Month: May 2008

FOREIGN STUDENTS OF ARMENIAN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS WILL STUDY IN ARMENIAN LANGUAGE

arminfo
2008-04-30 19:35:00

ArmInfo. Armenian Education Ministry changes its course of propaganda
of Armenian language. Minister of Education and Science of Armenia
Levon Lazarian told ArmInfo the Armenian language will be introduced
as teaching language at the higher educational establishments having
foreign students.

The minister explained this step by the desire of Armenia to bring
the knowledge of Armenian to the international level. , – Lazarian
said and added that special training to study Armenian language
will be organized for foreign students. At present more than 6.000
foreign students study at state universities of Armenia, 2700 of
which are foreigners, all the rest – representatives of the Armenian
Diaspora. Training for them is chiefly being held in English, French
or Russian languages.

ARMENIAN LAWMAKERS REDUCED FORMER PRESIDENTS’ PRIVILEGES

ARKA
April 30, 2008

YEREVAN, April 30. /ARKA/. Armenian National Assembly passed amendments
to the law on presidents’ salaries, privileges and security on Tuesday
at the second, final reading.

The amendments reduce the privileges former presidents enjoy. Armenian
Justice Minister Gevorg Danielyan, introducing the amendments to
lawmakers, said the law contradicted the Constitution – that is why
it needed amendment.

As an example of these contradictions, the minister singled out
the post of vice-president that was mentioned in the law, while the
Constitution and state legal system don’t envisage such a position.

The amendments also changed the rules of setting presidential
retirement benefit.

In particular, the ex-president will receive retirement benefit equal
to 80% of his salary in office, exempting cases of impeachment.

Before that, ex-presidents were paid 75% of their salaries.

The pension is not paid to a former president, if he receives salary
higher than 80% of his salary in presidential office.

If the ex-president, at his new position, receives salary lower
than presidential, he is paid difference between former and present
salaries.

Mansions are taken from former presidents, but apartment and car are
provided to them.

In their trips to other countries, former presidents will have their
travel expenses compensated twice a year.

Danielyan also said that if ex-presidents want to continue their
political career, they will be given an office with three employees.

The amended law will apply only to those ex-presidents who have left
the office after the amendment.

GAS PRICE RISE NOT TO AFFECT ARMENIA’S LOW-INCOME GROUPS

ARKA
April 30, 2008

YEREVAN, April 30. /ARKA/. The expected rise in gas prices must not
affect the low-income sections of Armenia’s population, stated RA
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

"Our resorting to unpopular steps does not mean that we do not thing
about low-income sections of the population. We will first of all
identify low-income sections of the population and organize selective
aid for them," Sargsyan told a press conference.

On May 1, 2008, the RA Government will stop subsidizing gas-supply,
which has been practised since April 2006, when the price for Russian
gas supplied to Armenia was raised from $56 to $110 for 1,000 cubic
meters. From May 1, 2008, 1,000 cubic meters of gas will cost 90,000
AMD (about $300) (VAT included), and $146.51 for consumers of over
10,000 cubic meters a month (VAT included).

The RA Premier said that the RA Government also plans redistribution of
budgetary funds to relieve the negative consequences of the price rise.

T. Sargsyan reported that the issue of gas prices will also be
discussed during a visit to be paid to Armenia by Gasprom Board
Chairman Alexey Miller in May.

"We will discuss the issue and inform you of the results of the talks,"
he said.

On April 6, 2006, Gasprom and the RA Government signed a 25-year
agreement setting strategic principles of cooperation in gas-energy
projects in Armenia. Under the agreement, Gasprom pledged not to
raise gas prices until 2009.

ALI AHMEDOV: "WE SHOULD NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE RECENT REPORT OF FREEDOM HOUSE ON FREEDOM OF MASS MEDIA"

Today.Az
30 April 2008 [15:55]

"The fact that the report of Freedom House on freedom of press
places Azerbaijan behind Armenia says that this document should not
be trusted, as it is biased".

The due announcement was made by Ali Ahmedov, deputy chairman and
executive secretary of the Yeni Azerbaijan party, according to APA.

He said the most important is the assessment of the country residents.

"The assessments made by any public international organizations differ
from each others so much and are so discrepant and it is difficult
to trust them.

To place Azerbaijan behind Armenia after all the events, which occurred
in this country in connection with the presidential elections, is
another demonstration of the policy of double standards.

We should not pay attention to such groundless and biased reports. The
document is based on principles which are far from justice".

Ahmedov said Armenia has many supporters and development of such a
report pursues the goal of concealing its shame from the world.

It should be noted that in the report, Azerbaijan occupies the 168th
place by freedom of press and Armenia 144th.

ARMENIA PARLIAMENT URGES GOVT TO MORE ACTIVELY SETTLE KARABAKH ISSUE

ITAR-TASS News Agency
April 30 2008
Russia

YEREVAN, April 30 (Itar-Tass) – The Armenian National Assembly
(parliament) has proposed to the republic’s president and government
"to make the Armenian policy more active in the settlement of the
Karabakh problem," it is said in a statement "regarding the settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem" adopted by the Armenian parliament
on Tuesday.

The authorities have been proposed "to work out – within the
international law framework – the legal foundations" that "in the
event of the military aggression of Azerbaijan or the use of other
force methods by it, will give Armenia a possibility to ensure,
as the guarantor of security of Nagorno-Karabakh, full-fledged
security and defence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)." They
should also ensure more effective cooperation between Armenian and
Nagorno-Karabakh, it is noted in the statement.

