Month: April 2007

RUSSIA READY TO ASSIST ARMENIA WITH CONSTRUCTION OF NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Russia is ready to assist Armenia
with construction of a new nuclear power plant, including by
making investments if the Armenian government takes the respective
decision. Head of the Russian Atomic Energy Agency Sergei Kirienko
stated this on April 23. According to him, the Russian side may also
be useful in terms of its experience in this field: it is envisaged
to build 26 nuclear power units in Russia by 2020.

S. Kirienko said that the term of operation of the Armenian Nuclear
Power Plant is until 2016.

ONLY 4 OUT OF 35 YEREVAN HOTELS HAVE QUALIFICATION CATEGORY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Only 4 out of 35 hotels in Yerevan
have been granted a qualification category by the RA Ministry of Trade
and Economic Development. These hotels are: the Golden Palace Hotel
(5 stars), the Metropol Hotel (4 stars), the Ani Plaza Hotel (4 stars)
and the Congress Hotel (3 stars).

Head of the Tourism Department of the RA Ministry of Trade and
Economic Development Mekhak Apresian told NT correspondent that the
RA government’s decision on approval of qualification categories and
qualification process of hotel facilities establishes the list of
minimum requirements for granting of 5 qualification categories. The
list has 60 points. The process of qualification of hotels started
in early 2005 and has a voluntary character.

After granting the respective qualification category, check-up are
conducted in the given hotel once a year, and the economic entity
must be informed about it 3 days in advance. According to M. Apresian,
it is envisaged to reconsider this provision of the decision because
"control of such frequency cannot be efficient." "More frequent
check-ups without warning should be conducted so that logistics and
services provided by hotels can be in line with the requirements of
the qualification category granted," he noted.

He added that until now 129 tour guides and 3 accopmanying persons have
received licenses of the RA Ministry of Trade and Economic Development.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT WORK OF 20 MILLION DOLLARS TO BE DONE IN YEREVAN THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. This year Yerevan Mayor’s Office
envisages to implement construction and improvement work, as well as
repairs of the outdoor lighting networks of city streets of the total
amount of 7 bln 197 mln drams (about 20 mln USD). Frunz Basentsian,
Head of the Construction, Improvement and Municipal Economy Department
of the mayor’s office said at the April 23 press conference that all
tenders related to this work have already been held.

In his words, 2.3 bln drams has been allocated for asphalt laying
of streets, 1.6 bln drams – for reinforcement of 8 accident-prone
buildings. Work on repairs of the outdoor lighting system of the
total length of 167.5 km in 77 streets will be implemened this year.

F. Basentsian said that 3 pedestrian subways and a pedestrian crossing
will be built in Isakov Street. Tram-lines in Sebastia, Leningradian
and Sasuntsi Davit Streets will be dismantled, and major repair work
will be done in Gay Avenue. Major repairs of Yerevan streets will be
carried out with community funds as well.

It is envisaged to build an irrigation network of 1,700 meters in
Shengavit community, that of 1,200 meters – in Ajapniak community of
the city.

WORLD CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS, JEWS AND MUSLIMS TO TAKE PLACE IN KIEV

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

ETCHMIADZIN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The world conference of Christians,
Jews and Muslims dedicated to the necessity of usage of spiritual
values and establishment of the spirit of tolerance for peace in the
whole world will take place on April 25-26, in the capital of the
Republic of Ukraine, Kiev.

Prominent politicians, businessmen and media representatives from about
100 countries of the world will participate in the conference which
was organized under the patronage of Vadim Rabinovich, the Chairman
of the Union of Jews in Ukraine. Noyan Tapan was informed about it
by the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Bishop Markos Hovhannisian, the Gegharkuniats Diocese Primate will
participate in the conference by blessing of His Holiness Karekin II
Catholicos of All Armenians. He will pass to those present the All
Armenian Patriarch’s blessing as well.

PRINCIPLE OF "ONE WINDOW" TO START OPERATING COMPLETELY IN COMING ONE OR ONE YEAR AND A HALF IN SYSTEM OF RA SOCIAL SECURITY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The principle of "one window" will
start operating completely in the coming one or one year and a half
in the system of RA Ministry of Labor and Social Issues. Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed about this by Armen Abrahamian, Head of
Information Technologies Department of Nork CJSC creating and running
all seven information bases of the Ministry.

In his words, the essence of the principle is that any citizen in any
center of social service can receive from all information systems of
the sphere any information of social sphere not prohibited by the law.

In A. Abrahamian’s words, though at present all above mentioned systems
work uninterruptedly, nevertheless, activities of their modernization
are planned to solve problems of compatibility of various information
systems, mutual control through comparative analyses. For instance,
data about family benefit, pension accumulations, employment and
disability are included in all four information systems. And according
to the new legislation, it should be provided that no deliberate or
accidental mistakes should be in computer databases of social systems.

In the words of the Head of Nork’s Information Technologies Department,
the technical equipment of the system is also provided at present. In
A. Abrahamian’s words, computer equipment received within the framework
of WB program Government of Social Protection Sphere with its quality
and quantity gives a possibility with its use to bring the system of
RA social government and rendering services in line with many European
countries. The above mentioned program also envisages satellite means
of telecommunication, which are necessary for uniting all institutions
of RA social system into one information network.

