Month: August 2008

"HIGH-LINE" 14.000 AMD FOR SCORN

Panorama.am
17:01 26/08/2008

It is founded out that continuously disturbing ads of High-line on
TV doesn`t correspond to reality. 14.000AMD is to expensive when the
service is accompanied with scorn and long drawn-out proceedings and
not only for that reason.

The reality is that before reaching "High-line’s’ glorified swift
it is needed to move at as nail`s pace. And after that it is still
a problem, whether the Internet will be good or no.

The system of the connection of the Internet is done in this way:
first one should pay for the connection 4800AMD, second pay for ADSL
modem 96000AMD and 3000-4000AMD for replacing equipments and after that
monthly wages come. As a cheap mean, unlimited High-line is offered
to everybody. Everybody pays monthly wages when there is Internet,
but if there isn`t?

There is or not, it is not ‘Beeline`s’ problem. At the end of the month
they will send receipt of wages, whereas the aggrieved part is the
user. The needed internet becomes reality after a month`s scorns. It
seems that Beeline should be more interested in satisfying the user,
whereas it is vice a versa.

The problems are many: new equipments don`t correspond to the old
ones, the workers are very rough towards the customers and all the
time blame each other for the problem. At the end we are again without
the Internet but with the receipt of wages in our hands.

Now ‘ArmenTel’ has changed into ‘Beeline’, but the mode of action
hasn`t changed. Where are we speeding in this way?

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TRASH ZIL-S FOR COMMUNITIES

Panorama.am
17:17 26/08/2008

American International development agency has consigned Russian "Zil"
trash-trucks to several Armenian communities in frames of its program
of supporting territorial administration authorities.

The US IDA has financed 80% of the vehicles’ purchase. New trash
vehicles were given to Ararat, Chambarak, Ijevan, Tashir, Vayq. Also,
several towns- Jermouk, Dilijan and Meghri got trash-trucks.

Note that in future IDA will assign to 32 Armenian communities more 33
"Zils".

THERE ARE STILL MANY TICKETS FOR ARMENIA-TURKEY MATCH

Panorama.am
13:24 26/08/2008

Recently rumors spread that nearly all the tickets for coming
Armenia-Turkey match on 6 September have been sold out. Moreover, they
said people had to pay great sums of money to get to the "Hrazdan"
stadium where the match will take place.

Press secretary of Armenian Football Federation Georgi Matevosyan
told panorama.am that those rumors have absolutely no grounds. From
52000 tickets only 5000 were sold, the rest is still for sale in the
booking-office of Vazgen Sargsyan state stadium. The minimal cost of
the tickets is 3000 drams and the maximal 10000 drams.

The accountant office workers of the state stadium can’t say what
kinds of tickets are most popular among people now. The situation
will be clear 3 days after match, when the agents return the tickets.

310 TRUCKS FROM GEORGIA TO MOVE TO ARMENIA

Panorama.am
13:53 26/08/2008

29 wagons of wheat which had moved out of Georgia the day before are
already in Gyumri now, the press secretary of Ministry of Transport
and Communication Susanna Tonoyan told panorama.am.

The loads were sent to Armenia tonight by a railway passing up
the exploded bridge in Gori. Now 21 more lorries are in Sadakhlo
customs-point situated at Armenia-Georgia state border.

S. Tonoyan also said 310 wagons are now on their way to Armenia; 117
of them carry wheat, 123 wagons import different types of commodities
and 10 wagons, which have already reached Khashuri station, are to
bring oil. In addition, 2800 tonnes of petrol and 3000 tonnes of
wheat have been imported into the port of Poti.

USA THINKS IT IS IMPORTANT THAT ARMENIA IS READY TO GIVE HUMANITARIAN CORRIDOR TO HELP GEORGIA

arminfo
2008-08-26 16:26:00

ArmInfo. The USA thinks it is important that Armenia is ready to give
humanitarian corridor to help those who suffered because of the last
events in Georgia, US Charge d’Affaires to Armenia Joseph Pennigton
told journalists today.

He also added that the USA continues working with all the interested
parties not only in Georgia but in the region in general to reduce
consequences of the war as much as possible and achieve good results.

AMERICAN DIPLOMAT: GEORGIAN EVENTS ASSURE US ONCE AGAIN THAT THE ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER SHOULD BE OPENED

arminfo
2008-08-26 16:08:00

ArmInfo. The events in region of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict assure
us once again that the Armenian-Turkish border should be opened and
free commodity circulation should be implemented via it, US Charge
d’Affaires to Armenia Joseph Pennington told journalists today.

He also added that the USA is supporting opening of the
Armenian-turkish border, establishing of peace and doplomatic relations
between the two states.

Touching on domestic political situation in Armenia the diplomat
said that in some aspects the USA notices progress, which is absent
in others. He also added they will continue working with Armenian
authorities to support reforming of economy, fighting corruption and
free expression of political views.

