Month: March 2007

The Prime Minister’s Chair stays with the Republican Party

Arminfo
2007-03-26 19:48:00

President of Armenia Robert Kocharyna held a meeting with governmental
officials in the Presidential residency today. They agreed that the
chair of Premier Margaryan – who was Head of the Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) will stay with RPA.

Eduard Sharmazanov, Spokesman of RPA, told ArmInfo correspondent that
the party will hold sitting and will decide upon the candidacy for
nomination for the position of Prime Minister. Later the candidacy
will be presented for the Presidential approval. E. Sharmazanov
pointed out that no definite decision on the structure of the new
Government was made. As for the information widely circulated in mass
media which says that Serzh Sargsyan will be appointed new Prime
Minister, E. Sharmazanov stressed that in few days RPA will review the
candidacy of the new Premier. The Spokesman pointed out that as
according to the treaty of the party, Head of RPA Council Serzh
Sargsyan – Defence Minister – is to become Head of the party as
A. Margaryan departed.

Note: As according to the Constitution, Armenian Government resigned
today morning. The new Premier is to be nominated within 10 days after
the resignation of the Government. The new Government is to be set up
in 20 days after nomination of the new Prime Minister. Parliamentary
elections will be held in 16 days after establishment of the new
Government. The Government will be resigned again after the first
sitting of the new Parliament. Premier Margaryan, 56, departed of
heart attack on March 25

RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
March 26 2007

Russia to benefit from Iranian gas supplies to Armenia

RBC, 26.03.2007, Yerevan 16:53:49.Supplies of Iranian gas to
Armenia may be beneficial not only for Armenia and Iran, but also for
Russian business, Armenian Deputy Energy Minister Ara Simonian said
in an interview for ARMINFO. According to him, the Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline will facilitate long-term secure agreements for companies
with Russian capital operating in the republic. In particular, such
deals may be in store for the fifth power generating unit of the
Razdan thermal power plant and the Armenian-Russian joint stock
company ArmRosgazprom, ARMINFO quoted the deputy minister as saying.

A1+

AVAN COMMUNITY IN GREIF
[03:14 pm] 27 March, 2007

A ‘ special’ atmosphere reigns in Avan Community,
Yerevan. It is already the second day that all the
booths and small shops have been closed, and people
seem to be whispering to one another.

RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan has always lived
in the address of Sayat Nova 8, Avan Community. Not
only booths and shops have adjusted to new order but
also the taxi services changed their permanent lots
and moved to the common transport parking lot.

Strangely enough to see the empty road leading to RA
Prime Minister’s building. This very narrow street has
always been lively and crowded. Today it just leads to
the RA Prime Minister’s building where his civil
requiem will take place at 6:00 p.m.

Avan Community residents honor the memory of RA Prime
Minister in their own way. They are either silent or
try not to leave the houses thus breaking the general
order. A special attention is paid to the cleaning of
the streets and pavements. In fact, the police petrol
cars are guarding the road day and night.

`Yerevan-Plaza’ Trade-Entertaining Center Opened in Moscow

Arminfo
2007-03-26 11:58:00

The opening of "Yerevan-Plaza" trade-entertaining Center has been held
today in Moscow.

As the "Commercial Real Estate" notes, the Complex is located not far
from the "Tulskaya" metro station. The total area of the Center is
over 37,000 sq.m. A four-storied Complex includes shops, restaurants
cafes and five cine halls. Boutiques of the Armenian brandy and
eastern souvenirs will shortly open as well.

The "Yerevan Plaza" is built of a polished travertine, delivered from
Armenia.

To note, during his last visit t Yerevan, the Mayor of Moscow Yuri
Luzhkov said that negotiations are held between the Armenian and
Russian sides on the creation of a large Logistic Center in Moscow for
delivery and manufacture of technical production and foodstuffs from
Armenia. "This Project is useful for Armenia from economic
viewpoint. It is a program cooperation between the two cities and it
will be carried out for better promotion of the Armenian goods that
will be demanded by the Moscowers without fail", Y. Luzhkov said.

Two quakes on Turkey-Iran Border

Arminfo
2007-03-27 11:02:00

An earthquake with magnitude of 4,1 happened on March 26 at 11:54 PM
by local time in a boundary area between Turkey and Iran at 23 km to
the west of the Iranian town of Selmas. The underground shock in the
epicenter was of force 5-6. At 11:46 PM the earthquake was preceded by
a weaker underground shock with magnitude of 3,6 of force 4-5, the
National Seismic Protection Service of Armenia told ArmInfo today.

