Month: August 2008

CSTO SECRETARY GENERAL NIKOLAY BORDYUZHA ARRIVING IN YEREVAN

arminfo
2008-08-19 10:41:00

ArmInfo. Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization Nikolay Brodyuzha and a group of CSTO Secretariat
members are on the way to Yerevan to participate in the exercises
‘Rubezh-2008’ and in preparations for the meeting of CSTO Council of
Defense Ministers to be held in Yerevan on 21 August, CSTO Information
Office Adviser Vitaliy Strugovec told ArmInfo.

‘Joint head-quarter exercises ‘Rubezh-2008′ are planned. The troops
to participate in the third and fourth stages of exercises are in
the planned regions including at Marshal Baghramyan Polygon where
the 4th stage will be held on 22 August, the so-called active-phase
of the exercises. CSTO Heads of military departments will followed
the actions of troops at the 4th stage of exercises’, N. Bordyuzha
said. He outlined the misinformation by some media on cancellation
of the exercises that aims to split up the CSTO.

The exercises are held in the summer of 2008 in 4 stages at three
levels: strategic, operative and tactical.

The exercises embrace all the regions of CSTO. The first stage started
in Armenia on 22 July. The second stage was in Moscow on 30-31 July.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HEAD OF ‘MIKA LIMITED’ HOLDING: THE TALKS ON SALE OF THE ARMENIAN PLANT ‘MIKA-CEMENT’ TO THE RUSSIAN RATM HOLDING NOT FINISHED YET

arminfo
2008-08-19 15:07:00

ArmInfo. The talks on sale of the Armenian plant "Mika-cement" to the
Russian RATM Holding has not been finished yet, owner of the plant,
the head of "Mika Limited" Holding Mekhael Bagdasarov told ArmInfo
correspondent.

He also added that the talks were delayed because of worsening of
the situation in the region. ‘If earlier Russian investors were
more confident, at present some doubt has been noticed from their
side. They want to correct conditions of the bargain a little’, –
Bagdasarov said and added that according to the draft contract the
investor has to invest in the plant about $25 mln and increase the
volumes of cement production up to 1 mln tonnes over a year. "Final
results of the talks will be clear at the beginning of September",
– Bagdasarov said.

NON-CASH PAYMENTS UP 30% PER YEAR IN ARMENIA

arminfo
2008-08-19 15:10:00

ArmInfo. Non-cash payments in Armenia for the second qt of 2008
totaled 3.326 bln drams (1197719 payments) including payments on the
Armenian CB payment systems for the 2nd qt of 2008 as compared to the
same period of 2007 were up 1.3 times (by 438 bln drams) to 1.878 bln
drams. The number of payments was up 1.5 times (by 184075 payments)
to 506137 payments.

Armenian CB press-service told ArmInfo that in the second qt of 2008 as
against the same period of 2007, payments through CB payment systems
were down 0.06 times (by 123 bln drams). The number of payment was
up by 102466 (1.25 times).

The source reports the average daily size of transfer through the CB
payment systems for the period under review was 29 bln drams, which
was by 6.8 bln drams more than the indicator for the same period
of 2007. The number of payments was up 2878 to 7908. The share of
payments for electricity consumption through CB payment systems was
the largest – 54.5% of total non- cash payments (exclusive of stock
exchange deals) and 96.42% of total number of payments. The source
reports that 70% of payments for electricity was the share of Armenian
commerce banks. The volume of non-cash transactions was up 29/6% per
year (by 234 bln drams) and the number of transactions was up 57/5%
(by 178152). Transfers under stock exchange deals totaled 2887 bln
drams having grown 6.7 times for the period under review.

By CB’s data, the average daily size of e-payments for the 2nd qt
of 2008 was at the level of last year – 16 bln drams and the number
of e-payments totaled 7625, the annual growth being 1535. Transfers
under stock exchange deals was 45 bln drams, the growth as against
the same period of 2007 was 7 bln drams. Average size of an e-payment
(exclusive of transfers under stock exchange deals) was down by 0.5
mln drams to 2 mln drams as against 2nd qt of 2007. Average size of
a stock exchange deal totaled 892 mln drams.