Technical tasks of modernization of all seven information systems
have been worked out.

A. Abrahamian motivated his optimism by success of introduction of
system of social cards. He said that "the applicants even within a
day receive social cards without any technical or administrative long
drawn-out proceedings."

Currently the number of citizens having social cards in Armenia is
nearly 2.5 mln.

TWO PROGRAMS AIMED AT IMPROVING HOUSING CONDITIONS OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF ARTSAKH REBIRTH PROGRAM FINISH IN MARTAKERT

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Two programs aimed at improving
housing conditions of educational institutions within the framework
of Hayastan All Armenian Fund’s Artsakh Rebirth program have finished
in Martakert lately. As Noyan Tapan was informed from Fund’s Public
Relations Department, with the financial assistance of Fund’s Toronto
local body (Canada) a three-storeyed school was built in the village
of Madaghis for 120 pupils with a boiler house and lavatory. And
repairs of a kindergarten finished in Haterk.

It was mentioned that a similar three-storeyed school building is
also being built in the village of Kochoghot with the financial
assistance of Fund’s French local body, as well as in the village of
Verin Horatagh with the assistance of Toronto local body.

Besides, the school of Kochoghot is being furnished with the financial
assistance of Fund’s French local body. And with the assistance of
Mayor’s Office of the city of Saint-Etienne furniture and sports
equipment of nearly 29.5 thousand USD was given to the school of the
village of Haterk.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BUSH ASSURES ERDOGAN THAT HE WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PREVENT PASSAGE OF RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

ANKARA, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The US President Bush sent a letter to
the Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which he says they
will do everything in order to prevent passage of the resolution on
the Armenian Genocide. "Hurriet" reported that this letter was sent
in response to Erdogan’s letter to Bush, a letter requesting support
of the US administration.

In his letter, the US president indicates the US administration’s
unchanged position on this issue, assuring that they do not consider
such initiatives positive and are not going to give any support
to them.

AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION POSTPONES ITS VISIT TO U.S. DUE TO REFORMULATED EXPRESSION ABOUT NKR ON STATE DEPARTMENT’S SITE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

BAKU, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Azerbaijan has postponed the visit of
its delegation to U.S. The Turkish Zaman mentions that the reason
of the decision is some change of the expression related to Nagorno
Karabakh and its adjacent territories by U.S. State Department in
its 2006 report on human rights, which was placed on the official
web-site of the State Department.

The Azerbaijani delegation planned to leave for U.S. on April 23-24,
during which it was to have bilateral consultations related to issues
of security.

To recap, the following expression about Armenia had been included
in State Department’s 2006 report on human rights: "Armenia occupied
Nagorno Karabakh and 7 Azerbaijani regions." In the future, however,
that sentence was reformulated and placed on State Department’s
web-site, which read: "The Armenian armed forces occupy the most part
of Azerbaijan’s territories adjacent to Nagorno Karabakh."

In this connection the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister made a statement,
which read: "The neutrality shown by U.S. in the process of solution of
Nagorno Karabakh problem seems to be doubtful. So, as a result of such
steps cooperation carried out within the framework of two countries’
security comes across serious obstacles."

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: STRONG ARMENIA SHOULD BE ARMENIAN PEOPLE’S RESPONSE TO THOSE COMMITTING AND DENYING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of Commemoration
Day of Armenian Genocide RA President Robert Kocharian addressed a
message to the Armenian people. The message provided to Noyan Tapan
from RA President’s Press Office read:

"Dear compatriots,

Every year on April 24 we commemorate the innocent victims of the
Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Turkey. But we always bear
memory about that crime in our souls.

Many countries of the world remember and commemorate that day together
with the Armenian people. The international community realized that
genocide is a crime aimed not only against individual people, but
also against the whole mankind: a crime, the denial and concealing
of which are no less dangerous than its preparation and fulfilment.

Ordeals and feeling of unfairness have a property of uniting. The
disaster of the genocide strengthened the feeling of Armenian identity,
made Armenians consolidate, strengthened the wish of independent
statehood. Being the reflection of Armenian people’s ancient-old dream,
the Republic of Armenia should prosper and develop as the homeland
of all Armenians. Strong, democratic, well-off Armenia should be
Armenian people’s response to those planning, committing and denying
the Armenian Genocide."

TURKEY WILL NEVER RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WITHOUT INTERVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, YSU RECTOR CONVINCED

Noyan Tapan
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The solution of the Armenian Cause
is first of all the duty of our people. Professor Aram Simonian,
Rector of Yerevan State University, expressed such opinion in his
interview to journalists on April 24 in Tsitsernakaberd. In his words,
only with Armenian people’s unity and striving for seeing country’s
free future it will be possible to achieve international recognition
of Armenian Genocide.

As A. Simonian affirmed, Turkey will never recognize the crime
committed by it of its own free will. "The international community,
the European superpowers should exert pressure even if proceeding from
their interests, which in that issue may coincide with the interests
of Armenia," he said.
From: Baghdasarian