Month: October 2008

LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURES, POOR-QUALITY INTERNET HAMPER IT DEVELOPMENT IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Oct 9, 2008

YEREVAN, October 9. /ARKA/. Lack of the required infrastructures and
poor-quality Internet hamper IT development in Armenia, Vice-President
on Strategic Market Development at Synopsys Inc., General Director
of Synopsys Armenia Rich Goldman said.

According to him, favorable infrastructures (including uninterrupted
power supply and availability of warehouses) should be established
to attract major IT corporations to Armenian market.

Goldman stressed the necessity to develop the Internet – to raise
speed and bandwidth and reduce the cost. Certain steps have been
made recently in this direction, but much remains to be done in the
country for development of the Internet, he said.

Among other weaknesses he pointed out the problems in customs and
taxation fields, as well as educational matters.

A fundamental educational system exists in Armenia, but the problem
is the lack of experimental basis and scientific developments due
to insufficient funds, Goldman said. Yet, according to him, these
problems can be solved and progress in IT can be achieved if the
country shows will and cooperation for proceeding with IT development.

According to Armenian Ministry of Economy, foreign investments in
information technologies sector are $10mln at minimum. Production
output in the field grew almost by 30% (it was about $100mln at the
end of 2006 – "AR KA").

About 190 companies are actively involved in IT sector. Synopsys
Inc. came to Armenian market in October 2004 after an agreement on
merger was signed between Leda Design and Monterey Arset and Synopsys
Armenian open joint stock company was formed.

Synopsys has it offices in a total of 60 countries (North America,
Europe, and Asia) with the headquarters located in California.

ARMENIA RANKS 97TH AMONG 134 COUNTRIES FOR GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS IN 2008

ARKA
Oct 9, 2008

YEREVAN, October 9. /ARKA/. Armenia ranked the 97th among 134 countries
for global competitiveness in 2008 – 4 points lower as compared with
the previous year, Chairman of "Economy and Values" Research Center
Manuk Yerghnyan said referring to the Global Competitiveness Report
2008-2009 prepared by the World Economic Forum.

Global competitiveness of countries is assessed based on 12 main
components – institutions, infrastructures, macroeconomic stability,
health and primary education, higher education and training, efficiency
of goods market, labor market efficiency, technological background,
domestic market volume, innovations and businesses improvement.

Yerghnyan said that this year Armenia is transiting from the first
resource-based stage of economic development to the second one –
efficiency-based stage.

Armenia showed progress and is included in the list of countries
with $2,000-3,000 GDP per capita (together with Georgia, Azerbaijan,
China, Kazakhstan and Jordan), he said. erghnyan pointed out that
Armenia’s position remains not bad (the 45th place) for labor
market efficiency attributable to liberalization and flexible
employer-employee relations.

Yet, Armenia is in lowest position (120th) on business improvement
component (application of modern strategic provisions in business
administration by Armenian companies).

Improvement in Armenia’s pos itions was recorded on the following
components as compared with last year – financial market efficiency,
healthcare and primary education (from 99th to 97th place)
and higher education and training (94th instead of the previous
95th place). Regress was recorded for the following components –
macroeconomic stability (from 57th in 2007 to 83rd this year),
innovations (dropping by 6 places down to 106th), technological
background, business improvement, goods market efficiency, labor
market efficiency, Yerghnyan said.

Among CIS countries, Armenia is behind Russia (51st position),
Kazakhstan (66th), Azerbaijan (69th), Ukraine (72nd), Georgia (90th)
and Moldova (95th), but is ahead of Tajikistan (116th) and Kyrgyzstan
(122nd).The USA tops the overall Global Competitiveness ranking
followed by Switzerland and Denmark. Sweden, Singapore, Finland,
Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and Canada are in the top ten. Great
Britain has dropped out of the top 10 (12th position).

Yerghnyan stressed that the report was prepared before the world
financial crisis and records the pre-crisis condition of the countries’
economies.

