Month: November 2009

ARMENIA TO PAY $180 PER ONE THOUSAND CUBIC METERS OF NATURAL GAS

/ARKA/
November 19, 2009
YEREVAN

Armenian energy and mineral resources minister Armen Movsisyan said
today Russia’s Gazprom is set to decrease the price it charges for
gas supplied to Armenia. He said the price for Armenia will be $180
as of April 2010, down from the originally planned $200.

The price of Russian gas for Armenia rose from $110 to $154 per
one thousand cubic meters in April and was expected to rise to
$200. The new price for Armenia, VAT not included, will be $169.5,
the minister said.

The minister said negotiations with Gazprom had been over. He also
brushed aside reports in some Russian newspapers claiming that Russia
reduced the price in return for being granted the right to build a
new reactor for

Armenian nuclear power plant. According to the minister, these reports
have nothing to do with gas price.

Gazprom is the main supplier of gas to Armenian. It holds 80% in the
joint Russian-Armenian ArmRosGazprom venture, Armenia’s national gas
operator, the 20% are held by the Armenian government.

Armenia plans to build a new nuclear power plant to replace its
aging Metsamor plant. The new plant is supposed to operate at twice
the capacity of the older, Soviet-constructed facility, which is 30
kilometers west of the capital, Yerevan. Metsamor currently generates
some 40 percent of Armenia’s electricity.

The Armenian government has yet to attract funding for the project
that is estimated to cost as much as $5 billion.

‘WORST EVER’, SAYS GIVENS, AS IRELAND U21’S SLUMP TO BOTTOM

Irish Examiner
November 18, 2009 Wednesday
Ireland

Don Givens’s youngsters have yet to win a game in their UEFA
Championship qualifying group and the manager admitted he could not
think of a worse result than this in his 10-year reign.

Unheralded Armenia had just one point in the group before this
fixture. Largely thanks to a hat-trick by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, they
sent Ireland to the bottom of Group Two.

Missing several key players, including Owen Garvan, Sean Scannell,
Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy, Ireland now have no wins in
six games.

"Disappointing doesn’t put into words how I feel about that
performance. It was unbelievably poor," said Givens.

"It was by far the worst performance I can remember given the ranking
of the opposition.

"I’ll look at the DVD and see where it went wrong but it would do
the players good to look at it too because it was a horror show for a
lot of them. It’s a team game but they have to look at themselves now."

Mkhitaryan broke the deadlock on the half hour when he took a pass
from Hovhannes Goharyan then skipped past some tame challenges before
slotting past keeper Shane Redmond.

Redmond set up James Collins for a chance in the dying seconds of
the half with a long clearance but the Aston Villa striker fired
wildly over.

Metalurg Donetsk striker Mkhitaryan increased the home side’s lead
in the 61st minute. His one-two with Edgar Malakyan sent him through
to shoot past the exposed Irish keeper.

Cillian Sheridan gave Ireland hope four minutes later when he
outjumped keeper Edvard Hovhannisyan and headed home from a Seamus
Conneely cross.

BATE Borisov striker Goharyan finished the game off 10 minutes later
when he fired into the top corner following a swift counter-attack.

Mkhitaryan made it 4-1 from the penalty spot after Malakyan was taken
down by Oyebanjo in the 81st minute.

Bohemians striker Paddy Madden had a chance to put a dent in that
lead in injury-time but he shot over with just the keeper to beat.

ARMENIA: Hovhannisyan; Yedigaryan, Arakelyan, Yuspashyan, Hayrapetyan,
Manoyan, Voskanyan, Lazarian, Malakyan, Goharyan Mkhitaryan.

Subs: Khachatryan for Yedigaryan 73 mins; Ghazaryan for Voskanyan 76;
Badalyan for Goharyan 90.

IRELAND: Redmond; Oyebanjo, Morris, Dennehy, Hughton, Gleeson,
Conneely, Carey, O’Shea, Collins, Sheridan.