US DIPLOMAT: NEW WAR IN KARABAKH WILL BE DISASTROUS

arminfo
2008-08-26 16:26:00

ArmInfo. A war can’t be the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, US Charge d’Affaires a.i. Joseph Pennington said, Tuesday,
when replying to a question about the situation in the region and
ceaseless militant statements of Azerbaijan’s leadership. A new war in
the region may be disastrous. The USA continues consistently working
not to admit a war, Pennington said. He thinks that the authorities
of Armenia and Azerbaijan realize that the war will be disastrous
and the military way is not a variant of the problem’s settlement.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AMERICAN DIPLOMAT CATEGORICALLY DISPROVES AN IDEA THAT RUSSIA AND USA MAY LEAVE THE OSCE MINSK GROUP

arminfo
2008-08-26 16:24:00

Arminfo. US Charge d’Affaires to Armenia Joseph Pennigton has
categorically disproved an idea that Russia and USA cannot work
together within the OSCE MG on Karabakh conflict settlement.

To recall, earlier Zeyno Baran, the wife of the American co-chair of
the OSCE MG Matthew Bryza, supposed it.

Joseph Pennigton said that nobody in the USA made such a supposition
officially. ‘We shall continue working within the OSCE MG on Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict settlement’, – he said.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY URGENT
Vasak Tarposhyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
26 Aug 2008
Armenia

After the reconstruction of the bridge on Georgia-Armenia railway,
the regular load on its way to Armenia was blasted over again, this
time 10 km from Gory to Khashury. The blast took place when the train
was passing the bridge. The loads were not previewed for Armenia they
were Azerbaijani wagons loaded with fuel.

Unlike the previous one the railway was not damaged seriously. As we
were informed from the Ministry of Transportation the railway has
been reconstructed. A new schedule of transporting the loads has
been elaborated.

They hope in the Ministry that in case no new incidents happen today
35 wagons loaded with wheat will reach Armenia.

This is the third blast within ten days. As we know on August 16
the railway 40 km far from Gory has been bombarded. Taking into
consideration the long term previewed for the reconstruction of the
bridge it was decided to launch the small part of that sector.

The launch of the temporary sector is also important because
the mentioned terms of the reconstruction of this bridge are very
different. That is why it is not yet clear when the railway will be
completely reconstructed. In such circumstances the launch of the
passing line is indispensable.

But it was followed by two blasts, which luckily didn’t damage the
bridge seriously. Thi s fact proves that the Georgian railway is not
safe, at least at this stage.

In such circumstances the automobile load-transportation will most
probably be launched in order to bring some emergency goods. Thousand
tones of fuel and wheat have already been brought to Armenia by this
road (by the way both by Georgia and Iran). The transportation of
Turkmenistan fuel via Iran has been restarted.

It is very difficult to say how long will the loads be transferred to
Armenia by automobile road, because everything depends on Georgian –
Osatian conflict, where the situation is not very clear.

No doubt, the situation will go from bad to worse because of
the incidents taking place in the region. In the existing limited
conditions of railway communication the non-operation of the Georgian
railway can have a serious impact on the economy and first of all the
export. Especially as we know the automobile load transportation is
much more expensive than the railway. That is why not only can its
absence make the internal market expensive, but also influence the
foreign competitiveness of the local products.

In such circumstances the necessity of having new railway communication
options with the world is becoming indispensable. Iran-Armenia
railway can serve as one option. The so-called obligatory demurrage
of the Georgian railway force to make the works in this direction
more active. At this stage they are in process on the level of the
working groups from the both countries. In September the meeting of
those groups is previewed during which the latter will sum up the
implemented work and plan their future activity.

Georgian-Osatian conflict displayed that alternative railway knot is
indispensable for Armenia.

RADICALLY NEW SITUATION IN THE REGION
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
26 Aug 2008
Armenia

Political Scientist Alexander Iskandaryan introduces his viewpoints
regarding the consequences of Georgian-Osatian military clash and
the possible developments.

"Russian people will leave Georgia, I mean Georgian territory without
South Osatia and Abkhazia. But it is a big question when it will
happen, in three months, three weeks or during six months. Anyhow
there will be no Russians in Potty, Senaky and even Gory.

The situation is different 15 km from South Osatia. It is very
difficult to overestimate the significance of this sector, because this
is the section linking different South Osatian regions. Anyhow from
the point of view of the long term, in my view hardly will the Russian
troops stay in that sector; sooner or later they will be withdrawn.

On the other hand it is evident that after those events
Georgia will never become pro-Russian, no matter who will be its
President. Anti-Russian dispositions will not be annihilated there. On
the contrary they will become stronger and the Russians won’t have
warm feelings towards the Georgians. Today the Georgians are shocked
but it will pass.

Meanwhile in Georgia especially in Tbilisy certain patriotic movements
are noticed. Certain destabilization is also possible but I hope it
will not last long. God willing Georgian people will find strength
to get rid of the consequences of the five-day war and restore the
practically exhausted country. They need years for that.

"What key conclusion can we draw from the "Georgian scenario"?

"In my view it is clear for everyone that in the visible future the
military solution of the issue is really unrealistic. The settlement
of the issue by means of negotiations is also unacceptable because
South Osatia and Abkhazia will never agree to it.

And by the way Nagorno Karabakh (because parallels are unavoidable
here) everyone understands what’s going on. A country that ranks
first in terms of its military potential, that has 30 times increased
its military budget during the recent years, and the army of which
is being trained by the "most professional" instructors fighting
terrorism in some minutes dispersed everything.

If those who took decision before the war were aware of the
ineffectiveness of the war, political scientists and analysts,
they understand that the consequences of the war are not directly
proportional to the military trainings and money spent on the
armaments.