Month: May 2008

EUROPEAN UNION INVESTS $150 MILLION IN ARMENIAN ECONOMY IN 2007

ARKA
May 15, 2008

YEREVAN, May 15. /ARKA/. European Union invested $150 million in
Armenian economy in 2007. The EU investments make 18% of total foreign
investments in the country’s economy.

Tigran Jrbashyan, the Armenian director of AEPLAC (Armenian-European
consulting centre of economic policy and the law) told journalists
last week that Germany with its $55.3 million has outdone other
European countries in investing in Armenia.

He said Cyprus invested $16.5 million, France $18.8 million and Great
Britain ($13.5 million).

However, Jrbashyan said, it becomes clear after taking into account
total amount of foreign investments – $845.4 million – that European
share is not so great in it.

The expert said that this is especially visible in comparison with
Russia, which is topping the list of invertors – its investments make
50.4% of total investments.

"Russian business invested $450 million in Armenia in 2007
against $211 in 2006", he said. Jrbashyan said that the growth
of Russian investments was mainly due to the handover of ArmenTel
Telecommunication Company to Russian VimpelCom.

"It means that relatively small share of European investments is not
due to their decrease – it diminished because of precipitous growth
in Russian investments", the expert said.

He expressed hope that successful implementation of the reforms
outlined in the 2008/2012 governmental program will spur investment
from Europe.

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Azat Artsakh Daily
Published on May 15, 2008
NKR Republic

Today the Prime Minister Ara Harutynyan has signed NKR government’s
decisions about personnel changes in the two boards of administrations
of the republic. Vahram Baghdasarian has been appointed leader of
Askeran’s board of adminstration. In that post he has taken the place
of Samvel Harutyunyan. Kamo Martirosian has taken the palce of Lernik
Ghevondian who has been relieved of his post of Kashatagh’s board
of administration.

TO MAKE THE CITIZENS TO TAKE PART IN THE STATE PROGRAMS

Azat Artsakh Daily
Published on May 15, 2008
NKR Republic

At today’s NKR government’s session, after the discussion of some
questions having a relation to power system, the NKR Prime Minister
Ara Harutyunyan met with the journalists. The Prime Minister informed,
that the aim of re-forming "Artsakh HEPS" CJSC into OJSC was not
only to enlarge a number of investors in that system, but to make the
representatives of the most different layer of society to take part in
that investments. To the question, that really would be compensation
for gas price, the NKR Premier answered, that concrete compensations
wouldn’t be, but taking into account the rise in price of the gas,
from 2009 they would try to enlarge the sizes of social payments. A
part of the journalists’ questions refered to the policy of hypothec
crediting, and displeasures in different layers of society connected
with it.The Prime Minister answered that and other questions.

LAKE VAN DYING

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 12:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Lake Van, the fifth largest lake in Europe, is
dying. Unless urgent measures are taken, the lake will dry up within
the next 10-15 years.

The Turkish Marine Environment Protection Association (TURMEPA)
has included Lake Van in its project ‘Limitless Blue’ that has been
carried out for two years to save coastlines.

As it works to protect a coastline of 8,333 kilometer from Hopa to
Iskenderun, TURMEPA plans to save Lake Van as well. The association
has organized an event to clean the shores of the lake.

Esref Cerrahoglu, TURMEPA executive board chairman, said, "According
to reports of experts, pearl mullets will die out in 10-15 years. Lake
Van will become a source of pollution and will not be suitable to
swim in. Taking some urgent measures could save the lake, which is
an example of very significant historic and ecological richness of
the region. This is why we are also working for Lake Van as well as
our coastlines."

As part of a project titled "Limitless Blue," for two years TURMEPA has
been giving courses on the protection of the seas to primary school
students living on the coastlines. There were 105,000 students from
Van who participated in one of the courses last week, the Turkish
Daily News reports.

Situated in historical Armenia, Lake Van is Europe’s fifth largest
lake. The city of Van located on the eastern shore of Lake Van
was the capital of the Urartian kingdom in the 9th century BC. Its
ancient inhabitants called themselves Nairi and the city was a major
Armenian center.

Despite courageous resistance, the city’s Armenian population was
devastated during World War I by Ottoman troops as a part of the
Armenian Genocide.

Holy Cross church situated on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van was
reconstructed not long ago and transformed into museum. There is no
cross on the top but a Turkish flag and a portrait of modern Turkey’s
founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk are stuck at the entrance.

RUSSIA SUPPORTS AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY?

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 13:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After a meeting in Baku, State Secretary for the
Russian Foreign Ministry Grirogy Karasin and Azerbaijan’s Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov expressed satisfaction with the high level
of cooperation between the two countries.

The officials made special mention of $1,5 billion commodity turnover,
progress in delimitation of state borders and efficiency of working
group’s consultations on determination of the Caspian Sea status.

Touching on the frozen conflicts, Mr Karasin said that Russia supports
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and stands for continuation of
the Karabakh process within the OSCE Minsk Group.

For his part, the Azeri Minister pointed out to inadmissibility of
the existing status quo and said that the conflict can be resolved
in the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, the Azeri
Press Agency reports.

UNESCO CAN’T TAKE ACTION FOR PROTECTION OF HISTORICAL MONUMENTS IN KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 15:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Protection of cultural monuments in Nagorno Karabakh
is an important issue, UNESCO Director-General said.

"Nagorno Karabakh is a political problem. No breakthrough has been
achieved for its solution so far and UNESCO can’t take action for
protection of historical monuments there," Koïchiro Matsuura said.

