Month: December 2008

DOCTRINE OF ARMENIA-DIASPORA COOPERATION DISCUSSED IN YEREVAN
Marianna Gyurjyan

"Radiolur"
24.12.2008 17:25

For a few month now the Ministry of Diaspora of Armenia and the
International Center for Human Development have been working out
the doctrine of development of the Armenia-Diaspora cooperation,
determining the principles and priorities and predicting their results.

"The five scenarios of the doctrine of development of the
Armenia-Diaspora cooperation include both realistic and unacceptable
provisions," RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan says.

Participants of today’s discussion were reading the scenarios,
analyzing their perspectives and making suggestions and remarks.

The preliminary text of the doctrine has been submitted to the
consideration of Diaspora Armenian organizations. After final text of
the doctrine is elaborated, it will be presented for the Government’s
approval.

"We organized this discussion to give an opportunity to different
layers of society to express their opinion and participate in the
elaboration of the doctrine. Thus, we will be able to make the final
text of the doctrine more comprehensive," the Minister of Diaspora
stated.

ACCORDING TO DPA LEADER, BY CEDING LIBERATED TERRITORIES ARMENIAN SIDE WILL GREATLY ENDANGER KARABAKH PEOPLE

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
Yerevan

According to Aram G. Sargsian, the Chairman of the Democratic
Party of Armenia (DPA) and In Defence of NKR steering committee,
the negotiations proceeding over the Nagorno Karabakh settlement are
very alarming at present. As he mentioned at the December 24 press
conference, today at the negotiations table they say that at first the
liberated territories should be returned and then Karabakh’s status
should be determined. While, according to A. Sargsian’s observation,
Azerbaijan’s consent on Artsakh’s independence should be received at
first and then an agreement on other issues should be reached.

According to the DPA leader, be ceding the liberated territories
the Armenian side will greatly endanger Karabakh people, as even
guarantees given by the international community cannot reserve
Azerbaijan’s appetite.

According to A. Sargsian, that country getting back the liberated
lands without fail will strive for getting Karabakh as well.

WAVE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST IMPRISONED OPPOSITIONISTS HAS ROSE, OPPOSITION LEADERS STATE

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
YEREVAN

Acts of violence and pressures upon the political activists accused
on the March 1 criminal case have become stronger in penitentiary
institutions lately. Aram Sargsian, the Chairman of the Hanrapetutiun
(Republic) party, Ararat Zurabian, the Board Chairman of the Armenian
National Movement party, and Levon Zurabian, the Coordinator of the
Armenian National Congress, stated at the December 24 press conference.

According to L. Zurabian, defendant on the "case of the seven" Grigor
Voskerchian, opposition activists Ashot Manukian and Armen Khurshudian
have been beaten cruelly in their prison cells lately. According to
L. Zurabian, the group of masked policemen that had taken part in those
prisoners’ beating the day before, in the morning of December 24 also
appeared in the building of the Nubarashen penitentiary institution,
from which ANC members conclude that the wave of violence in the
prison will continue.

"The regime has repeatedly proved that it can do any meanness. However,
now the authorities have went down and become equal to the lowest
immorality scale," L. Zurabian stated. He affirmed that the authorities
strengthen pressures upon the opposition, as they are afraid to lose
the "case of the seven" in the court. Besides beating, according to
him, in order to psychologically affect prisoners law enforcers move
them to other cells, where the conditions are worse. In consideration
of all this, ANC demands RA Justice Minister Gevorg Danielian’s
resignation, calls RA Ombudsman for publicizing a special report
and the NA Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction for making a proposal to
convene a special sitting.

PPA LEADER: NO PROGRESS WAS RECORDED IN ARMENIA IN 2008

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
YEREVAN

No progress was recorded in Armenia in 2008, moreover, the world
crisis consequences were also added to people’s and country’s
difficulties. Stepan Demirchian, the Chairman of the People’s Party
of Armenia, stated at the December 24 press conference.

He said that the March 1 consequences have not been overcome so
far. While, according to the PPA leader, the moral- psychological
atmosphere in the country should be changed and first of all all
political prisoners should be released.

