Month: November 2009

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY IS GOING TO COMMENT ON ITS OFFICIAL’S AMBIGUOUS STATEMENT CONCERNING ARMENIAN-TURKISH DIALOGUE

ArmInfo
2009-11-18 20:02:00

ArmInfo. During a briefing on Nov 17 official representative of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Andrey Nesterenko said
that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts might be on the agenda of the
Armenian-Turkish dialogue.

He said: "As far as I know, during their talks Yerevan and Ankara
discussed questions concerning Nagorno-Karabakh. It seems that this
problem is being considered in this process. Let’s hope that all
this will be resolved in line with the decisions of international
organizations and will meet the expectations of all the region’s
states."

In response to ArmInfo’s request to comment on Nesterenko’s words,
the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia said
that today they will publish a statement concerning the words of
their official representative.

Earlier, Russian officials said that the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement
and the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks are two different processes.

EDWARD NALBANDYAN: NO ISSUE FOR WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIAN TROOPS FROM SEVEN DISTRICTS SURROUNDING NAGORNO-KARABAKH IS BEING DISCUSSED WITH ARMENIA AND NKR

ArmInfo
2009-11-18 20:00:00

ArmInfo. No issue for withdrawal of Armenian troops from the seven
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh is being discussed with
Armenia and NKR, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said
while commenting on Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s statement that the
key topic of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks for the moment is the
withdrawal of Armenian troops from the seven districts surrounding
Nagorno-Karabakh.

He said that for the moment the parties are negotiating the status of
Nagorno-Karabakh. At first, Azerbaijan refused to accept the Madrid
principles but now it is negotiating on the basis of this document.

CONSIDERATION OF NON-ISSUE OF NUMBER CAPACITIES BY ARMENTEL TO VOIP OPERATORS POSTPONED FOR A MONTH

ArmInfo
2009-11-18 20:11:00

ArmInfo. The Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) hsa postponed
for a month the consideration of non-issue of number capacities by
ArmenTel company to VoIP providers (internet-telephony operators).

The relevant decision was taken in connection with ArmenTel
objections. According to the draft decisions, it was envisaged
on impose 20 mln AMD penalty on ArmenTel for non-issue of number
capacities to 5 operators – "Zangtelecom", "Cascade Telecom", "Unitel",
Hi-Tech Gateway, as well as to the private entrepreneur Hayk Baldryan.

ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS TO MEET IN MUNICH AT THE END OF THE CURRENT WEEK

ArmInfo
2009-11-18 19:58:00

ArmInfo. Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham
Aliyev will meet in Munich at the end of the current week, Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in parliament, Wednesday.

According to him, approximately an hour ago the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs were to come out with the relevant statement and confirm
the time of the meeting of the Armenian and Azeri presidents.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EDWARD NALBANDIAN: TURKEY CANNOT BECOME THE FOURTH CO-CHAIR OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP

ArmInfo
2009-11-18 20:07:00

ArmInfo. Turkey cannot become the fourth co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group, this is ruled out, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
said in parliament, Wednesday.

According to him, this is ruled out, first and foremost, because
Armenia and Karabakh should give their consent to this. "The OSCE
MG co-chairmen also said this for many times. This is out of the
question",- the minister said. As regards the Turkish party’s attempts
to connect normalization of the Armenian- Turkish relations with the
Karabakh peace process, Nalbandian said that Turkey may try to do this
but neither Armenia nor Karabakh nor the international community nor
the OSCE MG co-chairs will let Turkey do it.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NUMBER OF H1N1 CASES IN ARMENIA HAS GROWN

ArmInfo
2009-11-18 20:06:00

ArmInfo. The number of H1N1 cases in Armenia has grown.

The press service of the Ministry of Health Care of Armenia reports
that they have registered the 21st case. 12 people have already been
discharged from Nork infectious diseases hospital.

The first case in Armenia was registered Nov 10: it was a citizen of
Iran. The symptoms of the flu is high temperature, cough, sore throat,
runny nose, aching muscles, unusual tiredness, diarrhea or vomiting.

Swine flu has so far been registered in 199 countries. WHO reports
over 6,000 lethal cases.

MINISTRY OF FINANCE: IN 2010 SOCIAL EXPENSES WILL MAKE HALF OF THE BUDGET OF ARMENIA

ARKA
November 18, 2009
Yerevan

YEREVAN, November 18. /ARKA/. "In 2010 about half of the state
budget of Armenia will make social expenses", said Tigran Davtyan,
Minister of Finance of Armenia in the Parliament on Wednesday during
the discussion of draft state budget.

"In 2010 social expenses will make 45.7% of the state budget which
is unprecedented indicator. "It means that about half of the state
budget will be directed at social sphere – education, health and
social security", said Davtyan.