World Economic Forum is an independent international organization
that aims at improving world affairs and establishing partnerships
between leaders for forming a global-scale agenda.

"Economy and Values" Research Center is a partner of Global
Competitiveness Network of the World Economic Forum.

YOVANOVITCH: U.S.-ARMENIA BUSINESS CONTACTS EXPAND

ARKA
Oct 9, 2008

YEREVAN, October 9. /ARKA/. The U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie
Yovanovitch pointed out the trend toward expansion of U.S.-Armenia
business contacts at her meeting with Armenian Minister of Economy
Nerses Yeritsyan.

Yovanovitch expressed satisfaction with the existing trade and
economic links between the countries, the Press Service of the
Ministry reported.

The Minister briefed the Ambassador on the government priorities,
the work done and future plans. He also stressed the importance of
the sitting of Working Group of Armenian-American intergovernmental
commission on economic cooperation to be held in Washington in late
November.

Yeritsyan informed the Ambassador about the measures taken for the
country to achieve superiority in the fields of education, healthcare,
finance, business environment and tourism.

A special National Competitiveness Council has been set up for this
purpose, Yerisyan said. He also said that Armenia will try to sign
a full-fledged free trade agreement with Europe. The Ambassador
made appraisal of the government programs and wished the Minister
successful implementation.

RA PRESIDENT’S CONTROL SERVICE REVEALS SERIOUS VIOLATIONS AT MINES OPERATED WITHIN YEREVAN ADMINISTRATIVE BOUNDARIES AND IN ADJACENT AREA

Noyan Tapan

Oc t 8, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The October 8 working consultation
conducted by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan focused on the results
of the studies done by the RA president’s Control Service at the mines,
which are operated within the administrative boundaries of Yerevan and
in the adjacent area and whose minerals are mainly used as building
materials or a raw stuff for production of building materials.

According to a press release of the RA presidential press service, the
RA prime minister, the chief of the presidential staff, the ministers
of economy, energy and natural resources, and nature protection,
Yerevan’s mayor, the chairman of the State Committee of the Real
Estate Cadastre, and the head of the State Revenue Committee took
part in the consultation.

Presenting the violations and shortcomings revealed by the studies,
the head of the Control Service Hovhannes Hovsepian said that the real
amounts of minerals were concealed, the respective nature payments
were not made, and as a result, the minerals mined or the production
made from them were sold in the shadow sector. Some facts of illegal
mining were also recorded, many mines are operated outside the areas
allocated for them, some mines were put into operation without the
acceptance by the authorized body, due to which it is impossible to
establish their initial state.

Considering this situation as neglected and alarming, S. Sargsyan
pointed out the improper control of the sector by the responsible
ministries. He demanded that the respective authorized bodies: the
ministry of energy and natural resources, the ministry of nature
protection, the State Revenue Committee strengthen their control
functions and centralize information which will allow to make the
sector more transparent. He attached importance to improvement of
the legislative field regulating the sector.

S. Sargsyan also gave instructions to compensate for the damage done
to the state. He said that within the framework of measures to improve
the tax field and to fight against shadow economy, such studies will
regularly done in various sectors.

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVES MEMBERS OF SWITZERLAND-ARMENIA PARLIAMENTARY GROUP OF SWISS FEDERAL ASSEMBLY

Noyan Tapan

Oc t 8, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Serzh Sargsyan receiving
the members of the Swiss Federal Assembly’s Switzerland-Armenia
parliamentary group headed by Christine Egerszegi-Obrist on October
8, attached importance to development of many-sided contacts
with Switzerland. He was satisfied that an interesting agenda of
bilateral partnership has been formed in the recent years. According
to him, foundation of a diplomatic representation of Switzerland
in Armenia will be a significant step for further strengthening of
cooperation. S. Sargsyan attached a special importance to parliamentary
relations in Armenian-Swiss cooperation. The RA President expressed
gratitude for recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the National
Council of Switzerland in 2003.

