Month: December 2008

HRANUSH HAKOBIAN: EQUAL CONDITIONS SHOULD BE ENSURED FOR ARMENIANS BORN IN ARMENIA AND DIASPORAN ARMENIANS

Noyan Tapan

Dec 18, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Reports on the problems of the
1946-1948 repatriation, georgaphy and demography, Stalin’s geopolitical
ambitions in those years, and the historiography of repatriation
were given during the first sitting of the first working day of the
conference "The 1946-1948 Repatriation and Its lessons. The Problem of
Repatriation Today" held in Tsakhkadzor on December 13-14. The complete
study of these problems is still ahead, and the files of repatriates
of that period, which are kept in the RA National Archive and were
removed from the secret list in early 1990s, are an important source
for throwing light on these problems. The director of the National
Archive Amatuni Virabian said that the reports of Soviet emmissaries
who visited Diasporan colonies are also kept in the Archive.

According to him, Hovik Meliksetian’s work "Homeland-Diaspora Relations
and Repatriation: 1920-1980" published in 1985 could not present
the whole truth, and it is the time to create a complete work on
repatriation problems. A. Virabian added that some steps have already
been taken in this direction by the RA National Academy of Sciences.

During the December 13 sittings, participants discussed the
role of traditional Armenian parties and organizations in the
1946-1948 repatriation process, the recollections of repatriates,
the Stalin dictatorship’s oppression of repatriates, as well as the
legal problem of current repatriation. The results of the day were
summarized by the Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian who stated
that both the Western and Eastern Armenian languages are a national
value and should be preserved, while Western Armenian should also
be used in citizen-state relations. As regards the legal problems
of repatriation, she expressed an opinion that legislatively, equal
conditions should be ensured in Armenia for both Armenians born in
Armenia and Diasporan Armenians. In particular, the matter concerns
health care, general and higher education. Besides, according to the
minister, it is not ruled out that new political shocks may happen
in the region adjacent to Armenia where Armenian colonies of many
thousands exists so the country must be prepared to accept repatriates.

The subjects of the reports made on the second working day of
the conference were on the repatriation-related moods in various
colonies of the Diaspora, their reflection in the Diasporan press,
Israel’s experience of repatriation. The issue of assessment of
national identity of an Armenian was also a subject of discussion. In
response to NT correspondent’s question, Tiran Lokmagyozian, a public
figure from Turkey, said: "I consider as Armenians all those who
are Armenians by birth, that is, who belong to the Armenian nation
from the racial point of view". In the opinion of Gevorg Yazchian, a
journalist from Lebanon, "those who have national self-consciousness
and separate themselves from other nations as a independent nation
are Armenians. This a necessary but not sufficient condition. To me,
the sufficient condition is assumption of mandatory obligations with
respect to his/her nation and homeland by the given person".

The conference "The 1946-1948 Repatriation and Its Lessons. The
Problem of Repatriation Today" is perhaps one of the first attempts
to determine what national and geopolitical factors influenced
the repatriation of that period, and what impact it left on the
consciousness of the Armenian people who survived the genocide. As
for further steps, the dean of the Law Department of the American
University of Armenia Tom Samuelian believes that we "should
be consistent as there are quite difficult problems and we must
solve them. No one will solve these problems instead of us. Some
circumstances or conditions may solve these problems, but not in a
way advantageous for our nation and country".

The reports made at the conference will be summed up in publications.

Scientists and experts from Armenia, Iran, Canada, Syria, the U.S,
Argentina, Turkey, Russia, Lebanon and other countries took part
in the conference organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora, the RA
National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan State University, and "Noravank"
Scientific and Educational Foundation.

IT IS NOT KNOWN YET WHETHER TURKEY WILL APPEAL AGAINST EUROPEAN COURT VERDICT

Noyan Tapan

Dec 18, 2008

ANKARA, DECEMBER 18, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Turkish Foreign
Ministry Spokesperson Burak Ozugergin stated that it is not known
yet whether Turkey will apply to the cassation instance to appeal
against the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights or not. He
meant the verdict issued lately, according to which Turkey should
pay in total 875 thousand euros to Saint Saviour hospital and Samatia
district council.

According to Marmara, the Spokesperson said: "It is a very complicated
problem, and we are studying the issue. We do not know yet whether
we will apply to the higher instance or not."

EXHIBITION OF WILLIAM SAROYAN’S PHOTOS TO OPEN IN TURKEY

Noyan Tapan

Dec 18, 2008

BITLIS, DECEMBER 18, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition of
photos dedicated to William Saroyan will open in Bitlis on December
20. W.

Saroyan’s photos taken by Ara Guler, Poghos Poghosian (Armenia),
Fikret Otyam and Petros Zopian will be displayed.

As Marmara reported, the exhibition is being organized in 3 cities of
great importance to Saroyan: his native city of Fresno, Bitlis – the
birthplace of his parents, and Yerevan that Saroyan visited four times.