The Armenian parliament called for "the intensification and expansion
of efforts to work out and take measures aimed at full informing of
the international public about the Nagorno-Karabakh problem." With this
end in view it is proposed to "to attract the all-Armenian potential,
possibilities and means" of the numerous foreign Armenian diaspora.

It is proposed "to prepare alternative possibilities of international
recognition of the NKR" in the event of the failure of talks within
the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Finally, the deputies believe that with a view to ensuring
effectiveness of the talks it is necessary to exert all efforts for
the restoration of the full-fledged membership in this process of NKR
representatives as an internationally recognised side of the conflict.

The Armenian parliament expressed concern over the recent events
around the Nagorno-Karabakh problem settlement. "The Azerbaijani side
is taking uncovered steps aimed at the disruption of the negotiating
process around the peaceful settlement, at reaching the military
superiority by means of financial flows from the oil sale, at the
settlement of the problem by war," says the statement.

The statement was adopted by 96 deputies, three voted against and two
parliamentarians abstained. Representatives of the opposition party
Heritage voted against. Its leader – the first Foreign Minister of
independent Armenia, Raffi Ovanesyan, on Monday put forward a bill
on the recognition of the NKR by Armenia. However, the parliament
has not put the bill on the agenda yet.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan said earlier that Azerbaijan must
understand a simple fact that the existence of the unrecognised
Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is irreversible." He stressed the
need to "create conditions for a peaceful and fair settlement of
the problem." In his words, Armenia constantly does its utmost to
support Karabakh’s right for self-determination and is a guarantor
of security for its population.

"We are seeking to settle the Karabakh problem by peaceful methods,"
the president said, adding, "We do not want a war." Sarkisyan attaches
big importance to interaction with ethnic Armenians living abroad.

"Thanks to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, our compatriots living across
the world will always feel taken care of even if a special agency for
contacts with compatriots is created," the president said. According to
him, the problem of international recognition of genocide of Armenians
in 1915 still remains on the Foreign Ministry’s agenda.

NO CHANGES EXPECTED IN MCC ACTIVITY IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2008 15:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ No changes are expected in the Millennium Challenge
Corporation activity in Armenia.

Everything proceeds in its normal course. It’s unclear what decision
the Corporation leadership will take, said Ara Hovsepyan, MCA Armenia
Chief Executive Officer.

"$16 million has been already assigned this year. An $11-million
transfer is expected in the near future," he said, IA Regnum reports.

On March 12, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that the
U.S. government can suspend the MCA in Armenia over imposition of
emergency rule in the republic.

SEMNEBY NOT PLANNING VISIT TO KARABAKH IN MID-MAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2008 16:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The EU Envoy for the South Caucasus, Mr Peter
Semneby is not planning a visit to Nagorno Karabakh.

"We know that the Azeri media circulated the information but it’s not
true," a representative of Mr Semneby’s office told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter.

On April 30, the Azeri Press Agency quoted a diplomatic source as
saying that "Mr Peter Semneby intends to visit Nagorno Karabakh
together with Nizami Bakhmanov, the head of Azerbaijani community of
Nagorno Karabakh."

TURKEY GOING TO INSTALL MISSILE DEFENSE SHIELD IN ITS TERRITORY

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2008 16:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Defense Industry Office of Turkish Defense
Ministry has announced tender for purchasing of anti-missile
systems. The most important part of the project is the creation of
long-range missile defense.

The military leadership is planning to purchase four systems in the
first phase. Two of them will be installed in Ankara and Istanbul,
and installation of others will depend on the directions of potential
missile threats. It will start to operate in 2010.

Four more systems will be purchased in the second phase, which will
complete the full installation.

Turkish political and military leaderships are focusing basically on
three missile defense systems: U.S.-made Patriot, Russian-made S-300,
S-400 and Israeli-made Arrow-2, the Azeri Press Agency reports.

IRAN PRAISES ARMENIA’S RESTRAINT AGAINST NEIGHBOR’S WARLIKE STATEMENTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2008 17:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan met Wednesday
with Iran’s Ambassador Seyed Ali Saghaiyan, the RA leader’s press
office reported.

Emphasizing the strategic importance of bilateral relations, the
parties expressed satisfaction with the rapid development of the
Armenian-Iranian cooperation.

The Armenian President pointed out to the necessity of implementation
of regional programs in the energy field and increase of the commodity
turnover between the two countries.

Amid regional issues, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement was
discussed.

In this view, Ambassador Saghaiyan said that Iran appreciates Armenia’s
reserved reaction to regular bellicose statements by one of the states
of the region.

For his part, President Sargsyan welcomed Iran’s balanced stand
on the Karabakh conflict, noting Armenia’s adherence to a solution
observing the nations’ right to self-determination in the framework
of the international law.

RA NA ADOPTS GOVERNMENT PROGRAM FOR 2008-2012

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2008 17:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ With a vote 88 to 3, the Armenian National Assembly
adopted the government program for 2008-2012.

The program includes provisions from the National Security Strategy
and poverty reduction project, the election programs of the President,
political parties and basic provisions of the agreement on political
coalition.

Presenting the program, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that the
government’s priorities will be ensuring high macroeconomic development
rate and economic growth. "With a limited influence, the government
will create favorable conditions for the private sector. The goal of
the government is to make Armenia a regional center for business and
investments," he said.

"We should also finally resolve the poverty problem.

The best way to do it is to engage low-income groups in the economic
and political life of the republic," he added, Novosti Armenia reports.