S. Sargsyan welcomed Switzerland’s balanced approach to the problems in
the region and in Armenia. Touching upon Armenian-Turkish relations,
he reiterated Armenian side’s readiness to establish relations with
Turkey without any preconditions, and only then to discuss many
problems as neighbors.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA President’s
Press Office, Armenian-Swiss programs implemented in various spheres
were spoken about at the meeting.

ARMENIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES DELEGATION OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SWITZERLAND

Noyan Tapan

Oc t 9, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian deputy foreign minister
Gegham Gharibjanian on October 9 received a delegation of the National
Council of Switzerland. The delegation was headed by the co-chairs of
Switzerland-Armenia friendship parliamentary group, deputies Dominique
de Buman and Ueli Leuenberger. G. Gharibjanian expressed satisfaction
at the high level of Armenian-Swiss relations, saying that Armenia
is interested in further development of these relations. In this
connection he expressed a high opinion about the role of parliamentary
diplomacy. From the viewpoint of developing the bilateral relations,
the RA deputy foreign minister underlined the importance of opening
the Swiss diplomatic representative office in Armenia and the work
to expand the legal and contractual field.

Both sides expressed a hope that an active political dialog will help
deepen the economic links between Armenia and Switzerland.

According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, at the
request of the guests G. Gharibjanian presented Armenia’s position
on the latest events in the South Caucasian region, the negotiation
process on solution of the Artsakh problem, and the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL RECEIVES U.S. EXPERT

Noyan Tapan

Oc t 8, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The Prosecutor General of Armenia
Aghvan Hovsepian on October 7 received expert John Farmer who had
arrived from the U.S. and the US embassy Legal Advisor Steven Kessler.

In 2003-2004, John Farmer was a chief lawyer of the National Commission
on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (9/11 Commission) and
dealt with issues on emergency response actions after the terrorist
attacks on the U.S.

He was previously the New Jersey prosecutor and a member of the New
Jersey investigation commission on control of political corruption
and organized crime.

During the meeting, the sides dicussed the measures taken by the
investigation body after the March 1-2 mass disorder in Yerevan,
their results, as well as a number of issues related to tactics of
the investigative methods and actions.

The RA prosecutor general informed the U.S. expert that with the aim of
examining the scene of the incident, it was conditionally divided into
9 sites and subgroups were formed in order to conduct investigation
by episodes and reveal the identities of all the victims. The videos
shot by official bodies were seized, at the same time steps were
taken to obtain videos shot by various television companies, private
organizations and persons, and work in this direction is going on.

The police journals with records about the weapons of those policemen
who were sent to the indicated area on March 1-2, as well as these
weapons were seized. The weapons together with the bullet cases and
bullets found at the scene of the incident were sent for an expert
examination. It was mentioned that some difficulties arose in the
issue of identification of the cartridges fired from the special means
used by police as the current methodology does not allow to carry out
this work, which is necessary for giving a legal assessment of the
legality and proportionality of the actions taken by some policemen.

The investigation revealed that a special means used was the cause of
the deaths of 3 citizens. This special means was used by 4 policemen
who were positioned in such a way that the special means used by any
of them might cause the deaths of these citizens.

The search to find citizens-eyewitnesses has not yet given results
and no witnesses have come to the investigation body. Under such
conditions an expert examination may be of great significance for
the investigation into these concrete episodes.

J. Farmer promised to discuss this issue with the U.S. State
Department and find out whether an examination can be of help in this
issue. A. Hovsepian expressed a willingness not only to receive the
respective expert in Armenia but also to send the necessary materials
for an expert examination at another center to be recommended by
U.S. experts.

According to a report of the press service of the RA prosecutor
general’s office, an agreement was reached to continue the working
discussion in the coming days.

