Month: May 2008

PARLIAMENT DECIDED TO SET UP WORKING GROUP FOR ANALYTICAL AND INFORMATION AFFAIRS

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:10:28

The chair of the NKR National Assembly Committee of Foreign Relations
Vahram Atanesyan presented the conclusion of the three parliament
factions on the primary steps toward the international recognition
of NKR in the meeting of parliament yesterday.

The conclusion holds that the factions of Democracy, Hayrenik and ARF
Dashnaktsutyun-Movement 88 proceeding form the parliamentary hearings
of April 21, 2005 on the settlement of the Karabakh issue and the
statement passed during the meeting of the Committee of Foreign
Relations on April 2, 2008, propose the president and government
of NKR to take steps toward the legal regulation of the interstate
relations with Armenia in order to strengthen the present relations
and outline the new priorities stemming from the regional development.

It is also proposed to set forward the participation of NKR in the
talks as a precondition of effectiveness of the talks, work out and
present to the National Assembly the doctrine of national security
of NKR.

Before that it is necessary to set up a working group on analytical
and information affairs which will be charged with organization and
coordination of propaganda and preventive anti-propaganda, using
effectively the representations of NKR abroad, and the potential
of the Diaspora, to bring into being efforts for the international
recognition of NKR with involvement of the parliamentary potential.

RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS VISITING KARABAKH

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:10:49

The correspondents of the leading Russian media – the Nezavisimaya
Gazeta, RBK-Daily, Russia Today, Russia TV channel and others – are
visiting Karabakh. The reporters arrived in Karabakh for a cognitive
visit, and yesterday they took part in the meeting of the Karabakh
parliament.

NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE CIVIL AND TRIAL CODES

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:11:20

On May 14 the NKR parliament passed two bills according to which the
Civil Code and the Trial Code passed in 1997 and amended in 2002 and
2007 will come into effect.

According to the minister of justice Narine Narimanyan, currently
our own codes are being worked out, which will be passed in August
and come into effect from January 1, 2009.

NEW SERIES OF APPOINTMENTS

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:11:43

Another series of appointment has been launched. As usual, a person is
appointed to a position who used to occupy another public position,
and when his position becomes vacant, someone else is appointed to
his place, who is also an acting official. And so on.

Member of Parliament Garik Grigoryan who was appointed director of
Artsakh Kap was elected chair of the NKR Parliament Committee of
State and Legal Affairs. His position is vacant.

The head of the Agency for Refugees, Migration and Settlement Kamo
Martirosyan was appointed governor of Kashatagh. Now his position is
vacant too. They say the Agency will be eliminated.

GOVERNMENT WILL SUBSIDIZE MORTGAGE FOR 5 YEARS ONLY

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:12:28

The government is likely to subsidize 6 percent of the 12 percent
interest on mortgage for 5 years instead of 20. It is clearly set
down in the mortgage regulations. However, a few months ago Prime
Minister Ara Harutiunyan assured that the government will subsidize
half of the interest rate through the repayment period.

Answering the same question in his news conference two days ago the
head of the government said: "We have no right to make a commitment
for 20 years. Interest rates may change, and we may have to change
our stance.

Since we have no prognosis of the rate of development of banks for
the upcoming twenty years, we allowed banks to revise interest rates
in five years."

He also said recently interest rates on mortgage tend to go down in
the world. Besides, the head of the government said soon salaries
may rise and there may be no need for the government subsidy any more.

DEPRECIATION OF THE DOLLAR IS USEFUL FOR IMPORTERS ONLY

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:12:51

Along with the rise in the price of fuel and foodstuffs the rate of
the dollar is dropping in Karabakh, which sometimes creates major
obstacles for the implementation of government programs.

The depreciation of the dollar jeopardizes the projects of Armenia
Fund part of which are on the verge of failure.

The chair of the NKR National Assembly Committee of Finance and
Budget Benik Bakshiyan says "at first sight the depreciation of the
dollar should lead to dropping prices of food but in our country it
is the opposite."

He said in a talk with us that over the past 3 years the dollar has
depreciated by about 30 percent while the prices of food and fuel have
doubled. "It turns out that the depreciation of the dollar is useful
for importers only. Meanwhile, producers have a disadvantage now. I
am not the first person who brings up this issue but nobody acts,"
the member of parliament said.

DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY SECTOR WILL NOT REDUCE ELECTRICITY BILLS

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:13:46

As a result of the development programs of the energy sector Karabakh
which now imports electricity will start to export it. The prime
minister and the heads of the relevant agencies assert this.

During the news conference two days ago Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan
said with regard to the rise in price of gas that in a few years the
demand of gas will not be so high because houses can be heated with
electricity which will be cheaper.

In answer to the question if the electricity bills will be reduced
after the development of the energy sector, the prime minister
said the tariffs will not change but electricity will be cheaper in
Karabakh (in Karabakh 1 kW costs 20 drams compared with 25 drams in
Armenia). "We must also think about businesses which must generate
profit," Ara Harutiunyan said.