Subs: Clifford for Carey 46; Madden for Collins 66.

Referee: R Prihoda (Czech Republic).

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRIME MINISTER TO PARTICIPATE IN RECURRENT GATHERING OF CIS HEADS OF GOVERNMENTS IN YALTA

/ARKA/
November 19, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, November 19, /ARKA/. On November 20 Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan will leave for Yalta, Ukraine, for participating in
a recurrent gathering of Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS).

The government press office said the delegation headed by Tigran
Sargsyan comprises the Head of Staff of the Government of the Republic
of Armenia, David Sargsyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan,
Armenian Ambassador to Belarus Oleg Yesayan, Armenian Ambassador to
Ukraine Armen Khachatryan, other officials.

EFFICIENT INVESTMENT POLICY ALLOWED SCR TO INCREASE ITS TECHNICAL-ECONOMICAL INDICATORS

/ARKA/
November 19, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, November 19. /ARKA/. Indicators of CJSC "South-Caucasian
Railway" for 2008-2009 evidence about efficiency of investment policy.

As of October 1, 2009 capital repair of 10 electric locomotives B’Ð~10,
79 cargo wagons, 12 passengers’ wagons, 30 pair of wheels of electric
locomotives and 300 pair of wheels of cargo wagons was implemented.

During the same period 10 diesel locomotives ЧÐ~Э3 and 24 sections
of electric trains were obtained. As of October 1 repair of 10.2
km of route, replacement of ties – 82 000 items, transfer bars –
88 sets, repair of indicating transfer bars – 60 sets, repair of
crossing buildings – 18 sites, repair of passengers’ buildings,
platforms – 15 sites was implemented. Total volume of expenses of CJSC
"South-Caucasian Railway" investment program in 2008-2009 was 3 653.3
million rubles.

The result of investment activity is the increase of
technical-economical indicators of the road. It is expected that the
repair of roads in the sections Kaqavadzor-Hrazdan, Vardenis-Zod,
Shorzha- Vardenis, Tsovagyugh- Shorzha, Sevan- Tsovagyugh, Tsaghkunk-
Sevan, Hrazdan- Tsaghkunk will allow to increase the speed of the
trains from 25-40 km/hour to 30-45 km/hour. It is planned to repair the
buildings of locomotive depot of Gyumri and Yerevan till the end of
2009. Modernization of information system of ASQMT (automated system
of quick management of transportation), network of FOCL (fiber-optic
communication line) and repair of administrative and other bulldogs
is envisaged (2849.8 quadrate meters).

The main tasks of investment activity of CJSC "SCR" have two directions
– repair and improvement of infrastructure of railway of Armenia and
renovation of parks of passengers’. CJSC "South Caucasian Railway" is
100% affiliate of Open JSC "Russian Railway". CJSC "Armenian railway"
was transferred under concession management of CJSC "SCR" according
to Concession Agreement signed on February 13, 2008.

The terms of concession management is for 30 years with the right of
prolongation for another 10 years.

DEVASTATED GIVENS LAMENTS ARMENIAN ‘HORROR SHOW’

Irish Independent
November 18, 2009 Wednesday
Ireland

THE Republic of Ireland’s nightmare showing in the UEFA U-21
Championships qualifying series plunged to a new low after being
destroyed by Armenia in Yerevan yesterday.

Manager Don Givens has often come under criticism for his record
with this side but even he struggled to think of a worse result in
his 10-year reign than this loss.

"It was by far the worst performance I can remember given the ranking
of the opposition. It’s as poor as I’ve been involved with.

"I’ll look at the DVD and see where it went wrong but it would do
the players good to look at it too because it was a horror show for a
lot of them. It’s a team game but they have to look at themselves now."

The Irish boss was devastated after a heavy defeat by a side that had
previously not won a game. It leaves Ireland bottom of Group Two with
no wins in six games.

Metalurg Donetsk striker Henrikh Mkhitaryan was the home hero,
bagging a hat-trick, as Armenia ran riot against a depleted Irish side.