The head of the RA Special Investigation Service Andranik Mirzoyan,
the chief prosecutor of the RA prosecutor general’s office Koryun
Piloyan, the head of the investigation group on the criminal case
opened in connection with the mass disorder in Yerevan on March 1-2
Vahagn Harutyunian, the head of the Forensic Medical Examination
and Scientific Practical Center of the RA Ministry of Health Shota
Vardanian, the head of the National Bureau of Expert Examinations
of the RA National Academy of Sciences Artashes Javadian, and the
head of the Expert Criminological Department of the RA Police Stepan
Manukian also participated in the meeting.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY PRIORITIES OF PROGRAMS ON PROPORTIONAL DVELOPMENT OF MARZES, ARF DEPUTY SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Oc t 9, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The implementation of the government’s
strategic programs on proportional development of Armenian marzes
(provinces) will be really efficient in case of clarifying their
priorities.

In this connection, as the member of the National Assembly "ARF"
faction Ruzan Arakelian stated at the October 9 press conference,
it is especially important to implement a demographic policy and
healthcare and social programs and to provide concessionary loans.

The deputy said that she went to various marzes in the summer and the
situation in villages caused her concern. In particular, there has
been a decline in the number of children of school age in all marzes,
especially in mountainous and border villages, which shows that parents
do not see their children’s future in the village. As a result, the
emigration of rural residents has reached huge numbers. R. Arakelian
pointed out that the growth of Yerevan’s population is due to this
fact rather than repatriation.

In her opinion, the programs implemented and to be implemented
should address first of all the population and contribute to its life
support. In her words, in Armenian marzes there are rural settlements
with several dozen farms, whose population is mainly composed of
elderly persons, however, large comfortable schools for over 1,000
pupils and huge clubs have been constructed. "This money could have
been spent to build an aid-post and a small workshop which would
allow to create jobs for several families in the village," the ARF
deputy said.

R. Arakelian, whose has a journalistic experience of over 20 years,
expressed her discontent with the indifference to the problems of
marzes, which exists in almost all mass media outlets.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ACCORDING TO HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST AVETIK ISHKHANIAN, TRADITION OF ELECTIONS ACCOMPANIED BY RIGGINGS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan

Oc t 8, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. During the latest local
self-government elections the observers of Helsinki Committee of
Armenia witnessed many violations and acts of violence. Committee
Chairman Avetik Ishkhanian reported at the October 8 press
conference. He said that the most obvious acts of violence were
recorded during the elections of Kentron prefect when proxies of the
opposition candidate were just forced out of some polling stations. And
the Committee recalled its observers from Noragyugh polling station
due to the aggravated situation.

Besides the above mentioned violations, Committee’s 55 observers
recorded cases of control over voting, guiding voters, as well as
observed social workers voting instead of pensioners. There were
representatives of the Police inside the polling stations, part of
which took part in the process of counting the votes. There were
cases when two or three voters were simultaneously near a voting
cabin. According to A. Ishkhanian, cases of open voting, voting
with another person’s passport, and voting without a passport were
also recorded.

According to the observation of the head of Helsinki Committee,
use of voting cabins without curtains should be stopped henceforth,
as other people control a voter near the ballot-boxes and instruct
him what to do. "It is my only proposal to improve the electoral
process. However, in general, I already do not know how to liquidate
the tradition of elections accompanied by riggings and to come out
of this closed circle," A. Ishkhanian said.

UNION OF YOUNG CONSERVATIVES MEETS WITH REFUSAL TO BE ALLOCATED HALL FOR HOLDING CONFERENCE

Noyan Tapan

Oc t 8, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The Union of Young Conservatives
(UYC) is going to hold a conference on October 16 in celebration of
the 17th anniversary of establishment of the institution of president
in Armenia.

However, the union’s applications with the request to be allocated
a hall have been rejected by Yerevan State University, the Union
of Writers, the Literature Institute, the National Academy of
Sciences, the Narekatsi Art Union and the Matenadaran. Nevertheleass,
according to the co-chairman of the union Hayk Mirzoyan, UYC is full
of determination to hold a conference and hopes that "there will be
an organization in Yerevan that will realize the significance of this
historical event and agree to provide a hall."