Transactions on plastic cards totaled 73641 mln drams and 1541602
transactions in the 2nd qt of 2008. Non-cash payments on cards totaled
5846 mln drams including 500 mln drams Internet-transactions (the
share of e-trade was 243 mln dram, transfers from card to card – 266
mln drams). At the end of the 2nd qt of 2008, the number of plastic
cards circulated in Armenia totaled 394251.The growth as against the
1st qt was 1.15 times (by 51480 cards).

Thus, the number of active plastic local cards ArCa in Armenia for
the 2nd qt of 2008 as against the same period of 2007 was up 1.18
times (by 27505 cards) to 183745 cards. Over the qt under review,
the number of international cards in Armenia was up 1.13 tines (by
23975 cards) including Visa – 1.11 times (by 14099 cards) to 147142
cards and MasterCard – 1.2 times (by 5222 cards) to 31901 cards.

Operations on ArCa active cards were up 1.6 times to 25366
mln drams. The number of operations was up 1.4 times to 685842
operations. Operations on Visa cards in Armenia were up 1.5 times
to 30788 mln drams (508834 operations) and MasterCard – 1.6 times to
734 mln drams (123074 operations).

UNDP AND ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT SIGNED MEMORANDUM ON REDUCTION OF NOXIOUS EMISSION IN ATMOSPHERE

arminfo
2008-08-19 15:12:00

ArmInfo. Today UNDP and Armenian Nature Protection Ministry made a
memorandum on reduction of noxious emissions in atmosphere, signed
by permanent representative of UNDP in Armenia Consuelo Vidal and
Armenian Nature Protection Minister Aram Harutyunyan.

The memorandum supposes cooperation of Armenia with the developed
countries in the sphere of reduction of noxious emissions in atmosphere
within the frames of the so-called ‘Pure development ways’. Such
projects should promote stable development of the country, its economic
growth, resolving of ecological and social problems via attracting
of foreign investments and introduction of innovation technologies,
the minister said.

Armenia initiated 10 projects within the frames of "Pure development"
in agriculture, energy, woods protection, etc.

ARMENIAN NATURE PROTECTION MINISTER: SEVAN LAKE LEVEL HAS RISEN BY 43 SM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2008

arminfo
2008-08-19 15:01:00

ArmInfo. Sevan Lake level has risen by 43 sm since the beginning
of 2008, Armenian Nature Protection Minister Aram Harutyunyan told
Arminfo correspondent.

He also added that the level of the lake rose by 56 sm last year. A
little nit more than 150 mln sq/m water flew into the lake via
Arpa-Sevan tunnel and 130 mln sq/m in 2007. In general, the minister
said, since 2001 the water level of the Lake Sevan has grown by 2,8m
and at present it is 1899,50 m.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VICTORY SECURES MEDAL FOR BARNES

BBC SPORT
lympics/boxing/7570230.stm
2008/08/19 11:24:22 GMT

Belfast boxer Paddy Barnes claimed the Irish team’s first medal at
the Beijing Olympics after a quarter-final win over Poland’s Lukasz
Maszczyk on Tuesday.

The light-flyweight was level with Maszczyk after the first round but
pulled clear in the remaining three rounds to secure an 11-5 victory.

The 21-year-old is assured of a bronze medal but he will fight for
gold if he wins his semi-final on Friday.

Barnes’ opponent will be Chinese star and world champion Zou Shiming.

Barnes beat Ecuador’s Jose Luis Meza 14-8 in his opener on Saturday.

Maszczyk defeated Barnes in the north Belfast man’s first international
contest three years ago.

However, Barnes progressed further than Maszczyk in last year’s World
Championships after making his way to the quarter-finals before losing
to Zou Shiming.

Zou Shiming was impressive in his 9-4 win over Kazakhstan’s Birzhan
Zhakypov which secured his semi-final meeting with Barnes.

Later in Tuesday’s boxing programme, Irish light-heavyweight Kenny
Egan will box Brazil’s Washington Silva for a medal (1416).

Egan is reckoned to have a great chance of making the semi-finals.

Silva’s best international performance came when he reached the World
Championship quarter-finals where he suffered a countback defeat
against Armenia’s Artak Malumyan.

Egan beat Turkey’s Bahram Muzaffer 10-2 in his opening bout on
Thursday.

FATIH KERIM: OUR TEAM IS GOING TO EXPERIENCE A REAL TRIAL

Panorama.am
14:28 19/08/2008

The coach of the national football team of Turkey, Fatih Kerim says
his players are going to have serious trial in the coming match with
Armenian team.