As to the "case of the seven," S. Demirchian said that the case is
forged, no attempt of a coup has taken place, opposition leaders have
not voiced appeals for attacking state buildings. He strictly condemned
the violence towards one of the "case of the seven" defendants,
Grigor Voskerchian. "The authorities have not changed their policy:
they wish to prevent the people’s movement with repressions," the PPA
leader said. He expressed an apprehension that the actions used by
the authorities at the December 23 court sitting and the atmosphere
created around the trial have a goal to prepare a closed trial.

According to S. Demirchian’s prediction, year 2009 will be very hard,
as economic crisis problems have been also added to the current
problems.

"Today Armenia is in a political, economic, social, moral-psychological
crisis, which is the consequence of the policy carried on by
the authorities over the past 10 years aimed at serving the
criminal-oligarch system," he said.

Meanwhile S. Demirchian expressed the hope that year 2009 will be a
year of positive changes.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN MEDIA INVOLUNTARILY SUPPORT AZERI AGITATION MACHINE, A NUMBER OF ARTSAKH YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS STATE

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
STEPANAKERT

The Armenian media are cut off from reality and persistently disregard
the interests of our compatriots living in the liberated territory by
involuntarily supporting the Azeri agitation machine in the information
and psychological war against the Armenians. It was mentioned in the
statement of a number of Artsakh youth organizations addressed to
heads and workers of Armenian media. They consider that the events
happening in the liberated territory, the life of those regions’
population almost are not covered by RA media.

Considering inadmissible the situation formed in the country’s
information sphere and realizing the exclusive role media play
in the issue of formation of that sphere, the statement authors,
in particular, call for "more often and in detail covering the life
of liberated territory’s population, touching upon our compatriots’
problems, informing our citizens of liberated territory’s strategic
importance."

It should be mentioned that on December 9 they had sent an open letter
to RA President Serzh Sargsyan calling for removing the picture of
Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region having become history long ago from
the weather forecast maps broadcast by RA TV companies and replacing
it by the RA and NKR map.

"The everyday show of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Region map not
existing from the moment of NKR proclamation on Public Television,
as well as other TV companies every day deeply defames not only RA
and NKR, but also Diaspora’s televiewers. In the political respect it
especially has a negative influence now, when at a stage of conflict
settlement negotiations decisive for the nation, as we all hope,
Armenian diplomacy struggles for protection of Armenian people’s
interests. We demand removing the "Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous
Region picture from metheorological maps shown by all TV companies
and replacing it by the RA and NKR maps," the open letter to the RA
President read.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES VICE-SECRETARY OF IRI SUPREME NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
YEREVAN

On December 23, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received a
delegation led by Vice-Secretary of IRI Supreme National Security
Council Ali Bagheri.

E. Nalbandian expressed satisfaction with the Armenian-Iranian
relations based on mutually beneficial cooperation. Touching upon
expansion of economic relations between the two countries, he highly
estimated the results of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Commission
sitting held on December 15 in Tehran.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, issues regarding implementation of joint
programs between Armenia and Iran in transport and energy spheres
were discussed at the meeting.

IRAN’S POSITION HAS MUCH IMPORTANCE FOR NAGORNO KARABAKH PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
YEREVAN

A wide range of issues regarding deepening of Armenia-Iran relations
were discussed at the December 23 meeting of RA National Security
Council Secretary Artur Baghdasarian and Vice-Secretary of IRI
Supreme Security Council Ali Bagheri. The necessity to consider these
relations in the context of both regional and international relations
was mentioned. The sides agreed that the two countries have a great
cooperation potential.

Issues of construction of Armenia-Iran railway, oil pipeline, as well
as Yerevan-Batumi highway were discussed.

The sides emphasized the necessity to raise the Armenia-Iran relations
to a strategic level.

According to the RA National Security Council Press Office,
A. Baghdasarian and A. Bagheri attached importance to taking practical
steps for fulfillment of the reached agreements. They said that
the special committee being formed between the Armenian and Iranian
Security Councils can greatly contribute to it.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Defence Ministry, the same RA
Defence Minister Seyran Ohanian received the delegation led by Bagheri,
accompanied by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran
to RA Seyed Ali Saghayian.

The Minister said that the relations formed between the two countries
and current success, centuries-old friendship and historic-cultural
communities give a sufficient ground for deepening practical contacts,
continuing the advancing development way in the future as well.