"Disappointing doesn’t put into words how I feel about that
performance. It was unbelievably poor," said the Irish boss afterwards.

"We knew going into the game we were down seven of the original squad
but I felt sure we had players who could step in and perform better
than that."

Cillian Sheridan headed wide from a decent Irish chance in the 23rd
minute before Mkhitaryan opened the scoring seven minutes later after
evading a number of Irish defenders before slotting home.

Mkhitaryan made it 2-0 in the 61st minute after a neat one-two.

Four minutes later Sheridan gave the Irish hope when he nodded home.

BATE Borisov striker Goharyan extended the home lead 10 minutes later
with a superb strike.

Mkhitaryan made it 4-1 from the penalty spot after Malakyan was taken
down by Oyebanjo in the 81st minute.

ARMENIA — Hovhannisyan; Yedigaryan (Khachatryan 73), Arakelyan,
Yuspashyan, Hayrapetyan, Manoyan, Voskanyan ( Ghazaryan 76), Lazarian,
Malakyan, Goharyan (Badalyan 90), Mkhitaryan.

IRELAND — Redmond; Oyebanjo, Morris, Dennehy, Hughton, Gleeson,
Conneely, Carey (Clifford 46), O’Shea, Collins (Madden 66), Sheridan.

IN ARMENIA INVALIDS WILL GET ORTHOPEDIC AID IN 2009-2010: ASSISTANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF ABOUT 900 MILLION DRAMS IS ENVISAGED

/ARKA/
November 19, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, November 19. /ARKA/. "In 2009-2010, about 900 million
drams will be provided for invalids of Armenia by the programs of
prosthesis-orthopedic assistance ", said Jemma Baghdasaryan, Deputy
Minister of Social Welfare of Armenia.

"For this purpose financial means are allocated from rehabilitation
accessories", she said. There are no significant changes in the
allocations of financial means for invalids in the budget of 2010 but
if we compare them with 2009 and 2010 years, the difference will be
not more than 2-3 million drams. Small reductions took place in some
programs but no single invalid who needs provision of services and
assistance in rehabilitation suffered.

"If the number of invalids receiving hearing aids was 120, this year
it is 20", she said. The process of providing wheelchairs is not
delayed due to the lack of budget means but the donor organizations
which implement co-funding of this program could not provide them
due to crisis. "We conducted re-distribution of financial means of
different programs in the frames of state budget and in a month people
will get their wheelchairs", said Baghdasaryan.

Provision of medical aid and service are planned in the frames of the
programs of Ministry of Health of Armenia. "The Ministry of Health of
Armenia envisage to allocate about 31 million drams by the programs
of service of invalids", said Baghdasaryan. In 2010 state budget
allocations for social protection of population will make more than
242.4 billion drams. Weighted average of social expenses in GDP makes
7.5% which exceeds the indicator defined in pre-electoral program
of the President of Armenia and government program by 6.2%. ($1 –
387.41 drams).

ARMENIA’S LARGEST TAX PAYERS REPORT 11.3% DECLINE IN SALES IN SEPTEMBER

/ARKA/
November 19, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, November 19, /ARKA/. According to a monthly study of Armenia’s
largest tax payers conducted by the State Revenue Committee, some
of them reported an 11.3% decline in sales in September 2009 from a
year before.

The companies which earned less from their sales are the Zangezour
Copper and Molybdenum Combine, Pure Metal Factory, Armenian-Canadian
Grand Tobacco venture, the Armenian Copper Program, Mikmetall, the
Armenian Molybdenum Production, the Yerevan Brandy Company and the
Agarak Copper and Molybdenum Plant, whose sales declined by 12.6
billion Drams.

The State Revenue Committee conducts monthly studies among 325 largest
companies to ensure unified tax conditions for all large companies
and improve tax and customs administration. ($1 – 387.41 Drams).