In 2010 expenses for education sphere will make 95 billion drams,
healthcare – 54.1 billion drams, social protection of population –
239.8 billion drams. In 2010 income of consolidated state budget of
Armenia will be 701.7 billion drams, expenses – 884.7 billion drams
with the deficit of 183 billion drams. In 2010 budgets of communities
will make 82.3 billion drams.

The size of the state budget without community budgets by income line
will make 676.6 billion drams, expenses – 859.6 billion drams with
the deficit of 183 billion drams. In 2010 the ratio of the deficit to
GDP will be 6% which is less than the indicator planned for 2009 up
to 7.5%. GDP growth for 2010 will be 1.2%, inflation – 41.5%. For the
next year import will increase by 0.8% and export by 14%. According
to the state budget of Armenia for 2009 approved by the Parliament on
November 27, 2008 the income of state budget will make 905.4 billion
drams, expenses – 945.4 billion drams with the deficit of 40 billion
drams. Tax entries and duties will make 727.5 billion drams.

IMPLEMENTATION OF CONCESSION LIABILITIES OF SOUTH-CAUCASIAN RAILWAY WILL MAKE 100.2% DURING 2008-2009

ARKA
November 18, 2009
Yerevan

YEREVAN, November 18. /ARKA/. "Total volume of expenses of investment
program of CJSC "South-Caucasian Railway" (SCR) will make 3 653.3
for the period of 2008-2009.

Implementation of liabilities according to Concession agreement for
the same period will be 100.2%", said Shevket Shaydullin, General
Director of SCR. The main tasks of the activity of the concessionaire
are exploitation of the system of railway in Armenia, as well as repair
and necessary improvements of concessive assets and rolling stock. SCR
is implementing investment program, the total volume of which is 14.5
billion rubles (by the rate 12 drams for 1 ruble) during 2008-2038.

"The concessionaire has performed its duties during mobilization period
till now. Exploitation of concession assets, repair and improvement
is being implemented.

All applications of consignors and consignees for transportation are
satisfied fully. Transportation of passengers is implemented according
to Concession agreement. We provide necessary information to the
authorized body", said Shaydullin. In 2008 priority of investment
activity of CJSC "SCR" was modernization of rolling stock park,
including the parks for the service of infrastructure. In 2009 the
main priority of SCR will be modernization of railway.

>From the beginning of its activity (June 1, 2008) the concessionaire is
obliged, according to the Concession agreement, to invest 1.9 billion
drams in infrastructure and rolling stock till the end of the third
quarter of 2009. In fact, expenses in the amount of 2.08 billion drams
were made for investment activity. For modernization of infrastructure
0.84 billion drams and for modernization of the parks of rolling stock
1.24 billion drams (together will railway equipment) was allocated.

As of 01.10.2009, by the results of investment activity for 2008-2009
actual funding made 3.3 billion drams, from which 1.7 billion drams
was allocated for the par of the rolling stock and 1.65 billion drams
for the repair and improvement of infrastructure. 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.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA’S 2010 STATE BUDGET TAX RECEIPTS MAY REACH AMD 568 BILLION

ARKA
November 18, 2009
Yerevan

YEREVAN, November 18. /ARKA/. Armenia’s revised 2010 state budget tax
receipts may reach AMD 568 billion, Armenian Finance Minister Tigran
Davtyan said Wednesday in National Assembly.

"Tax receipts were initially planned at AMD 533 billion in the
2010 state budget, but we intend to enlarge this indicator by AMD
17 billion."

The minister said that another 18 billion would be intended for the
return of overpaid VAT.

He said that the share of tax receipts in the 2010 state budget
revenue is big.

In particular, he said, the share of taxes in the 2010 state budget
GDP will be enlarged by AMD 17 billion to 16.6% against the 2009
budget’s 16.4%.

Davtyan said that official transfers from European Union, Germany
and other countries and organizations will total AMD 15 billion.

The 2010 state budget revenue is AMD 676.6 billion, expenditure AMD
859.6 billon and deficit AMD 183 billion.

One dollar is expected to cost AMD 376 in 2010.

THE COMPANY DENO GOLD MINING EXPRESSES ITS CONDOLENCES TO THE RELATIVES OF THEIR EMPLOYEE LOST IN THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT

ARKA
November 18, 2009
Yerevan

YEREVAN, November 18. /ARKA/. The company Deno Gold Mining expresses
its condolences to the relatives of their employee lost in the result
of an accident.

On November 14 an accident took place in Shahumyan subsoil and Ara
Poghosyan, employee of the company got injuries in its result. He was
taken to Kapan Medical Center where he died on November 16. Currently,
security officers of the company together with the representatives
of National Center of Technical Security are clarifying the reasons
of the accident.

The company Dundee Precious Metals is introduced in Armenia by Deno
Gold Mining Company which is functioning in Shahumyan subsoil and
copper-pyrite mine of Kapan ore-dressing and processing enterprise.