Month: November 2009

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT THANKS HUNGARY FOR FAIR DECISION ON THE CASE OF MURDER OF ARMENIAN OFFICER GOURGEN MARGARYAN

ArmInfo
2009-11-09 18:16:00

ArmInfo. In a joint statement with his Hungarian counterpart, Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan thanked the Hungarian party for the fair
decision on the case of murder of Armenian officer Gourgen Margaryan
in Budapest in 2004.

As ArmInfo correspondent reports from Budapest, the Armenian leader
said that time he was the defense minister of Armenia, and this
monstrous crime deeply shocked him. "I am sure that this crime shocked
not only me, but any normal man in the whole world",- Serzh Sargsyan
stressed and added that it is a tragedy that some people qualify such
atrocious crimes as heroic deeds. "I am sure that but for the specific
decision of Hungarian justice, such crimes would continue in other
countries as well",- the president said. To recall, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan is currently in Hungary on a three-day state visit.

On 19 Feb 2004, 26-year old lieutenant Gourgen Margaryan, who was
passing an English language training course at the National Defense
University of Hungary under a NATO program, was cruelly killed by
Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov. The Hungarian court sentenced the
Azerbaijani killer to life imprisonment without parole within the
next 30 years.

To recall, the National-Democratic Party of Azerbaijan acknowledged
Ramil Safarov the man of 2005. Safarov was also awarded the title of
an honorable member of the National-Democratic Party of Azerbaijan.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: TURKEY CANNOT BE A MEDIATOR IN KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS

ArmInfo
2009-11-09 18:15:00

ArmInfo. Not only Armenia, but also the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
countries pointed out that Turkey cannot be a co-chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Head of Media Relations Division of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry Tigran Balayan told ArmInfo correspondent when commenting
on Head of Turkish Delegation to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Aladdin
Buyukkaya’s statement that Armenia would not allegedly oppose Turkey’s
co-chairmanship in OSCE MG.

Tigran Balayan qualified this statement as marasmus. "Our stance
is unambiguous. Turkey cannot be a mediator in the Karabakh peace
process, therefore such statements are simply absurd and ridiculous",-
Balayan said.

Furthermore, commenting on the Turkish parliamentarian’s statement
that allegedly "Armenia has informally agreed to withdraw Azerbaijani
occupied territories", Balayan stressed: "Only the issue of the
Nagorno-Karabakh status is being discussed".

SITTING OF CIS STOCK MARKET STATE BODIES’ COUNCIL IS DUE IN TSAKHKADZOR

ArmInfo
2009-11-10 14:40:00

ArmInfo. The 10th sitting of the CIS Stock Market State Bodies’
Council started in Tsakhkadzor today.

As Armenian Central Bank’s press service told ArmInfo, Head of
Armenia’s CB, Chairman of the 10th sitting Artur Javadyan welcomed
participants in the sitting and said that this sitting is anniversary.

He emphasized that the Council aims at development of contacts among
the heads of state bodies and the specialists working in the sphere
of regulation of the CIS stock market, creation of conditions for free
experience and progressive ideas exchange in this sphere, elaboration
of proposals on improvement of the policy in the area of control of
participants in the stock market, assurance of observance of similar
principles during regulation, including formation of a standard-
legal base.

Along with it, the chief banker of Armenia briefly characterized
the current situation in the stock market of Armenia. According to
him, Armenia is implementing a pension reform, and it is scheduled
to transfer to the two-stage pension system started 2011. "In this
context, I would like to say that we treat its social role quite
seriously and do not overlook its great assisting role in the stock
market development". A. Javadyan emphasized that the Law of Armenia "On
Investment Funds" and the Law "On Accumulative Pensions", within the
frames of which the activity of the investment and pension funds will
be regulated, are at the development stage". "After a corresponding
legislative field is formed in Armenia, investment funds will appear
in Armenia’s financial market. We also hope that the sphere of life
insurance will also develop", Javadyan emphasized. So, he said,
after implementation of the reform, the financial market of Armenia
will turn out to be more attractive for its new participants.

In this context, a new opportunity is opened for the Republic to
enter the new world-scale financial markets, Javadyan said.

The CB Head said that in cooperation with NASDAQ OMX Armenia interim
tax privileges have been announced for IPO and listing of securities
for the issuers who are listed at the stock exchange. For emitters of
public shares profit tax is halved. These companies are exempted also
from VAT when receiving consulting, marketing and juridical services
to prepare for listing at the stock exchange. In future, he said,
state property will be privatized in Armenia via NASDAQ OMX Armenia.