"UNESCO is not a political organization. We closely watch the
developments but we can’t interfere at the current stage of affairs."

Mr Matsuura informed that UNESCO is planning to dispatch a fact-finding
mission to the region but the terms have not been fixed yet. "It will
not be an easy mission," he said, the Azeri Press Agency reports.

–Boundary_(ID_xitvuGmwB62+vDDWL7hBng)–

NOTHING THREATENS LEBANESE ARMENIANS AND RA CITIZENS IN LEBANON

armradio.am
15.05.2008 16:44

The position of the Armenian national parties and the whole Armenian
community during the internal conflict sin Lebanon should be assessed
positively, Head of the Middle East Department of RA Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Armen Melkonyan told a press conference today. He
reminded that on the very first day of the conflict the Armenian
national parties came forth with a joint statement, urging to settle
the situation via dialogue and restore the national unity in the
country. After that the Armenian community did not participate in the
clashes, although, according to Armen Melkonyan, there are Armenian
Deputies who are members of the forces supporting "Hezbollah" or the
"Future" party of the "March 14"block. The Armenian community of
Lebanon avoided participating in the conflict.

"There have been no losses among Lebanese Armenians or Armenian
citizens there. According to our information, nothing threatens them
now. The only accident was the burning of the "Sevan" radio station,
which was situated in the building of the radio company belonging
to the "Future" party and was burnt only for that reason. However,
people were allowed to take out the equipments and in a few hours
the radio station resumed its operation from another location,"
Armen Melkonyan said.

Armen Melkonyan informed that the Armenian Embassy in Lebanon and the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been closely watching the development
of events in that country. "We are ready to assist our citizens there
and, if possible, the Lebanese Armenians," he assured, adding that
the Ministry is going to add the number of diplomats in the Embassy.

"Lebanon is a friendly country for Armenia, with which we are linked
with many historical and cooperative ties. Lebanon is the only Arab
country that has recognized the Armenian Genocide, and with which we
have an agreement on friendship and cooperation. This situation and its
possible aggravation can not but worry Armenia, considering also that
one of the largest Armenian communities resides there. The stability of
Lebanon is also important for ensuring regional stability and security,
since that region is very close to us. Naturally, we hope that the
parties will reach a soon solution to the issue through dialogue,"
Armen Melkonyan said.

He underlined that Armenia plays no role in the given situation and
cannot interfere with the domestic affairs of Lebanon. "It’s the
internal affair of Lebanon, and any outer interference results in
aggravation of the conflict. Lebanon should reach a solution itself. If
we look back, we shall see that what is happening in Lebanon, resulted
from foreign interference," the MFA representative added.

VIVACELL TO SPONSOR THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

armradio.am
15.05.2008 16:52

On May 17 the Football Federation of Armenia (FFA) and "VivaCell"
Company will sign an agreement on cooperation, according to which
"VivaCell" will become the general sponsor of the Armenian national
football team.

Armenpress was told from the Press Service of the Football federation
of Armenia that the contract will be signed by FFA President Ruben
Hayrapetyan and the Director General of "VivaCell" Ralf Yirikyan.

A similar agreement was recently signed between the Football Federation
and the "Star" Company, in compliance with which the latter became
the general sponsor of the Armenian premier league.

THREATENING THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE

A1+
[02:40 pm] 15 May, 2008

Today residents from 28 districts of Yerevan staged a protest action
at the RA Presidential Residence. They carried posters demanding a
reception to the Residence to present their problems and difficulties
to the President. For three years these citizens have been struggling
for the restoration of their property rights.

One of them, from Verin Antarayin District, complained that nearly
every day policemen from the Arabkir Police Department called to
their place and threatened to evict all the 9 members from the
house. The thing is that the land surrounding the house was bought
by a millionaire, who is eager to enlarge the area for his future
property on account of the resident’s house.

Samvel Mkrtchian, Chairman of the "Community and Right" NGO, states
that the system of Property Rights has been constantly changing and
no definite solution can be offered to the problem. This was the
reason that people deprived of their property rights decided to turn
to President Sargssian for help. When a Prime Minister, the latter
had promised them to meet their interests.

The protesters demanded that they had a round table talk with the
President and an open discussion of the problem, otherwise they
threatened to launch a civil disobedience.

Later, Aida Asatrian, head of the letters department of RA President,
accepted representatives of the 28 districts and promised to organize
a round table discussion with the officials in charge.

DEFENSE MINISTER HOSTED IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

p;p=0&id=472&y=2008&m=05&d=15
14.0 5.08

On May 14, 2008 RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to
Armenia Seid Ali Saghaian.

During the meeting the ambassador congratulated the minister on his
appointment and conveyed the congratulation message of the Iranian
Minister of Defense and Support to Armed Forces, General-Major Mostafa
Mohhamad Najari.

Sides pointed out that Armenian-Iranian relation are consolidated
with serious political and economic achievements on the basis of
which are brotherly relations between the two peoples.

Afterwards the two sides referred to the bilateral military relations
and pointed out the future activities.

They also exchanged thoughts over a number of issues on regional
security and stability. Speaking about the Karabakh conflict
regulation, the interlocutors underscored its peaceful settlement.

On the second half of the day the defense minister left for Aparan
where accompanied with Aragatsotn governor Gabriel Gyozalian and
representatives of local governmental bodies visited the "Revival"
memorial complex to the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide,
heroes of 1918 Aparan battle and got acquainted with the program of
celebrations of May 28.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress