Month: June 2009

SERZH SARGSYAN LEAVES FOR ST PETERSBURG ON TWO-DAY WORKING VISIT ON JUNE 4

Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NAYAN TAPAN. On June 4, RA President Serzh Sargsyan
leaves for Saint Petersburg on a two-day working visit to take part
in the work of Petersburg 13th International Economic Forum.

Within the framework of the forum S. Sargsyan will meet the President
of RF Dmitry Medvedev.

According to RA President’s Press Office, a meeting between Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan is also scheduled in Saint Petersburg.

IF ANC RENOUNCES YEREVAN ELDERS MANDATES, COUNCIL OF ELDERS TO WORK WITH INCOMPLETE STAFF IN COMING 4 YEARS

Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. If the Armenian National Congress (ANC)
does not accept the preliminary results of the May 31 Yerevan Council
of Elders elections and renounces its mandates, the Council of Elders
will work with an incomplete staff in the coming 4 years.

As David Haroutiunian, a RPA member, the Chairman of the RA NA
Standing Committee on State and Legal Issues, explained in response
to journalists’ questions, if all candidates of elders included in
ANC’s list individually renounce their mandates, their mandates will
be vacant until the end of the powers of this council of elders.

It should be mentioned that according to the preliminary results of
elections, according to unofficial calculations, the Republican Party
of Armenia will have 35 mandates, Bargavach Hayastan 17 mandates,
ANC 13 mandates. If ANC renounces its mandates, the first Yerevan
Council of Elders will consist of 52 members instead of the planned 65.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ALEXANDER ISKANDARIAN: TURKEY, ON THE ONE HAND, NEEDS TO IMPROVE ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, NOT TO DAMAGE CONTACTS WITH AZERBAIJAN

Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. An Armenian-Turkish closed conference of
political scientists and journalists dedicated to the two countries’
relations was held on between May 26 to 27 in Istanbul. Conference
participants, political scientists Alexander Iskandarian and Karen
Bekarian reported at the June 2 press conference.

A. Iskandarian, in particular, said that he cannot mention names,
as the event was closed, but he will convey the general position of
the Turks.

According to him, the Turkish political thought is divided into two
parts. A group of intellectuals consider that they should establish
relations with Armenia without preconditions and the other group is
convinced that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be solved parallel
with the normalization of relations.

In response to the question of whether Turkey is sincere in its
strivings or it is making an imitation, A. Iskandarian said that
in general politics is a succession of imitations, game, dual
standards. "As to Turkey, one the one hand, it needs to improve its
relations with Armenia and, on the other hand, the Turks will not
want to damage their relations with Azerbaijan," he said.

K. Bekarian, in his turn, said that not only the U.S., but also the
European Union is interested in establishment of Armenian-Turkish
contacts, and Russia strives for not hindering establishment of
relations. According to him, it is not important how much Turkey is
sincere, as any state has its interest, and one should not look for
justice, loyalty to principles or sincerety in politics. K. Bekarian
added that if Turkey is making an imitation, it will bear
responsibility for it one day.

RA APPEAL COURT KEEPS UNCHANGED SENTENCE ON CASE OF SARGIS HATSPANIAN

Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Appeal Court presided by Mher
Arghamanian, by the June 2 judgement kept unchanged the sentence of
Yerevan Kentron and Nork-Marash communities’ first instance court on
the case of citizen of France Sargis Hatspanian.

It should be mentioned that S. Hatspanian was found guilty of false
denunciation and was sentenced to 3.5 years’ imprisonment. The ground
of the charge was the interview under the title "An attempt upon
Serzh Sargsyan’s life?" published in Haykakan Zhamanak daily’s 2008
November 4 issue, in which S. Hatspanian referring to news heard from
his friend mentioned that "an attempt upon S. Sargsyan’s life will
be made very soon."

Lawyer Hovik Arsenian in his complaint presented to the Appeal
Court mentioned that the sentence is groundless, there is no corpus
delicti envisaged by the article, therefore he petitions to reverse
the judgement and to make a judicial act on aquittal. The other lawyer
Robert Revazian in his complaint mentioned that there is corpus delicti
of false denunciation when a person applies to a state body or power
bodies empowered to file a criminal case. The lawyer emphasized that
the article cannot be considered as false denunciation, as it is only
an opinion, a supposition.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by R. Revazian, the defence
party is going to appeal against the sentence at the Cassation Court.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

2.6M DOLLARS RAISED AT ANCA TELETHON

Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009

LOS ANGELES, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The results of the
ANCA Fund’s Endowment Telethon surpassed the expectations. According
to the Asbarez daily, the American Armenians raised 2.6m USD during
the program broadcast for six hours in the territory of the U.S.