ARMENIANS PUT FOUR PAST IRISH

The Irish Times
November 18, 2009 Wednesday
Ireland

UNDER-21 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP/Armenia 4 Republic of Ireland 1: THE
REPUBLIC of Ireland Under-21 side slipped to the bottom of their Uefa
Championships qualifying group after this heavy defeat in Yerevan
yesterday. Don Givens’ side have yet to win a game in this campaign
after six attempts.

Armenia were the basement side in the group, but a hat-trick by Henrikh
Mkhitaryan helped them leap-frog an Ireland side missing key players
Owen Garvan, Seán Scannell and James McCarthy.

"It was by far the worst performance I can remember given the ranking
of the opposition. It’s as poor as I’ve been involved with," said
Givens.

Mkhitaryan first found the net on the half-hour after collecting a
pass from Hovhannes Goharyan before slotting home past goalkeeper
Shane Redmond.

The Metalurg Donetsk striker made it 2-0 in the 61st minute after a
one-two with Edgar Malakyan carved open the defence.

Cillian Sheridan gave Ireland hope four minutes later when he jumped
above goalkeeper Edvard Hovhannisyan and headed home Séamus Conneely’s
cross.

Bate Borisov striker Goharyan finished the game off 10 minutes later
after he fired into the top corner following a swift counterattack.

Mkhitaryan made it 4-1 from the penalty spot after Malakyan was taken
down by Oyebanjo in the 81st minute.

ARMENIA: Hovhannisyan; Yedigaryan (Khachatryan, 73 mins), Arakelyan,
Yuspashyan, Hayrapetyan, Manoyan, Voskanyan (Ghazaryan, 76 mins)
Lazarian, Malakyan, Goharyan (Badalyan, 90 mins), Mkhitaryan.

IRELAND: Redmond; Oyebanjo, Morris, Dennehy, Hughton, Gleeson,
Conneely, Carey (Clifford, 46 mins), O’Shea, Collins (Madden, 66
mins), Sheridan.

FACILITATION OF VISA PROVISION PROCEDURE AND ARMENIA-EU FREE TRADE TO BE IN BELGIAN AUTHORITIES’ LIMELIGHT

/ARKA/
November 19, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, November 19, /ARKA/. Armenian foreign ministry said Armenian
ambassador to Belgium and Netherlands, Avet Adonts and Patrick Deuel,
chairman of the lower chamber of the Belgium parliament, met the other
day to discuss facilitation of visa provision procedure to Armenian
citizens wishing to visit EU countries and free trade regime between
Armenia and EU.

Patrick Deuel was quoted as saying that these issues will be in Belgian
authorities’ limelight when the country will be holding the rotating
chairmanship of the EU.

The foreign ministry said Avet Adonts spoke also about what Armenia
is doing in terms of Eastern Partnership Program and emphasized the
importance of EU member countries support for beginning of talks on
free trade and facilitating visa provision procedure.

The two men were said to express their satisfaction over high-level
Armenian-Belgian interaction.

GIRO MANOYAN: ARMENIA SHOULD DECLARE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO RATIFY PROTOCOLS

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 19, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. In the opinion of Giro Manoyan,
the Head of the ARFD Armenian Cause Yerevan Office, no positive shift
will be recorded in the issue of ratification of Armenian-Turkish
protocols for some more months as the issue is not being discussed
at the Turkish parliament, neither the documents have been submitted
to the RA Constitutional Court.

In G. Manoyan’s affirmation, the policy carried on by Turkey in
the region prompts that Turkey will not move forward quickly in the
normalization process of Armenian-Turkish relations and will undertake
certain steps only on April 24.

In G. Manoyan’s opinion, Armenia had better instead of taking a
waiting position declare right now that it is not going to ratify the
protocols. Estimating the Armenian-Turkish relations in the period
after the signing of the protocols he said that there is no progress,
on the contrary, a regress was recorded as before the signing the
sides restrained themselves and now they have exact positions, and
the Turkish side constantly links the process of normalization of
relations with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
From: Baghdasarian