The exhibition will last until January 10.
From: Baghdasarian

LEVON ARONIAN BEATS VASILI IVANCHUK IN 7TH TOUR OF SUPERTOURNAMENT OF CHINA

Noyan Tapan

Dec 18, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The 21-class Chess Supertournament
continues in the city of Nan Czin, China. 7th tour’s games took place
on December 18. Levon Aronian (Armenia) beat Vasili Ivanchuk (the
Ukraine), Sergei Movsisian (Slovakia) was defeated by Pyotr Svidler
(Russia), and the Bu Ksianji (China) – Vesselin Topalov (Bulgaria)
game ended in a draw.

Topalov and Ksianji are in the lead with 4.5 points each. Aronian
has gained 4 points, Svidler 3 points, Movsisian and Ivanchuk have
2.5 points each.

ARMENIA CAN BECOME KEY PLAYER ON SOUTH CAUCASUS ENERGY MAP

ARKA
Dec 18, 2008

YEREVAN, December 18. /ARKA/. Armenia is aware of a real opportunity
to be involved in major regional energy projects and become one of
the key players on the energy map of South Caucasus, General Director
of ArmRosgasprom company Karen Karapetyan said.

Not having own hydrocarbon resources and being a landlocked country,
Armenia is still demonstrating a vivid example of successful solution
to energy security problem against the background of complicated and
ambiguous political and economic developments in the region, Karapetyan
said at the international scientific conference on informational wars
being held in Yerevan on December 18-19.

To further raise the country’s energy security level, a new-quality
export policy should be developed at a government level to create
opportunities for more active economic exchange between Armenia and
the neighboring countries, he said.

Armenia needs to take up an extremely pro-active position in
development and consistent implementation of new regional projects with
common interest for the countries of the region, he said adding that
no alternative exists to regional cooperation, especially in energy
sector, in the conditions of global financial and economic crisis.

According to Karapetyan, with two gas pipelines and the underground gas
storage capacity, as well as with its surplus competitive generating
capacity, Armenia has all the chanc es to become a kind of liberal
energy area for the region.

This implies raising the country’s energy security through formation
of a competitive export market, state support to export-oriented
energy projects with flexible price policy and concerted efforts of
strategic partners to expand the regional cooperation in energy sector
and to involve not only immediate neighbors, but also Turkmenistan,
Iraq and other countries in it, General Director of ArmRosgasprom said.

Among most important conditions for Armenia to be transformed to an
energy "base" of the region Karapetyan mentioned further liberalization
of foreign economic exchange, broader access to innovations and
advanced technical standards and methods of state and corporate
management in economy and real transfer to a new-quality export policy.

The conference on informational wars was held on the 90th anniversary
of Armenpress news agency.

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA APPOINTS TRUSTEES BOARD OF FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN OFFICE

ARKA
Dec 18, 2008

YEREVAN, December 18. /ARKA/. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
appointed members of Trustees Board of Fund "Office of Ombudsman of
Financial System".

The CBA Press Service reported that the appointed members are:
Chairman of the Union of Banks of Armenia Emil Soghomonyan, Executive
Director of "Protection of Consumer Rights" public organization Abgar
Yeghoyan, Director of "Association of Insurance Market Participants"
Paylak Ghukasyan, Dean of Financial Department of the State Economics
University Ashot Salnazaryan, Head of Department for Protection of
Consumer Rights of the CBA Armenuhi Lazarian.

Earlier, the government appointed two other members of Trustees
Board of "Office of Ombudsman of Financial System" – Chairman of
State Revenues Committee Artak Shaboyan and member of CBA Council
Grigor Konjeyan.

BANK VTB (ARMENIA) OFFERING 2 NEW TIME DEPOSITS ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

ARKA
Dec 18, 2008

YEREVAN, December 18. /ARKA/. On New Year’s Eve, Bank VTB (Armenia)
is introducing two new time deposits for the population – VTB-New
Year and VTB-Ruble.

Needs and suggestions of depositors were maximally considered in
developing the new deposit terms, reports the Press Service of Bank
VTB (Armenia) closed joint stock company.

According to the report, VTB-New Year deposit is accepted from citizens
(residents and non-residents) in Armenian Drams and U.S. Dollars
(minimum initial deposit is 9,000Drams for Dram deposits and $90
for USD deposits) by February 29 2009, for a period from 90 to 270
days. Bearing in mind the upcoming holiday expenditures, interest
can be paid in the beginning of the period (9% p.a.) or in the
end of the period (9.5% p.a.) as requested by depositor. No limits
for replenishment and no taking are envisaged for the VTB-New Year
deposit. Interest on cumulative part of the deposit will be paid at
the end of the period.