HAYASTAN ALL ARMENIAN FUND CONGRATULATES VAHAKN DADRIAN AND WOLFGANG GUST, AMONG WINNERS OF PRESIDENT PRIZE

Noyan Tapan
June 1, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Hayastan All
Armenian Fund congratulates all winners of the 2008 President Prize,
including intellectuals Vahakn Dadrian and Wolfgang Gust, who were
awarded the prestigious prize for their valuable contributions to
the study of Mets Yeghern as well as efforts to secure worldwide
recognition for the first genocide of the 20th century. It was
mentioned in the Fund’s report.

Gust received the President Prize for his groundbreaking research of
German state archives pertaining to the 1915 Genocide. His landmark
2005 study, The Armenian Genocide During the First World War: Documents
from German State Archives, reveals the deep-rooted relations between
imperial Germany and the Ottoman Empire during the first part of the
20th century, particularly as documented in the secret correspondence
of the German consul and ambassador in Istanbul with the Turkish
government.

Gust’s 675-page volume includes 218 secret and top-secret telegrams,
letters, and communiques, most of which have never been published
previously.

A renowned journalist and scholar, Gust has long been dedicated to
the study of the Genocide. An Armenian translation of his first work
related to the subject, 1993’s The Armenian Genocide: The Tragedy of
the Oldest Christian Nation, was published in Armenia in 20 02. In
recognition of Gust’s achievement, His Holiness Garegin II, Catholicos
of All Armenians, bestowed on him the St. Sahak and St. Mashtots
medal in 2001.

Professor Vahakn Dadrian, who has devoted his entire career to the
study of the Genocide, received the President Prize not only for his
past achievements but ongoing research within his field. Currently
serving as Director of Genocide Research at the Zoryan Institute in
Arlington, Massachusetts, Dadrian is the author of numerous pioneering
studies on the Genocide, German complicity, Turkish denial, parallels
between the Genocide and the Holocaust, and related topics.

The President Prize’s special category, Valuable Contribution to
the Recognition of the Genocide, was instituted in 2005. The prize
for the category includes a certificate of achievement, a medal, and
a monetary award in the amount of ,000. To date, nine scholars and
public figures, including four Armenians, have received the President
Prize in this category.

Established in 2000 by the Boghossian Foundation, the President
Prize promotes excellence in the Armenian arts, sciences, and
Genocide-recognition efforts. It also includes the President Youth
Prize, which awards young talents in various fields. Administered by
the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, the juried annual prize is bestowed
on recipients by the President of the Republic of Armenia, during
a rewards ceremony held at the presidential residence. T his year
the prize was awarded to 21 individuals, for achievements in one of
nine categories.

ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF FINANCE NOT PLANNING ADDITIONAL ISSUE OF GOVERNMENT SECURITIES

Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. Armenian Ministry of Finance is not planning
an additional issue of government securities, Armenian Minister of
Finance Tigran Davtyan said at the special parliament session Tuesday.

The Ministry is trying to keep the rate within reasonable and low
range, Davtyan said.

According to the preliminary information of the Ministry of Finance,
mid-term government coupon bonds with partial redemptions constituted
35.9% (34.5bln Drams) of the state internal debt in January-March this
year; long-term government coupon bonds were 23.7bln Drams (24.7%).

The share of short-term government coupon bonds in the state
internal debt was 28.45% (27.3bln Drams); savings bonds were 0.3%
(257.7mln Drams).

Average yield on bonds was 9.9702% in the first
quarter. ($1=369.93Drams).

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT RAISES STATE BUDGET DEFICIT LIMIT FROM 5% TO 7.5%

Noyan Tapan
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. Armenian parliament passed amendments to
the country’s law about budgetary system at its special session
Tuesday. The amendments envisage increasing the allowable limit of
state budget deficit from the current 5% to 7.5%.

Deficit to GDP relation is brought up to 7.5% due to finance budget
deficit and mitigate the global crisis effects.

The global financial and economic crisis had negative impact on
formation of income part and creates difficulties in implementing
the annual program, Davtyan said. In this respect he pointed out the
necessity to attract considerable additional borrowings. Armenian
Government is now actively negotiating over this, the Minister said.

Raising the limit will five the government flexibility in attracting
additional funds to meet on-budget expenditures and implement
the planned programs while promoting economic development, Davtyan
said. The new limit does not mean that this level must be reached by
the end of 2009.