Hürriyet, Turkey
March 26 2007

Armenian Prime Minister Margarian dies of heart attack

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian died of a heart attack
Sunday morning in the Armenian capital Yerevan. Margarian had become
Prime Minister of Armenia in 2000, in the days following the bloody
attack which took place on the country’s parliament during which 8
high ranked politicians were killed, including the prime minister at
the time, Vazgen Sarkisian.

He had been leader of the country’s ruling party, the Republic
Party. Following Margarian’s death, Armenian President Robert
Kocharian called for an immediate emergency meeting of the government
cabinet ministers.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+

NO SRTUGGLE AGAINST SERJ SARGSYAN’S BROTHER
[03:57 pm] 27 March, 2007

On March 27, the `Alliance’ party has decided to
withdraw Samvel Babayan’s candidacy from the 37th
electoral area.

The party endorses Samvel Harutyunyan’s candidacy in
the majority list who is also involved in the
proportional list of `Heritage’ party.

To remind, Serj Sargsyan’s brother Alexander Sargsyan
is also nominated in this electoral area. The main
competition will be held between Samvel Babayan and
Alexander Sargsyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

A MEETING OF THE CILICIAN BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS IN THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA

The challenge to discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian Church
and nation from the perspective of the 21st century brought together the
Cilician Brotherhood members of the Catholicosate of Cilicia in its Antelias
headquarters.

On the occasion of "Pilgrimage Day" in Antelias His Holiness had invited
the majority of Brotherhood members and in particular Primates, who were
also scheduled to have important meetings with the Pontiff and the mixed
meeting of the Central Executive Council.

The meeting started in the Veharan, the residence of the Catholicos,
following the Holy Liturgy held in the Saint Gregory the Illuminator
Cathedral on March 24. His Holiness Aram I chaired the meeting.

The Catholicos greeted the Brotherhood members with a warm welcome,
praising their worthwhile contribution as Primates, priests and spiritual
leaders of the Armenian Church. He commended the new members of the
Brotherhood, encouraging them to serve courageously under the roof of the
Armenian Church. His Holiness then outlined the Catholicosate’s work,
shedding light on a number of issues and always putting the emphasis on
preserving the reputation and image of the Armenian Church.

The participants then discussed a number of issues that had been raised
during the Cilician Brotherhood’s previous General Assembly. A discussion on
adapting the Armenian Church and nation to the challenges of the 21st
century then followed. Based on their experiences in their respective
countries and fields of service, Brotherhood members made a number of solid
proposals having in mind the interests and the development of the Armenian
Church and nation.

The Brotherhood members greeted and showed full readiness towards the
proposal of His Holiness to join efforts in the future on a number of
projects including spiritual, youth and international conferences,
publications and public events which will contribute to the strengthening of
the Armenian Church and the further development of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia’s already vast mission.
##

View the photo here:

PanARMENIAN.Net

PACE rapporteur on cultural heritage welcomes opening of Agdamar Church
27.03.2007 13:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Eddie O’Hara (United Kingdom), rapporteur on the
cultural heritage in the South Caucasus for the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE), has welcomed the announcement of the
opening on 29 March the Holy Cross Armenian Church on Agdamar island
(Lake Van, Turkey) following extensive restoration funded by the
Turkish Ministry of Culture. `The involvement of the Turkish
Government, the Armenian Church authorities, experts from Turkish and
international universities and local contractors is an outstanding
example of how cooperation can help to save the rich cultural heritage
of this region,’ Mr. O’Hara said. E. O’Hara is due to make a study
visit to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to find ways of taking
cultural heritage out of the conflicts and to identify common
strategies for its protection. `The Agdamar Church restoration shows
precisely what we should hope to achieve throughout the region. We
hope the Armenian authorities will be able to participate in the
opening,’ the PACE rapporteur said, the Informational Center of the
Council of Europe reported.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 26 2007

"GLOBAL FINANCE" MAGAZINE: ARMENIAN CONVERSEBANK BEST

YEREVAN, March 26. /ARKA/. The "Global Finance" magazine has awarded
the Armenian Conversebank the title "Best banks of developing
countries in 2007".
The press service of the Conversebank reports that the "Global
Finance" magazine has recognized the Conversebank Armenia’s best bank
the third year in succession.
Among the criteria for selecting the winner are services rendered to
clients, competitive rates, introduction of new services and
strategic relations.
The awarding ceremony is to be held in Washington, USA, this October,
during an annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the
World Bank.
The "Conversebank" CJSC was registered on December 20, 1993. By
December 31, 2006, the bank’s assets had amounted to AMD 35.5bln,
total capital AMD 9.6bln, net profit AMD 1.4bln and balance profit on
the capital account AMD 5.5bln. The banl’s authorized capital had
amounted to AMD 1,296,366ths. P.T. -0–