Month: March 2007

INFORMATION-CONSULTATION CENTER OF CIS INTERPARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY’S OBSERVATION MISSION FUNCTIONS IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The goal of the
Information-Consultation Center of CIS Interparliamentary
Assembly’s monitoring mission is to organize long-term observation
of forthcoming parliamentary elections of Armenia and to send the
collected information and results of analyses to the head office in
Saint Petersburg. The mission will be headed by Alexander Torshin,
Vice-Chairman of RF Federal Assembly’s Federal Council. Center Director
Armen Martirosian stated this at the March 14 press conference.

In his words, the Center plans to implement long-term observations
of the whole electoral process through 30 experts in all electoral
districts of Armenia being guided by the principles of Convention
on Standards of Democratic Elections, Electoral Laws and Freedoms in
CIS Member-Countries signed in 2002 in Kishinev.

The Center’s information will be provided to already accredited 12
observers of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly’s Council who will arrive
in Armenia in early May. In A. Martirosian’s words, the Center is
not empowered to give consultation to organizers and participants
of elections and cannot publish the results of its observations
independently. Only the observation mission is empowered to make
official statements and to give estimation to the process of elections.

ARMENIAN YEZIDIS WANT TV CHANNEL IN THEIR LANGUAGE

Arminfo
14 Mar 07

Yerevan, 14 March: Representatives of Armenia’s Yezidi community are
currently working towards opening a special TV channel in Armenia to
broadcast in the Yezidi language, Aziz Tamoyan, head of the National
Union of Armenian Yezidis, has told Arminfo.

Tamoyan said the Yezidi community, numbering 40,620 people, is grateful
to the Armenian president’s aide on ethnic issues, Sergo Yeritsyan,
for his support in solving problems the community faces. In some of
the schools in Kotayk, Armavir and Aragatsotn regions, the Yezidi
language is taught in junior forms. A textbook of the Yezidi language
for the first to third grades has been published. A newspaper called
Yezidikhana with a circulation of 500 copies is published in Armenia
five times a year. A programme on Armenian National Radio in the
Yezidi language is broadcast daily from 0800 to 0830 [0400-0430 gmt],
Tamoyan said.

He also said that apart from a special TV channel, the community
insists on the publication of textbooks in the Yezidi language
for the fourth to tenth forms. Another task is to get the genocide
of the Yezidi people in Ottoman Turkey in 1915-18 internationally
recognized. Over 500,000 Yezidis were killed at the time.

"We have no territorial claims, but we demand decent compensation
for the damage inflicted on our people," Tamoyan said.

WITH NATO DURING FIRST YEAR OF IPAP TO BE SUMMARIZED IN APRIL RESULTS OF ARMENIA’S COOPERATION

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The results of implementation of
Armenia’s Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with the NATO
during the first year will be soon discussed at the NATO. Samvel
Mkrtchian, Armenia’s Resident Representative to NATO, stated at the
March 14 press conference that the preliminary date of the discussion
to be held in Brussels is April 4 but this date may be changed. It
was noted that the discussion will take place in the "26+1" format.

According to S. Mkrtchian, the duration of an Individual Partnership
Action Plan is usually two years, after which the plan can be continued
as in case of Georgia.

MURDERS OF ARMENIANS IN RUSSIA ARE NOT MANIFESTATIONS OF XENOPHOBIA, RF AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA ASSURES

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Murders of Armenians in Russia
are not manifestations of xenophobia or phobia of Armenians. RF
Ambassador to Armenia Nikolay Pavlov stated this at the March 14
press conference. In his words, these crimes have a social ground. The
Ambassador also mentioned that sometimes criminal brawls in Russia with
participation of Armenians are presented as xenophobia in media. In
N. Pavlov’s words, the last two murders of Armenians, in Ivanteeevka
and at Pushkinskaya Moscow underground station, were disclosed and
the criminals were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment. The
Ambassador assured that the Prosecutor General’s Office and Ministry
of the Interior of Russia will do their best to fight these crimes.

AMBASSADOR OF RUSSIA TO ARMENIA REFUTES OPINIONS ON PASSIVITY OF HIS COUNTRY IN ISSUE OF NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Russia continues working actively
in the OSCE Minsk Group aimed at settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. Ambassador of Russia to Armenia Nikolay Pavlov stated this
on March 14. In his words, the fact that Russian Co-chair of OSCE
Minsk Group Yuri Merzliakov did not take part in the recent visit to
the region says nothing. "I hope there will be some advancement in the
settlement of this problem and it will be in the foreseeable future,"
the Ambassador said.

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN ON APRIL 3

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov will pay a visit to Yerevan on April 3-4. Ambassador of
Russia to Armenia Nikolay Pavlov reported this at the March 14 press
conference. He stated that the visit of Russian Foreign Minister is
timed for 15th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations
between RF and RA.

In N. Pavlov’s words, the relations between the two countries
develop dynamically in all spheres. In particular, in spite of
recent transport problems, volumes of bilateral trade grow. Thus,
in 2005 bilateral trade circulation amounted to 350 mln USD, while
in 2006 it increased reaching 426 mln USD, at that, without taking
into consideration supplies of Russian gas. The Ambassador also said
that Russian investments to Armenian economy also grow. He mentioned
the activities of Russian companies in Armenia – Gazprom, RAO EES,
Armenal, Vneshtorgbank of Russia and Vympelcom that has lately entered
into telecommunication market of Armenia.