"In the last years Armenian state budget deficit was not exceeding
3% against the planned 5% level, yet we have concerns that the 5%
limit will be exceeded due to the crisis, but we expect certain
improvement as early as in 2010," Davtyan said adding that if the
economic situation is improved deficit to GDP relation may be again
reviewed downward.

The 2.5pct increa se in deficit level mean raising the deficit by
70bln Drams only, as 1% deficit in relation to GDP is almost 31bln
Drams, the Minister said.

The decision on increase of the deficit points to availability of
financial sources. In particular, an additional of 300bln Drams or
about $100mln was attracted from four foreign sources, he said.

Davtyan also said that the increased deficit will have no effect
on the external debt that is about 13% today with maximum allowable
limit being up to 50%.

Chairman of the parliament commission for financial, credit and
budgetary issues, member of the Republican Party of Armenia Gagik
Minasyan said that the raising of the deficit will allow intensifying
the economy and help bring close the end of the crisis.

Members of the opposition "Heritage" parliament group considered
it unworthy to increase the deficit and advised to strengthen
administrative measures to ensure budget receipts.

Armenian state budget deficit (without funds from target programs
financed by international organizations and foreign countries) amounted
to 21.7bln Drams in January-April 2009 – 44.4% of the planned deficit
level for the first quarter.

State budget receipts were over 195.4bln Drams in Armenia in the
reporting period – a reduction of 9.9% or 21.5bln Drams as compared
with the same period of 2008.

On-budget expenditures totaled 217.2bln Drams in January-April – an
increase of 5.6% or 11.6bln Drams against the same period of last year.

According to Armenian state budget, total income was planned at 905bln
Drams, expenditures – at 945bln Drams and deficit at 40bln Drams.

($1=369.93Drams).

ARMENIA’S PUBLIC SERVICES REGULATOR APPROVES ENA’S 65.5 BILLION DRAMS WORTH INVESTMENT PROGRAM

ARKA
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory
Commission (PSRC) approved today ENA’s (Electric Networks of Armenia)
2009-2011 investment program worth 65.5bln drams (without VAT).

This year, the company plans to invest some 34.8bln drams, said Yuri
Gavrilenko, head of the ENA investment programs department. "The
investments aim at enhancing services, particularly reducing power
cutoffs and voltage errors," Gavrilenko was quoted as saying.

Analyzing the 2008 program execution, ENA found out that actual
investments were by 70% lower than expected due to the global financial
recession and the Russian-Georgian conflict."Almost all unrealized
investments are included in the 2009-2011 program," Gavrilenko added.

He pointed out that ENA would invest 13.5bln drams for eliminating
power cutoffs in Armenia in three years, with this year’s investments
totaling 5.9bln drams. To eliminate voltage errors, the company will
spend some 3.5bln drams (1.2bln drams in 2009). Three-year allocations
for expansion of subscribers’ network will amount to 11.5bln drams
(2.6bln drams in 2009). Some 18.9bln drams will be earmarked for
special projects (17.7bln drams in 2009).

Some 10.3bln drams will be allocated for revisions to the commercial
accounting system (3.5bln drams in 2009). Three-year investments in20
operation safety and re-equipment will total 2.3bln (1.1bln in 2009).

In his turn, PSRC Chairman Robert Nazaryan said ENA had improved its
mid-term investment program.

Subsidiary of Russia’s electricity trader INTER RAO UES (owned by
Russia’s atomic energy agency Rosatom since April 2008), ENA owns
220 kW-110,000 kW electric networks in Armenia and is the country’s
exclusive electricity distributor. ENA has 935,000 subscribers. ($1 –
369.93 drams).

9.7% DECREASE IN GDP IN ARMENIA IN JAN-APR 2009

ARKA
June 3, 2009

YEREVAN, June 3. /ARKA/. A decrease of 9.7% in gross domestic product
(GDP) was recorded in Armenia this January-April as compared with
corresponding period last year. The CIS Statistical Committee reported
an average decrease of 9% in GDP in the CIS this January-April as
compared with the corresponding period last year.

During the period under review, the macroeconomic situation worsened
in three of the CIS member-countries, and improved in four of them.

The largest GDP growth was recorded in Azerbaijan (4.3%), followed
by Tajikistan (2.9%), Belarus (1.2%) and Kyrgyzstan (0.5%). On the
other hand, a decrease of 5.1% in GDP was recorded in Kazakhstan
(in basic economic activities), and a decreased of 9.8% in Russia.

In the 1st quarter this year, Uzbekistan recorded 7.9% GDP growth as
compared with the corresponding period last year. Georgia recorded 2.1%
GDP growth last year as compared with 2007.

Turkmenistan and Ukraine did not provide any information.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress