
14.03.2007 11:29

The "Meres" political party of Israel is likely to raise the issue of
recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the Knesset of Israel today,
one of the leaders of the Armenian National Committee of Israel,
historian Georgette Avagyan hopes. Israeli mass media have not
reacted yet, since the 6 members of the "Meres" party meet with
parliamentarians separately and do not make public statements.

It’s worth mentioning that due to understandable reasons MPs
representing Arab parties earlier refused to participate in the
vote on the genocide. The Israel-Turkey and Israel-Azerbaijan
Interparliamentary Friendship Groups of the Knesset will most probably
prevent the discussion of the issue or will vote against. There are
also Russian-speaking Jew MPs, who migrated from Baku, and they often
make anti-Armenian statements in Israeli press.

There is an Armenia-Israel Interparliamentary Friendship Group in the
Knesset chaired by Ze Velkin, member of the ruling "Kadima" party. Let
us remind also that the last attempt to put the question of recognition
of the Armenian Genocide on discussion in the Knesset was made in 2002.

OSCE LONG-TERM OBSERVERS TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA THIS WEEKEND

ArmRadio.am
14.03.2007 11:49

12 long-term observers of the OSCE will arrive in Yerevan this weekend,
Armenpress was told at the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights. A week later another 26 long-term observers will
arrive in Armenia. These will include experts, who will monitor also
the activity of mass media.

Part of the observers will leave Armenia 1-2 weeks after the elections,
after observing the post-election processes. One week proceeding the
voting day about 300 short-term OSCE observers will arrive in Armenia.

The Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly has registered
12 observers; the CIS Executive Committee will be represented by
8 observers.

NATO INFORMATION EXCHANGE NETWORK SYSTEM ACCESSIBLE TO LIMITED NUMBER OF USERS

ArmRadio.am
14.03.2007 13:05

Henceforth the NATO information exchange network system is open
to 22 subscribers from 10 Armenian agencies. Representative of the
Swiss Government Daniel Egloff noted during today’s seminar on he
electronic information network of events organized by NATO that the
NATO information exchange network system is for limited use and is
meant for those ministries and agencies, which immediately have to
do with the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP).

Dead of RA MFA Department on NATO Martha Ayvazyan noted that the
network includes information about the arrangements, programs and
seminars implemented under NATO’s "Partnership for Peace" program.

The recurrent program in the framework of the NATO week in Armenia
is financed by the Government of Switzerland.

JUST ONE YEREVAN-VAN FLIGHT

ArmRadio.am
14.03.2007 13:47

To guarantee the participation of the Armenian delegation in the
ceremony of opening of the reconstructed Church of the Holy Cross on
Akhtamar Island the Turkish Government has approved the organization
of a special Yerevan-Van flight.

The Turkish "Milliyet" informs that the decision was taken as a
result of the sitting in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, featuring
representatives of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Turkey,
the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the National Security Service,
the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Gendarmerie, as well as the
Governor of Van. According to the source, the main issue on the
agenda was "the measures to be undertaken for the arrival of the
Armenian delegation" to participate in the festive opening ceremony
on March 29. In particular, issues of the Armenians’ stay in Van
and departure for Akhtamar Island were discussed. In this regard,
the representative of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism declared
that 3 000 people have been invited to the opening ceremony, while
only 300 of them can visit the island.

REPORT ON ARMENIA TO BE DISCUSSED IN NATO

A1+
[03:48 pm] 14 March, 2007

more images On March 14, "Friday" Club hosted Samvel Lazarian,
Ambassador of Armenia to NATO. He dwelt on the Armenia-NATO relations,
implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan signed
between Armenia-NATO, as well as the report of the NATO commission on
Armenia. "This is the best way to represent the stance of Armenia to
the leading members of the military-political alliance", Mr. Lazarian
says.

To remind; a NATO commission arrived in Armenia in January-February
of the current year to observe the implementation of Individual
Partnership Action Plan.

The report will likely be represented on April 14, during the
recurrent sitting of NATO. The sitting will be presided over by the
NATO General Secretary.

Vardan Oskanyan, RA Foreign Minister, and Serge Sargsyan, RA Defense
Minister, will represent Armenia in the sitting.

RA Ambassador to NATO assures that the RA political agenda doesn’t
cover the engagement of Armenia into NATO. "On the whole, the alliance
is not interested in South Caucasian countries separately".

As for the engagement of Georgia and Azerbaijan into NATO,
Mr. Lazarian says the countries will have to solve certain problems
to become members of NATO.

While speaking about Georgia’s membership to NATO, Mr. Sargsyan
pointed out, "We shall have a frontier with a NATO member country in
case Georgia is admitted into NATO. Armenia already has a borderline
with Turkey another NATO member country. But the frontier is not open
as Armenia and Turkey are in unfriendly relations".

Mr. Juan Fournet, General Secretary of NATO, seems content with the
implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan, and the
report will likely be in favour of Armenia, says the ambassador.