Month: December 2008

WD Newsletter

Western Diocese of the Armenian Church
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474 Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

Dear Reader

"… Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts to
which indeed you were called in the one body."
– Colossians 3:15

The blessed Birth of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ
brings peace on earth. Peace is the reflection of the love
of God; the peace which is being offered to us all,
reawakening in us the wisdom to live a purpose-driven life.

The words of St. Paul the Apostle are a spiritual gift on
the eve of the New Year and Christmas which nourishes our
spirituality with the Divine presence.

Today we live in a world, where the celebration of the
Birth of Christ has been commercialized. Christmas, dear
faithful, is most of all a time of spiritual reawakening. It
is that time of the year the faithful hold firm the sacred
traditions of the Church and make Christmas a special time
for family reunions and gatherings.

Click here to read the entire
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The Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North
America, providing spiritual guidance and leadership to the
Armenian Apostolic community, is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit,
tax-exempt organization comprised of more than 50 churches
in 16 western states. It was established in 1898 as the
Diocese of the Armenian Church encompassing the entire
United States and Canada. In 1927 the Western Diocese was
formed to exclusivly serve the western United States.

ARDSHININVESTBANK BONDS ADMITTED TO SALE ON ARMENIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

ARKA
Dec 22, 2008
YEREVAN

The nominal coupon bonds of Ardshininvestbank (Armenia) have been
admitted to the sale on the free platform Cbond on the Armenian Stock
Exchange (ARMEX).

The Marketing and Communications Department, NASDAQ OMX Armenia,
reported that 150,000 bonds have been admitted to sale, the nominal
value of one bond being 10,000 AMD and the annual coupon yield 10%. The
bond maturity date is December 5, 2009. The bonds are listed under
the abbreviation of ASBKB1.

As of December 22, 13 bond issues are in circulation on ARMEX. Two bond
issues are listed as Abond, ten issues as Bond and one issue as Cbond.

The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) issued Banking License #83 to the
Ardshininvestbank CJSC on February 27, 2003. The Ardshininvestbank
principal stockholders are the Region investment corporation (86.82%)
and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which purchased 10%
late last year.

The bank is an affiliate member of the MasterCard/Euriopay system
and a share holder of the Armenian Card CJSC.

This January the OMX Group (Sweden) purchased the Armenian Stock
Exchange and the RA Central Depository. This March, NASDAQ OMX Group,
Inc. became sole owner of ARMEX and RA Central Depository.

Over 3,900 issuers are listed on NASDAQ OMX. NASDAQ OMX technologies
facilitate the management of over 60 exchanges, clearing agencies
and central20depositories in over 50 countries.

MINISTER: ARMENIAN ENERGY SYSTEM READY FOR WORK IN WINTER PERIOD

ARKA
Dec 22, 2008
YEREVAN

The Armenian energy system is ready for works in hard winter period,
said RA Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan.

"We have a high readiness and there will be no serious problems
connected with the current activities," he told reporters on Monday.

Movsisyan noted the program for 2008 is successfully implemented.

"We have not recorded any force majéur situations this year and
despite problems the country’s energy system worked normally," he said.

In connection with this, the Minister congratulated the powermen with
their occupational holiday, the Day of Powerman, and wished them
health and new successes in the development of the energy sector.

–Boundary_(ID_pKeSlSMptL8gwICMaB78PQ)–

ARMENIA’S ELECTRIC NETWORKS SAYS READY FOR WINTER PERIOD

ARKA
Dec 22, 2008
YEREVAN

Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) is ready for the winter period,
reported ENA Director General Yevgeni Gladunchik.

"Investments into the company hit a record high this year, allowing us
to get ready for the winter and get positive feedback from INTER RAO
UES," he said, adding INTER RAO UES granted "winter-time passports"
to all its branches in Armenia in November.

"Our commission has surveyed our branches to eliminate errors,"
Gladunchik said. "With the deadline of repairs growing closer, the
company can already state it is ready for the winter period."

Subsidiary of Russia’s electricity trader INTER RAO UES (owned
by Russia’s atomic energy agency Rosatom), the company owns 220
kW-110,000 W electric networks in Armenia and is the country’s
exclusive electricity distributor.

The company owns 323 substations and serves 838,000 customers. ENA’s
sales output reached $237mln last year, with investments totaling
$35mln.

The company forecasts $275mln sales output and $38mln investments by
end-2008.

"PISCES" COMMEMORATIVE GOLDEN COIN INTRODUCED IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Dec 22, 2008
YEREVAN

The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) put into circulation "Pisces"
commemorative golden coins, the CBA press-service told ARKA News
Agency on Monday. The coin has been issued in the scope of Zodiacal
Signs international numismatic program.

According to the press release, the CBA issued 10,000 coins with
10,000AMD nominal value each.

The coin made of pure gold weighs 8.6 grams and is 22mm in diameter.

The national emblem of Armenia is on the obverse of the coin with
the value underneath both in Armenian and English. The year of issue
("2008") is specified above the Emblem.

All 12 zodiacal signs are represented in the middle circle.

Zodiacal "Pisces" are at the coin reverse against the background of
sky of stars.

The coin has been minted by the Polish Mint. The coin outlines are
made by designer Ursula Valezhak.

NO CRISIS BITES ARMENIA’S FINANCIAL MARKET: CBA

ARKA
Dec 22, 2008
YEREVAN

Armenia’s financial market has not been crippled by the crisis,
reported Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Vache
Gabrielyan.

"No ill effects of the crisis have been observed in Armenia,"
Gabrielyan said, adding the signs of strain are far from being
a crisis.