As to the rise in price of gas, the prime minister said the government
is not going to subsidize gas but a social aid program for the
vulnerable category of people will be worked out. "In the social aid
programs of the state budget 2009 we will take into consideration
not only the rise in the price of gas but also foodstuffs," Ara
Harutiunyan said.

PALESTINIANS MARK ‘CATASTROPHE’

BBC NEWS
iddle_east/7401892.stm
2008/05/15 10:06:54 GMT

Palestinians are marking the 60th anniversary of al-Nakba, or "the
catastrophe" – the founding of Israel – with a series of marches
and protests.

More than 700,000 Palestinians fled their homes or were expelled
in 1948, during the war that followed Israel’s declaration of
independence.

The events come on the second day of US President George W Bush’s
visit.

He is currently in Israel, joining the Jewish state’s 60th anniversary
commemorations and pushing peace talks.

Palestinians are marking the date with a march to Israeli military
checkpoints in the West Bank and a demonstration at Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ compound in Ramallah.

In Ramallah, there were two minutes of silence for the Palestinians
who fled or were expelled.

Mr Abbas said: "There are two peoples living on this beloved land –
one celebrates independence and the other feels pain of the memory
of its Nakba."

In Gaza City, the Islamic Jihad militant group has organised a rally
of 500 schoolchildren dressed in military uniforms.

‘US steadfast’

Six decades after the founding of Israel, the Palestinians are still
seeking an independent state.

We share a powerful belief and a weapon against terrorists – the
cause of hope, freedom and liberty President George W Bush

The fate of 1948 refugees and their descendents, living scattered in
camps and settlements around the region, remains one of the thorniest
issues in peace talks.

Mr Bush has repeated his belief that Israel and the Palestinians could
strike a deal to bring about a Palestinian state by the end of the
year, which the two sides pledged to do at a US-sponsored conference
last November.

But correspondents say few in the region are optimistic that tangible
progress is being made in the talks, despite repeated visits by US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

While Mr Bush has praised Israel, many Palestinians accuse the country
of hurting the innocent and of collective punishment in its attempts to
quash Palestinian militants, says the BBC’s Katya Adler in Jerusalem.

On Wednesday, 14 people, including a mother and daughter, were injured
when a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit the southern Israeli city
of Ashkelon.

Earlier in the day, four people were killed in Israeli military
operations in Gaza.

On Thursday, Mr Bush addressed militant groups like al-Qaeda, Hezbollah
and Hamas and said Muslims should "recognise the emptiness of the
terrorists’ vision and the injustice of their cause".

In remarks prepared for delivery to Israel’s parliament, the Knesset,
he says the US "rejects utterly" calls for it to break ties with
Israel.

"Israel’s population may be just over seven million. But when you
confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because America
stands with you."

He will also again urge action to prevent Iran obtaining nuclear
weapons.

"Permitting the world’s leading sponsor of terror to possess the
world’s deadliest weapon would be an unforgivable betrayal of future
generations," he will say.

Before his speech Mr Bush toured the Roman-era desert fortress
of Masada.

In an act of defiance during Roman rule, almost 1,000 Jews were
chronicled to have committed suicide there rather than surrender to
the Romans.

Mr Bush’s Middle East visit will include Saudi Arabia and Egypt in an
attempt to inject some momentum into the current peace talks between
the Israelis and Palestinians.

But there will be no trilateral summit between the American, Israeli
and Palestinian leaders, however, and Mr Bush will not be visiting
the Palestinian territories.

Instead, he is to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
in Egypt.

PRINTING HOUSE WAS SET UP IN SHUSHI

KarabakhOpen
15-05-2008 11:14:53

The Public Television of Artsakh informed that the Rebirth of Artsakh
Foundation set up a printing house in Shushi which according to the
director has modern equipment. The printing house is likely to become
the most famous printing house in the region.

The printing house is located in the former building of Artsakh Post.

According to the director, it will have a staff of 10.

CB ENACTS ITS BAN ON PLACEMENT OF CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE BOARDS OUTSIDE CURRENCY EXCHANGE OFFICES

arminfo
2008-05-14 23:23:00

ArmInfo. Today, the Central Bank of Armenia enacted its ban on the
placement of currency exchange rate boards outside currency exchange
offices. The decision was made on May 14.

The press service of the CB has refused to explain why the CB has
made such a decision.

Experts say that the CB may wish to exclude unfair competition among
currency exchange offices. If before a person wishing to exchange
currency could see lots of boards on the street and decide where to
go, now, he will have to enter each office separately or to stop at
the very first attempt.

To remind, the CB regularly monitors the situation on the cash
currency market. It has detected lots of instances of groundless
under- or over-pricing and has fined the wrong-doers. Now it seems
to be willing to root out not only unfair competition but also the
"street" mentality.