As known, the World Cup Qualifier match will take place on 6 September
in "Hrazdan" stadium.

"Our national teams are meeting for the first time, and no doubt it
will be a difficult match, because Armenian team is quite powerful,"
said Kerim during his meeting with Turkish journalists. "However,
our players will be on top form by the match," he added.

Note that tomorrow at 21:00 another match between junior teams of
Armenia and Turkey will take place in frames of qualification round
of European Junior Football Championship.

THE BENEFACTORS FROM COAF TO VISIT ARMENIA

Panorama.am
14:38 19/08/2008

This year the fifth anniversary of Children of Armenia Fund, COAF is
celebrated. For this purpose the sponsors, benefactors and committee
members of COAF will make a visit to Armenia on 22-25 August. They
will meet with RA prime-minister. Moreover, during the audience with
RA minister of Education and Science the COAF benefactors are going
to receive "Gold Medal" certificates.

Note that the main purpose of COAF is to reduce poverty in Armenia,
and make better conditions for children by immediate conduction of
useful and positive arrangements for kids and youth.

TURKISH AMBASSADOR: "TURKEY WILL NOT OPEN BORDERS WITH ARMENIA AS LONG AS AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS NOT RESTORED"

APA
19 Aug 2008 17:16

Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev-APA. Chairman of the State Committee with
Religious Associations Hidayat Orucov has met with the Turkey’s
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic. The State Committee told APA
Orucov informed his guest about the religious situation in the country
and underlined the tolerance between the national and religious
minorities in Azerbaijan. "Every citizen’s freedom of faith and
other rights are protected. The religion is separate from the state
in Azerbaijan, but all religious confessions have been provided with
the conditions for free activity".

Ambassador Hulusi Kilic expressed his satisfaction with the development
of relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan. "Turkey will develop its
cooperation with Azerbaijan in all spheres henceforth".

Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the ambassador said
the Turkey’s position in this issue was clear. "Despite pressures from
Europe and all the West, Turkey will not open its borders with Armenia
as long as Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is not restored. We
are always together with Azerbaijan in this issue".

LESSONS IN HOW TO LOSE IN STYLE
By David Leggat

Independent.co.uk Web
Tuesday, 19 August 2008

China collectively dropped into a state of despair yesterday. When
Liu Xiang, the defending Olympic champion, pulled a hamstring in a
false start to his 100m hurdles heat, the nation limped off with him.

Xiang and basketball giant Yao Ming are the face of the Games for
China.

Xiang was expected to provide the perfect gift to the nation in
his final.

These Games have brought us graphic, vastly different images of
individual despair, too.

Consider Greco-Roman wrestler Ari Abrahamian, triple jumper Hrysopiyi
Devetzi and shooter Matthew Emmons.

Abrahamian, the Armenian-born Swedish grappler, had his bronze medal
removed by the International Olympic Committee after kicking up a
stink over the judging of his semi-final loss. He had to be restrained
from body slamming the officials. These are men best argued with from
a distance.

He clearly has not been reading his Rudyard Kipling lately, the bit
about treating the twin imposters of triumph and despair with an
even hand.

Consider next Devetzi. She hurtled down the track for her final
leap, striving for the silver medal, if only she could squeeze out
an extra few centimetres. She made a hash of it, whereupon she burst
into tears and ran into the arms of her coach.

Soon after, the bronze medal secured, she was gallivanting round the
National Stadium track, Greek flag draped over her shoulders doing
cartwheels. Despair to delight in minutes.

And finally consider American rifleman Emmons.

In Athens, with the gold one half-decent shot away, he had a brain
explosion, firing at the wrong target.

In the 50m three-positional event here, he had the gold in the bag
again, if only he put the final bullet somewhere near the middle of
the board.

Instead Emmons dropped a clanger, scoring a hopeless 4.4 out of 10,
dropping him out of the medals altogether.

He got a standing ovation. Maybe the Chinese crowd knew his history
and sympathised; maybe they were cheering because his boo-boo had
given a Chinese shooter the gold.

"When I was getting on the trigger the gun just went off," the amiable
Emmons said later with a "life goes on" demeanour.

So not a man you’d want on a hunting trip, then, but a likeable and
popular chap who knows his Kipling.