The CBA deputy chairman considered necessary to study specifics of
local economy in order to combat possible influence of the global
crisis on Armenia.

ARMY EVADORS TO PAY 2.7BLN AMD TO ARMENIA’S STATE BUDGET

ARKA
Dec 22, 2008
YEREVAN

The Armenian citizens aged 27 who evaded active service paid fines
totaling 2.7bln AMD to Armenia’s state budget from March 1, 2004, to
December 5, 2008, RA Deputy Minister of Defense Ara Nazaryan stated
at the parliament hearings of the issue of prolongation of the act
on citizens that did not do their military service in defiance of
the established order.

"After the law took effect on March 1, 2004, a special interagency
commission was formed in Armenia. By December 12, 2008, it had held
72 sittings, discussed 4,045 cases and made 4,002 decisions. Under
the decisions, as of December 5, the evadors paid fines totaling
2.7bln AMD," he said.

Nazaryan reported that the law is applied to the persons that had
evaded conscription since 1992 and reached the age of 27 by October
21, 2007, (35 for reservists).

Nazaryan said that, after the fines have been paid, all the
documents are sent to the relevant agencies for criminal cases to be
dismissed. He pointed out that the agencies have not yet raised any
objections to the law.

According to Nazaryan, the cases were mostly discussed in the
applicants’ absence. He pointed out that positive decisions were
mostly made, and the dubious cases are normally sent back to the
military registration and enlistment offices.

Nazaryan stressed that t he commissions were impartial in discussing
the issues. "We have not had any cases of objections to the amount
of penalty to be paid by the evadors.

Also, the Prosecutor General’s Office received 41 petitions after
the law expired on October 31, 2007. The petitioners are ready to
pay the statutory fines," Nazaryan said.

Considering the above, he pointed out the advisability for the
prolongation of the law, which will allow citizens to settle the
issues by law.

The penalty size is 100,000 AMD for each conscription.

ARMENIA PLANS TRANSITION TO GSP+ FROM JAN 1, 2009

ARKA
Dec 22, 2008

YEREVAN, December 22. /ARKA/. Armenia has been entered in a list of
countries that will enjoy GSP+ (Generalized System of Preferences)
from January 1, 2009, to the end of 2011. The EU-provided GSP+ is
intended for stable development and efficient management.

The press service of the RA Ministry of Economy reports that GSP+
beneficiaries must also have ratified and effectively implemented 27
specified international conventions in the fields of human rights,
core labour standards, sustainable development and good governance.

GSP+ allows the countries to export about 6,400 product items to the
EU at reduced tariffs or with exemption from customs duties.

Specifically, the customs duties on cigarettes are to be reduced by
52%, on natural juices by 30%, on fruits by 20%, on vegetables by 14%,
on fish products by 20% and on honey by 17%.

Armenia started seeking GSP+ in 2007. GSP is currently in effect
between Armenia and the European Union (EU), which allows Armenia to
export its products to the European markets at reduced tariffs.

Last year the trade turnover by the GSP+ totaled â~B¬74.7bln. The
exporters paid â~B¬357mlbn less as customs duties than during the
GSP regime.

–Boundary_(ID_Arp+ealxEQdWHK4fDWDg+A)–

NAMES OF OFFICIALS AND OLIGARCHS WERE HANDED OVER TO FACT-FINDING GROUP

Lragir.am
17:49:23 – 22/12/2008

The founder of the Armenian National Congress Levon Ter-Petrosyan
stated December 21 that shoplifting, arson of cars and other
provocations on March 1 were perpetrated by certain gangs whose members
counted 950. Those gangs were created, equipped and provided to the
center which coordinated the clampdown by five high-ranking officials
and four oligarchs.

In a news conference on December 22 at the Friday press club the
representative of the Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabyan stated
that the names of those five officials and four oligarchs, as well
as the document from which they got the information were handed over
to the fact-finding group which will study this fact. Levon Zurabyan
said they know the names of people but they will not reveal them
to reporters, noting that the fact-finding group must study, which
was provided with information and the names of those 9 through the
representative of the ANC to the fact-finding group.

As to participation of the ANC in the fact-finding group in future,
Levon Zurabyan said the obstacles about which they announced persist
and have not been eliminated. At the same time, however, Levon Zurabyan
said certain work is done even in that situation, and progress is
obvious. The ANC will continue to work as long as it is possible,
and if a hindrance is created, and=2 0the fact-finding group’s work
turns into imitation, the ANC will not stay in the fact-finding group,
Levon Zurabyan stated.

By the way, Levon Zurabyan said it is notable that the famous
recommendation of the PACE monitoring committee does not mention
anything about the parliamentary committee to study March 1. Levon
Zurabyan said in previous documents the committee was mentioned,
this time it was not mentioned. Levon Zurabyan says it means nobody
cares for the parliamentary committee anymore, not even Europe.

ALI BABACAN: THE SOLUTION OF DISPUTES BETWEEN TURKEY, ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN WAS NEVER THIS CLOSE

armradio.am
22.12.2008 17:17

A solution for the disputes between Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan,
which has lasted since World War One, was never this close, Turkey’s
Foreign Minister told Hurriyet daily.

"The Serzh Sargsyan administration believes that solution of problems
with both Turkey and Azerbaijan will bring stability and welfare to
the country," Ali Babacan told in an interview with the daily.

He added that both Sargsyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham
Aliyev show the necessary will to find a solution.

"If they progress, our job will also be easier," Babacan said. "We
are not at the stage that we can put forward the final points, but
we have made much progress," he added.