Economic Growth In 2007 Exceeds Programmed Index By About 5%

ECONOMIC GROWTH IN 2007 EXCEEDS PROGRAMMED INDEX BY ABOUT 5%

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 12, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The 13.7% economic growth registered in
Armenia in 2007 exceeds the programmed index by 4.7%, while the 2006
index – by 0.4%. GDP made 3 trillion 139.4 billion drams (about 917.7
bln USD) in 2007, while per capita GDP made 973.2 thousand drams,
growing by 18% on the previous year, the deputy minister of finance,
chief treasurer Atom Janjughazian stated at the May 12 joint sitting
of the RA National Assembly standing committees.

In his words, about 8.5% of economic growth in 2007 was conditioned
by the growth of capital construction and services. GPD produced in
the construction sector increased by 18.4% in 2007.

The level of unemployment declined by 0.4% in 2007, making up 7.1%
of the economically active population, or 82.8 thousand. In 2007,
monetary incomes and expenses of the population grew by 25.7% and 23.6%
respectively. The average salary grew by 21.2% to 77.4 thousand drams.

The negative balance of the current account made about 571.4 million
USD in 2007, increasing by 454.2 million USD as compared with the
previous year. The foreign trade amounted to 4 bln 439.2 mln USD,
growing by 39.7% as compared with 2006, with exports growing by 17.5%,
imports – by 49.7%.

http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=113219

30th Anniversary Of Foundation Of A. Khachatrian House-Museum To Be

30th ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDATION OF A. KHACHATRIAN HOUSE-MUSEUM TO BE MARKED IN JUNE

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 12, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Aram Khachatrian House-Museum will mark
the 30th anniversary of its foundation on June 6, the birthday of
the world-famous composer. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed
by museum Director Armine Grigorian, the museum is preparing a new
permanent display in this connection, which will be opened on the
first day of the events organized on this occasion.

A. Grigorian said that a festival of classical music will be also
organized, where works of prominent Armenian composers, as well as
premieres of new works will be performed. Vocal solo and orchestra
performances will be also presented.

The museum is also preparing with much responsibility for the Aram
Khachatrian International Contest of Pianists, which will be held
with state financing.

http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=113231

Gymnast Haroutiun Merdinian Takes 5th Place In Europe Championship

GYMNAST HAROUTIUN MERDINIAN TAKES 5th PLACE IN EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 12, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Haroutiun Merdinian (Yerevan) performed
successfully among Armenia’s representatives in the Europe Individual
Championship of Sports Gymnastics held in the city of Lausanne. He
took the 7th place in the preliminary competitions on the wooden horse
and was included in the final 8. In the competition of the strongest
sportsmen H. Merdinian developed his success and strengthened his
positions in the honorary 5th place.

http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=113238

Levon Aronian Gains 1.5 Out Of 4 Possible Points In Sofia Internatio

LEVON ARONIAN GAINS 1.5 OUT OF 4 POSSIBLE POINTS IN SOFIA INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 12, 2008

SOFIA, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Four tours have been held in the
International Chess Tournament being held in Sofia. Levon Aronian has
gained 1.5 out of 4 possible points and shares the 3-5th places. In
the 5th tour Levon Aronian will compete with tournament leader Vasili
Ivanchuk (the Ukraine), who has 4 out of 4 possible points.

http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=113239

Roman Amoyan Joins Armenian Sportsmen Leaving For Beijing

ROMAN AMOYAN JOINS ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN LEAVING FOR BEIJING

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 12, 2008

ROME, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The International Olympic Rating Tournament
of Greco-Roman Wrestling finished on May 11 in Rome. Five sportsmen
performed from Armenia. Only Roman Amoyan (55 kg, Yerevan) among them
performed successfully. He won in 3 out of 4 fights, took the 3rd
place and received a permit to take part in the Beijing Olympic Games.

Now Arman Adikian, Yuri Patrikeyev, and Roman Amoyan among Armenian
Greco-Roman wrestlers have a permit to take part in the Beijing
Olympic Games.

The last rating tournament of Greco-Roman wrestlers will start on
May 22 in the city of Novy Sad, Serbia.

http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=113232

Citizens’ Visits To Yerevan Polyclinics Increase By 10% In January-A

CITIZENS’ VISITS TO YEREVAN POLYCLINICS INCREASE BY 10% IN JANUARY-APRIL 2008

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 12, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The number of citizens’ visits to Yerevan
polyclinics made 650935 in January-April 2008, which exceeds the index
of the same period of the previous year by 10%. As Armen Soghoyan,
the Head of the Health and Social Security Department of Yerevan
Mayor’s Office, said at the May 12 press conference, in the above
mentioned period the number of people’s visits to narrow specialists
increased by 38% and the number of laboratory instrumental researches
by 37.4%. 12013 patients received free treatment in 6 clinics under
the subordination of Mayor’s Office in the above mentioned months,
which exceeds previous year’s index by 19.9%. At the same time it was
mentioned that the number of births also increased by 5.8% in these
months in Yerevan.