During the meeting the sides exchanged thoughts about a number of
issues regarding regional security and stability. Touching upon
the issue of Nagorno Karabakh settlement, the sides stated that
the balanced approach adopted by Iran is of much importance for the
conflict’s peaceful settlement.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT PASSES IN FIRST READING LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE ON ALL-ARMENIAN BANK

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
YEREVAN

The RA National Assembly passed in the first reading the bill on
All-Armenian Bank, and based on it, a package of additions to several
laws with 103 votes in favor and 3 votes against at the December 24
special session. "Heritage" faction’s members present at the session
voted against the bill.

The parliament discussed in first reading the government’s legislative
package which includes the bill on privileged payments and the bills
on additions and amendments to a number of laws on tax sector.

According to the main speaker, deputy chairman of the State Revenue
Committee adjunct to the government Aharon Chilingarian, the proposed
amendments and additions can be conditionally divided into 2 groups:
some of them are aimed at encouraging investments and local production
and simplifying the tax legislation for economic entities, while
the others propose specification to the current laws and elimination
of the shortcomings in the legislation. An increase in the current
rates is envisaged in 2 cases. In particular, the fixed payments for
cigarettes are increased. The fixed payments for games with prizes
are also increased: the monthly payment for a gaming table is fixed
at 4 million drams instead of the current 2.5 million drams.

The bill on privileged payments proposes allowing natural persons,
who are not considered as private businessmen and are engaged in some
types of entrepreneurial activity, to be registered at a tax body
and pay privileged payments. The bill is related to persons engaged
in small production or providing personal services, in particular:
repair of domestic appliances, production of footwear, clothes,
leather items, carpets, musical instruments, oragnization of sport
groups, and tutoring.

A privileged payment is a compulsory and gratuitous payment
substituting for income tax and value added tax (VAT). It is a lump-sum
payment in the annual amount of the privileged payment for each
type of activity. It makes 60,000 drams (about 200 USD) in Yerevan;
42,000 drams in regional centers; 30,000 drams in other cities and
settlements within a radius of 20 km from Yerevan; 24,000 drams in
rural areas, and 12,000 drams in remote regions. Privileged payments
shall be made by persons if the turnover from services provided by
them and work done by them (except for work done by hired workers)
in the previous year does not exceed 2.5 million drams.

PIRUZ SARGSYAN APPOINTED OMBUDSPERSON OF FINANCIAL SYSTEM

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
YEREVAN

The first sitting of the Board of Trustees of the "Office of
Ombudsman of the Financial System" Foundation was held on December
22. The Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Arthur Javadian
congratulated the newly-elected board of trustees.

According to the CBA PR Service, Grigor Ghonjeyan (member of the
CBA Board) was elected the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of
the "Office of Ombudsman of the Financial System" Foundation. By
a unanimous decision of the trustees, Piruz Sargsyan was appointed
the Ombudsperson of the Financial System. She will assume her duties
starting from the date envisaged by law: January 24, 2009.

P. Sargsyan has worked in the Legal Department of the CBA since 1995
as an expert, later as the head of the Legal Department and the chief
legal advisor to the CBA chairman. She has also taught at higher
educational institutions.

DECREASE TENDENCY OF NUMBER OF CHILDREN LIVING IN ORPHANAGES NOTICED IN ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 24, 2008
YEREVAN

RA National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamian, on December 24,
visited Yerevan’s Zatik orphanage. According to him, everything
possible should be done to preserve orphanage’s warm atmosphere and
to create better conditions for children.

According to orphanage Director Ashot Mnatsakanian, currently nearly
80 children aged from 8 to 18 live in the orphanage. In his words,
a decrease tendency of the number of children living in orphanages is
noticed in the past years. He said that it is also due to the improval
of population’s social condition. He also reported that 118m drams
(nearly 400 thousand USD) was allocated to the orphanage from the
2008 state budget.

RA Minister of Labor and Social Issues Arsen Hambartsumian said that
the amount of funds allocated to orphanages from the state budget
increases year by year. According to him, in 2009 it is envisaged
to raise orphanages employees’ salaries by about 20%, the amount of
money allocated for food will be also increased by 20%.