At the same time, N. Pavlov mentioned some problems, in particular,
relaunching of five Armenian enterprises transferred to Russia for the
national debt of Armenia. He reported that this issue was considered
at a regular meeting of Co-chairs of Russian-Armenian Intergovernmental
Commission on Economic Cooperation held on March 5 in Moscow.

The RF Ambassador also mentioned bilateral cooperation in military and
military-technical spheres, within the framework of which Russia guards
borders of Armenia with Iran and Turkey, conducts training of Armenian
servicemen in Russian military higher education institutions and
supplies military-technical equipment to Armenia on preferential terms.

BY RESULTS OF SURVEY CONDUCTED BY ARMENIAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, "PROSPEROUS ARMENIA", REPUBLICAN AND "ORINATS YERKIR" PARTIES WILL GET MOST VOTES AT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. By results of a survey conducted by
the Armenian Sociological Association, about 72% of those surveyed
intend to vote at the parliamentary elections on May 12. The survey
was conducted on February 10-24 in 84 settlements of 11 Armenian
marzes. 18.2% of those surveyed decided to vote for the "Prosperous
Armenia" Party, 10.6% – for the Republican Party of Armenia, 6.7% –
for the "Orinats Yerkir" party. The People’s Party headed by Tigran
Karapetian is in fourth place (5.1%), while the ARF received 4.8%
and is in fifth place. The percentage of those intending to vote for
other parties is extremely low. For example, the "Natinal Unity" party
is in sixth place (3%), followed by the "Heritage" Party headed by
Raffi Hovannisian (2.6%) and People’s Party of Armenia headed by Stepan
Demirchian (2.6%). 0.8% of those surveyed intend to vote for the United
Labor Party, 0.5% – for the Armenian All-National Movement Party, and
0.4% – for the "Republic" Party headed by Aram Z. Sargsian. 26.4% of
those surveyed have not decided yet, 17.3% will not vote for any party.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

28 SCHOOLS AND 6 HOUSES OF CULTURE TO BE REPAIRED IN KOTAYK MARZ AT EXPENSE OF STATE BUDGET

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The socioeconomic situation in Kotayk
marz and programs on its further improvement were discussed by the
Armenian president Robert Kocharian and the governor of Kotayk marz
Kovalenko Shahgaldian during the March 14 working meeting. NT was
informed about it from the RA President’s press service. According
to the governor, in 2006, the collection of communities’ budgetary
revenues exceeded by 970 mln drams (about 2.7 mln USD) the 2005 index,
which allowed to solve a lot of social problems. The interlocutors also
discussed the programs on repairs of 28 schools, one hospital and 6
houses of culture in Kotayk marz, as well as the problem of assisting
property owners of Voghjaberd community in the landslide zone.

NO AIRLINE GRANTED LICENSE FOR OPERATION OF YEREVAN-VAN CHARTER FLIGHT

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. No Armenian airline has been granted a
licence for operation of Yerevan-Van charter flight. Aram Marutian,
Head of the RA Civial Aviation’s Air Transportation and License
Department, told NT correspondent about it. According to the Turkish
newspaper "Miliet", the general staff of Turkey’s armed forces proposed
that tourists to arrive from Armenia in order to attend the opening
ceremony of Aghtamar Church on Van Lake should arrive in Turkey by
a Yerevan-Istanbul flight and then go to Van. However, the Turkish
government proposed that either Alijan border gate should be opened
temporarily – by organizing a charter flight between Yerevan and Van
or Armenian tourists should cross the Turkish border by land transport
means and then travel to Van.

EXPORT FROM ARMENIA GROW BY 24% IN JANUARY 2007 ON SAME MONTH OF LAST YEAR, IMPORT GROW BY 71%

Noyan Tapan
Mar 14 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. In January 2007, Armenia’s foreign
trade amounted to 94 bln 761.5 mln drams or 260.3 mln USD. According
to the RA National Statistical Service, export of goods made 21 bln
640.2 mln drams or 59.5 mln USD, while import – 73 bln 121.3 mln
drams or 200.8 mln USD. The foreign trade balance was negative by 51
bln 481.2 mln drams (141.2 mln USD), that without cargo received as
humanitarian aid – 50 bln 732.7 mln drams (139.2 mln USD). In January
2007, export grew by 24% on the same month of last year, import grew
by 71%. In January 2007, export of goods to CIS countries made over
18.2 mln USD (94.3% growth on January 2006), while import – over 67.2
mln USD (89.1% growth), including export to Russia – about 12.8 mln
USD (166.3% growth), import – 48.8 mln USD (104.1% growth); export to
Georgia – 3.16 mln USD (3.2% decline), import – over 6 mln USD (69.3%
growth). Export to EU countries made about 27.2 mln USD (4.3% growth),
import – over 57 mln USD (56.2% growth), including export to Belgium –
about 6 mln USD (19.3% decline), import – 10.7 mln USD (15.8% decline);
export to Germany – about 9.9 mln USD (34.6% growth), import – 5.8
mln USD (39.3% growth); export to the Netherlands – about 8 mln USD
(10.1% decline), import – about 6 mln USD (45.2% decline). Export to
Israel made 2.9 mln USD (31.2% decline), import – over 4.7 mln USD
(48% decline); export to the US – about 1.8 mln USD (32% decline),
import – 10.8 mln USD (62% growth).