According to A. Soghoyan, the number of people receiving free
medicines also increased by 18.2% in January-April. According to
him, it means that citizens consider important primary medical aid,
as a result of which the number of citizens using free dispensary
polyclinical services grows year by year. At the same time it was
mentioned that as of May 1, 86% Yerevan population was registered at
district therapeutists in the primary health protection link. It was
also mentioned that 344 doctors and 205 nurses had retraining within
the framework of the World Bank (WB) credit program. 42 doctors and
43 nurses have retraining at present.

A. Soghoyan said that the repairs implemented at the St Mother of God
and St Gregory the Illuminator medical centers within the framework
of the WB credit program will also finish soon.

http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=113215

BAKU: Elmar Mammadyarov : Negotiations Will Be Conducted With Armeni

ELMAR MAMMADYAROV : NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH ARMENIA TILL LIBERATION OF AZERBAIJANI OCCUPIED LANDS

Azeri Press Agency
May 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova -APA." We will conduct negotiations with
Armenia till liberation of Azerbaijani occupied lands," Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said, APA reports

Minister notes that there is base for negotiations and negotiations
will be con ducted till refugees and IDPs will return to their
lands. To him, Presidents have not met in NATO Bucharest Summit
because Armenian President has not begun to execute his post. Asked
where and when the meeting will be held, Minister noted that there
are several versions.

"This meeting may be held within the framework of Economical Forum
in St. Petersburg," he said.

BAKU: Swiss President Pascal Couchepin: We Want Solution To Nagorno

SWISS PRESIDENT PASCAL COUCHEPIN : WE WANT SOLUTION TO NAGORNO KARABAKH WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

Azeri Press Agency
May 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova -APA. New building of Swiss embassy has been
opened in Baku today, APA reports

Swiss President attended inauguration of building and noted that
relations would be further developed effectively.

"Switzerland has political, cultural and social relations with
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani art figures are known in Switzerland," he said.

He stated that Swiss businessmen are interested in allocating
investments to construction, energetics, chemical industry and
pharmacology. He stressed that he had familiarized with problems of
the region and noted that Switzerland supported peaceful solution
to Nagorno Karabakh within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity.

Ogtay Asadov, Speaker of MM noted that inauguration of new
building will serve for the development of relations between the two
countries. Speaker mentioned that about 20 Swiss companies functioned
in Baku and noted that it would further increase. Asadov added that
interparliamentary relations played a great role in the development
of bilateral relations. Asadov noted that Azerbaijan-Switzerland
Friendship Group functioned in MM and stressed that analogical group
was expected to establish in Swiss Parliament

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, other Ministers, MPs and heads of
diplomatic corps attended the event.

BAKU: Ahmedoghlu: I Think Georgia Holds Policy Of Displacement Of Az

MUBARIZ AHMEDOGHLU: "I THINK GEORGIA HOLDS POLICY OF DISPLACEMENT OF AZERBAIJANIS AND STRENGTHENING OF ARMENIANS’ POSITIONS"

Today.Az
/politics/44924.html
May 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Mubariz Ahmedoghlu, chief of the center of
political innovations and technologies.

-Mr. Ahmedoghlu, how would you comment on the facts, pointing out
the creeping aggression of Georgian lands, inhabited by ethnic
Azerbaijanis, by Armenians?

-As far as I know, this process continues not for the first year. One
of the reasons for such developments is that the Armenian-Georgian
border has not been diversified in full, in particular, on the
territory of Georgia, where Azerbaijanis lived for centuries.

The second reason is that historically Armenians tended to use the
difficulties of the country, they lived in for the settlement of
their own problems, to make one more step in the direction of the
propaganda of the wild idea of creation of "Great Armenia". Today
we all see that Georgia, resulting from its pro-Western course,
has caused Russia’s disfavor, which resulted in raising of tensions
between these countries, raising open and hidden support of the Kremlin
to separatists from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It can be proposed
that Russia benefits fropm the existent tendencies and moods by the
Armenian spirit of Georgia, as they are not profitable for the powers
of Georgia and the state system of this country.

