Month: July 2009

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VERSION OF LOUVRE ONLINE DATABASE AVAILABLE ON MUSEUM WEBSITE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.07.2009 19:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Not being in France and not being able to read French
are no longer good excuses for not immersing in the collection of the
Louvre. The museum announced that it will make an English-language
version of its online database available on its Web site, louvre.fr,
starting Thursday.

The announcement was made in a news release by the group American
Friends of the Louvre, which provided a $380,000 grant for the
database. The database, called Atlas, will provide information on
22,000 works of art from the Louvre, as well as high-resolution
images and the locations of works and galleries within the
museum. That represents about 80 percent of the works available on the
French-language version of Atlas, which catalogs 26,000 of the 35,000
works on permanent display at the Louvre, The New York Times reported.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA’S GOVERNMENT TO FINANCE "SERVICE FOR INTRODUCING E-GOVERNANCE"

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.07.2009 19:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Government of Armenia, following its decision on
the opening of the open joint stock company Service for introducing
e-governance", allocated funds in the framework of the Information
Technology support program for 2009.

TWO GRADUATES OF MILITARY INSTITUTE AFTER V.SARKISYAN AWARDED GOLD MEDALS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.07.2009 20:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today graduates of the Military Institute after
V.Sarkisyan were awarded gold medals for excellent training and
service for the first time during the history of the institution.

According to the colonel Michael Karapetyan, the head of the personnel
department of the RA Ministry of Defense, these graduates will be
given the opportunity to choose a place of further service, while
locations for other officers will be determined by drawing lots.

RUSSIAN PM PUTIN TO VISIT TURKEY NEXT WEEK

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.07.2009 20:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit
Turkey next week upon an invitation by his Turkish counterpart Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.

Putin will arrive in Turkey on August 6 on a working trip, RF
Government official website reported.

Putin and Turkish officials will discuss issues of energy, problems
experienced by Turkish truck drivers at Russian customs points, the
construction of the first nuclear power plant in Turkey, bilateral
relations as well as regional cooperation, AA reported.

SUPREME COMMANDER IN CHIEF PAYS VISIT TO RA DEFENSE MINISTRY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.07.2009 20:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA President Serzh Sargsyan paid a working visit
to the RA defense ministry on the occasion of 15th anniversary of
establishing the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan, President’s
press office reports.

The President was presented reports on various aspects of the defense
field and gave relevant instructions.

DRAWING DETERMINES PLACES OF SERVICE FOR YOUNG OFFICERS OF ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.07.2009 20:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A lot was organized today at the Military Institute
after Vazgen Sargsian in Yerevan, which identified the location
for future service for this year graduates of military educational
institutions of Armenia.

According to the colonel Michael Karapetyan, the head of the personnel
department of the RA Ministry of Defense, 236 students have graduated
the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsian this year, three graduates
due to illness could not attend the drawing of lots and their parents
replace them in this process.

Mikael Karapetyan also informed that in accordance to the decree
number 531 of Defense Minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan, officers
graduated with gold medals and honors, as well as sons of dead warriors
liberators, will be given the opportunity to choose a place of further
service, while locations for other officers will be determined by
drawing lots. This year 12 officers, two of them are sons of dead
warriors liberators, 10 graduated with honors, including the two with
gold medals are selected.

RA GOVERNMENT DISCUSS COMPULSORY COMPUTER EDUCATION

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.07.2009 21:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Minister of education and science of Armenia
Armen Ashotyan informed the RA government sitting, that under the
law "On education" a procedure of full-time, distance education is
developed. The draft will be ready in September, and after discussions
with interested stakeholders it will be submitted to the Government
of Armenia.

A program for compulsory computer literacy in schools was submitted
for the discussion. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan instructed the
Minister of Education and Science to develop a procedure to introduce
compulsory classes of computer study.

WB APPROVES $30 MILLION IRRIGATION REHABILITATION PROJECT IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.07.2009 15:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today
approved the Irrigation Rehabilitation Emergency Project (IREP) for
Armenia in the amount of US$30 million, Aristomene Varudakis, head
of the WB-Armenia office, told journalists today. The project will be
financed through a loan from the International Bank of Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD).

The IBRD Flexible Loan has 27 years of maturity with 5 years grace
period. Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993,
commitments to Armenia total approximately US$1,277 million.

The Project supports two objectives: improving water use efficiency
in two selected irrigation schemes in Armavir and Talin regions;
and fostering rural employment. These are to be achieved by civil
works to rehabilitate irrigation canals which will reduce water
losses, and strengthening the institutions managing the irrigation
infrastructure. The IREP strongly build upon previous projects in
this sector, through World Bank and other donor financed – projects.

The Project will provide funds for the rehabilitation of almost
84 km of the main canals in Armavir and Talin regions, that will
reduce losses by up to 70 thousand cubic meters of water and will
help bring irrigation back to about 7,300 ha of land. By the time the
Project is completed, around 39,000 water users will directly benefit
from the rehabilitation works. The beneficiaries are spread over 73
communities. The Project will contribute to the creation of almost
9,000 person months of employment. While this will be temporary in
nature, it will have a considerable impact on mitigating the effects
of the economic downturn on underemployed farmers and return migrants
in the regions where the construction activities will take place.

YEREVAN CAN TELL ANKARA’S IMITATIONAL STEPS FROM REAL PROCESS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.07.2009 15:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia and Turkey are in the situation which should
reach its logical termination within 2 months, Head of Eurointegration
social organization Karen Bekaryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

"The statement made by RA President Serzh Sargsyan at a joint news
conference with Serbian President in Yerevan, showed Armenia has
firmly described its position on Armenian-Turkish relations and can
tell Ankara’s imitational steps from real process," Armenian expert
emphasized.

In this context, Karen Bekaryan reminded about recent statement of
Turkey’s Minister for EU affairs and chief negotiator Egemen Bagis
on their readiness to mount a cross on dome of the church on Akhtamar
Island.

"This step will surely further Armenian-Turkish dialoged. Still,
I believe, Turkish diplomacy of mixing the background with real
actions will continue long enough," Karen Bekaryan noted.

Analyzing yesterday’s statement of RA President on Armenian-Turkish
negotiation process, the expert noted that presidential statements
confirmed the following: much as Yerevan welcomes Ankara’s steps,
Turkish part will not manage to replace agreements reached by
imitational background.

RA GOVERNMENT CONDUCTS CORRECT POLICY TO COVER 2009-2010 BUDGET DEFICIT

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.07.2009 15:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Money resources, mobilized by RA Government to
overcome financial crisis consequences, are enough to cover 2009 state
budget deficit, WB Armenia country Manager Aristomene Varoudakis
told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. "They will also allow financing of
2010 state budget deficit," he added.

According to him, to make further forecasts next year’s economic
growth should be taken into account.

According to RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan’s earlier statement,
currently Armenia has the following financing agreements: with IMF
for $620 million crediting (3-4 years), WB – $540 million (4 years),
Russia – $500 million and Asian Development Bank – around $500 million.

As of March 31, 2009, Armenia’s national debt comprises AMD 754 billion
against AMD 563,5 billion (March 31, 2008 estimates). RA’s external
debt comprises $1778,8 million (AMD 657,9 billion), increasing by 15,3%
or $237,1 million, compared with last year’s data.