Time deposit VTB-Ruble is accepted in Russian Rubles only for a
period from 90 days to a year, with minimum initial deposit of 30,000
Rubles that can be replenished and at an interest rate of up to 7.5%
p.a. Interest is paid to depositors every month or at the end of the
agreement period.

Upon request VTB-VISA payment card can be issued to depositors under
the following conditions: free issue, free servicing throughout the
card validity period, free encashment of interest paid to the card
account and no requirement on card account balance, says the report.

VTB-New Year and VTB-Ruble deposits are insured in the order and for
the amount set by the RA law on guarantee and compensation for bank
deposits of individuals.

Bank VTB (Armenia) (Armsavingsbank before June 20 2006) joined the
VTB Group in April 2004. Currently the bank VTB is the full owner of
Bank VTB (Armenia) closed joint stock company.

The share capital of the bank was 13.9bln Drams, owned capital 23.2bln
Drams as of 1 November, the bank’s assets 98bln Drams, credit portfolio
74.7bln Drams and total liabilities 74.8bln Drams. Net profit of the
bank totaled over 2.4bln Drams in January-September 2008.

According to the information of ARKA Agency, as of the end of Q3 Bank
VTB (Armenia) was the second among Armenian banks in terms of total
capital, credit investments; it ranked the third in terms of share
capital. The bank had the fourth largest assets, liabilities and
profit gained in January-September 2008. ($1=308.34 Drams).

TWO MULTI-APARTMENT BLOCKS PUT IN COMMISSION IN PRESIDENT’S PRESENCE IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Dec 18, 2008

YEREVAN, December 18. /ARKA/. Two multi-apartment blocks have
been commissioned for residents of houses with high accident rate
(4-degree) in Yerevan Wednesday, in the presence of Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan.

The blocks have 50 apartments each, Head of Yerevan Municipality
Administration Grigor Melkumyan told journalists.

Property certificates will be given to 48 facilities relocated from the
houses of Margaryan street. The remaining apartments will be given to
dwellers of accident-prone houses at Shinararneri and Briusov streets
and Baghramyan Blind Alley 1, Melkumyan said.

Construction of the blocks lasted less than a year and was financed
from the state budget.

Total construction cost was 1.5bln Drams.

Under the municipality program on relocation of residents from
houses with high accident rate, the next are the dwellers of a hostel
in Yerevan.

Dwellers of another two hostels will get apartments in 2009 and 2010,
Melkumyan said.

FINANCE MINISTRY: ARMENIA MANAGES TO SKIRT GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

ARKA
Dec 18, 2008

YEREVAN, December 18. /ARKA/. Armenia managed to prevent negative
effects from outside due to low integration and loose ties with
the world financial centers, Armenian Deputy Minister of Finance
Vardan Aramyan said at "Novosti" International Press Center during
Moscow-Yerevan-Kiev-Kishinev video-bridge on social responsibility
of states under the crisis circumstances.

No steep fluctuations in interest rates and problems with monetary
basis and liquidity have been recorded on the country’s financial
market, Aramyan said.

"Yet, we should be concerned over how events will be developing on
the world markets and what impact it may have on our economy," the
Deputy Minister said.

He pointed to possible signals of negative effects. One of these
signals is fall in prices for raw materials that may affect exports,
particularly in the field of metallurgy.

According to Aramyan, reduction in private transfers and slowdown of
the global economy is among other channels of possible negative impact.

If demand for products and services goes down, it will affect export
of Armenian goods and services, he said.

Reduction in inflow of direct investments due to the financial crisis
is another risk, Aramyan said.

According to him, total negative outcome depends on how events will
be developing in world markets, on the Russian and the U.S. market
s in particular.

Russian economy is of strategic importance to Armenia as about 80%
of private remittances are sent from the Russian Federation, the
Deputy Minister said.

"Signs of the world financial crisis are there, but we have to think
how to battle the negative effects further on," Aramyan said. N.V.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE GARNI-GEGHARD TOURIST ROUTE

ARKA
Dec 18, 2008

OSHAKAN, December 18. /ARKA/. Armenian Government approved the list
of measures for improvement of Garni-Geghard tourism route.

The Government assigned the country’s Ministry of Finance Tigran
Davtyan to provide suggestions in relation to appropriation of 29mln
Drams to Kotayk regional administration for disposal of garbage from
the route area.

Armenian Deputy Minister of Economy Mushegh Tumanyan reported
that under the government decision 11 measures are to be taken in
this respect, particularly annual repair of rockslide sections of
Yerevan-Garni-Geghard motor road, regular garbage disposal from the
road and improvement of areas adjoining the historical monuments of
Garni and Geghard.

Implementation of this program is to bring the tourist route into line
with the international standards, Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsyan
said. He also added that similar programs will be implemented in
other regions of Armenia, particularly in Siunik.

Number of tourists who visited Armenia in January-September this year
grew by 8.5% to 402,200 people against 370,700 in the same period
of 2007. ($1=308.34Drams).