Moreover, it can be noted, on the whole, that external policy,
conducted by Armenia towards Georgia, is too favorable for
Armenians. In particular, the recent opening of a consulate of Armenia
in Batumi, pursues the only purpose-to ensure outlet to the Black Sea
for Armenia, which was isolated from all regional economic projects due
to the occupation policy towards neighbors, conducted by this country.

In other words, Armenians try to use all chances for destabilization
and other lawless actions, including for implementation of the police
of creeping aggression against representatives of other countries,
residing in the same country.

-Let’s pass to the issue why the authorities of Georgia shutdown
the market in Sadakhli, which deprived the local population of main
source of income, led to its gradual outflow and that similar market
opened near Sadakhli in Armenia and now from 800 up to 1000 people
pass the Georgian-Armenian border to hold trade on this market each
Sunday being a good target for the Armenian intelligence services?

-As far as I know the shutdown of the market in Sadakhlo was
initiated by the Georgian powders who explained the step by the
fact that Armenian customs services use the market for corruption
collections. As far as we remember, in a response, the Armenian side
announced that corruption among the Georgian customs services exceeds
the corruption among their Armenian counterparts. In the result of
it, similar market appeared on the territory of Armenia. Naturally,
our compatriots, residing in Georgia, became the only victim in this
case and the moral duty of official Baku is to support them.

-So, why the powers of Georgia, which integrated with GUAM and in
joint economic projects with Azerbaijan of a really world scale,
and which is a country, which suffered from separatism, supports not
Azerbaijan but Armenia, with whom they have no economic ties and which
not only occupied 20% of Azerbaijani lands, but also claims Georgian
lands in open?

-Let’s begin with that we have witnessed the policy of double standards
towards Azerbaijan. In this case, I also see the religious factor
and the policy, coordinated by official Tbilisi with a number of big
European states for deportation of Azerbaijanis from the country and
strengthening Armenians positions.

-But what is the logics of such a policy of official Tbilisi?

-I agree that these actions are illogical. Unfortunately,
not all political actions of the leaders of some countries are
logical. Moreover, we see the rise in anti-Islamic spirits in the
whole world. In particular, in the Netherlands victory was gained
by nationalists. Therefore, it is not ruled out that economic and
political pragmatism, openly demonstrating advantage of support of
official Tbilisi to Azerbaijanis, not Armenians, residing in Georgia,
steps back on the background of religious factor.

I am sure that sooner or later Georgians will also understand the
erroneousness of such a policy. But the time, during which trust of
Azerbaijanis, for whom Georgia became a native country, to official
Tbilisi, will be lost and there will be differences between our people
and Armenians will benefit from the established state.

http://www.today.az/news

EuroVision Song Contest: Armenia: Somersaults For Sirusho

ARMENIA: SOMERSAULTS FOR SIRUSHO

Eurovision.tv
ge/news/belgrade-2008?id=812
May 12 2008
Switzerland

The Armenian representative in the First Semi-Final of the 2008
Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho, finished her first rehearsal. She
showed an energetic and powerful performance with three backing
dancers, one of each was even showing a somersault on stage! Everything
looked and sounded very professional, and Sirusho presented herself
as a charming young lady.

In the first rehearsal, Sirusho started her performance surrounded by
three backing dancers, who were lying on the floor. Of course, they
became more "active" afterwards and they showed several acrobatic
moves while dancing around Sirusho. One of them even performed a
somersault on stage! Sirusho performed in silver boots, but the dress
that she will wear on the night of the Semi-Final was not yet shown
to the public. All in all, the performance looked very energetic and
it illustrated the oriental motives in the song very well.

Sirusho was chosen to represent Armenia in the First Semi-Final of
the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest by an expert jury in an internal
selection. However, her song was picked in a public national final
by televoting out of four entries. The songs were all written by
composers from Armenia, and Sirusho wrote the lyrics to all four songs
herself. In the end, the public voted in favour of Qele Qele, a strong
up-tempo song with a ballad-like beginning and ethnic influences from
Armenian national music.

In the press conference, Sirusho was asked what the song title Qele
Qele stands for. She explained that "Qele" means "Come on" in English,
and that it fits the message of the song well. Furthermore, Sirusho
claimed that she received most of her influences as an artist and
musician her parents, who are well respected artists in Armenia. When
the delegation was asked why they had not used pyrotechnical effects
in their first rehearsal in spite of requesting and preparing them,
the Head of the Armenian Delegation, Diana Mnatsakanyan, explained
that the necessary paperwork could not be completed by the respective
authorities in Belgrade in time.

http://www.eurovision.tv/pa