He said that relevant measures are being taken. Thus, five state
companies will be reorganized into private companies within the
coming months.

A. Javadyan summed up all the aforementioned and highlighted that the
reforms in the capital market launched in 2007 will be continued next
year. Reforms suggest training of the market participants (emitters,
investors and professional participants), formation of institutional
investors (investment and pension funds), and development of
effective systems of information disclosure. A. Javadyan said mutually
advantageous decisions will be made also during the next meetings of
the Council to promote development of securities market in the CIS.

"We will achieve this goal by combined efforts," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NIKOLAY RYZHKOV IS SATISFIED WITH NEW SCHEMES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF RAILROADS IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-11-09 19:25:00

ArmInfo. The Russian co-chairman of the Armenian-Russian
inter-parliamentary committee, the member of the Russian Federaion
Council Nikolay Ryzhkov is satisfied with the new schemes for
development of railroads in Armenia.

While speaking at the committee’s meeting in Yerevan today, Ryzhkov
said that, when he came to Armenia after the Spitak earthquake in
1988, the railroads in the quake-stricken areas were "coiled into
springs." Today, the Armenian railroads are reviving. "Armenia is
actively developing its railways and, as person supervising railways
in the Federation Council, I am glad at this progress," Ryzhkov said.

He pointed out the contribution of South Caucasus Railways (subsidiary
of Russian Railways) and its director general Shevket Shaydullin to
the development of the Armenian railroads.

South Caucasus Railways is 100% subsidiary of Russian Railways and
has 30-year concession over Armenian railways.

LAKE SEVAN LEVEL TO BE RAISED UP TO 1905 METERS BY 2032

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.11.2009 21:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The level of Lake Sevan will be raised up to 1905
meters by 2032, said Vladimir Movsisyan, chairman of the committee
on Lake Sevan problems.

"According to the plan, the lake will be 1903.5 meters above sea
level against the current 1899.3 meters. With raising, the lake will
inundate 1697 constructions, 35 substations, 15 km of roads and 7 km
of water supply system," he said.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SIGNED BETWEEN VIVACELL-MTS AND EIGHT ARMENIAN UNIVERSITIES

ArmInfo
2009-11-10 13:10:00

ArmInfo. Top-performing university students from Yerevan and the
regions will obtain career development opportunities with Armenia’s
leading mobile operator VivaCell-MTS.

Thus,VivaCell-MTS, a subsidiary of Mobile TeleSystems OJSC, announces
that today at the Company’s Headquarters a Memorandum of Understanding
was signed between the Company, represented by its General Manager
Ralph Yirikian and eight Yerevan- and regional-based universities
of Armenia, represented by their respective Presidents. These higher
education institutions are: the European Regional Educational Academy,
Mkhitar Gosh Armenian- Russian International University, State
Engineering University, Yerevan State University, Leadership School,
Abovyan University after Orbeli, Humanitarian University of Hrazdan
and Vanevan University of Martuni. Earlier this year, on August 7,
similar agreements were signed with six other universities of Armenia.

The majority of universities represent marzes, and this is in line
with the Company’s mission to help universities of Armenian marzes
overcome the biggest challenge faced by every university of the
world: how to bridge the theoretical and the practical? How to
prepare tomorrow’s leaders in industry, business, civil society,
science and education. Given the lack of up-to-date information
technologies in education and insufficient capacity for practical
skill development namely in marzes, VivaCell-MTS provides universities
with opportunities for various career growth such as: thesis-related
internships for graduate students, specialized lectures delivered in
faculties by VivaCell-MTS experts, joint scientific research projects,
Master’s thesis research and curriculum development projects jointly
with faculties, as well as mentorship programs to graduate students
provided by Company specialists. Based on the joint agreements,
universities will in turn provide VivaCell-MTS with their high-
performing students. Selected students will have an opportunity to
obtain specialized internship in specific areas such as commercial law,
finance and accounting, marketing and sales, information technologies,
customer service, etc. In addition, students will receive a salary
to help them cover living expenses in Yerevan.

Thanks to this cooperation, in the long-term, this model of cooperation
with high educational institutions will help them develop their
professors’ and instructors’ skills and knowledge and develop curricula
embedded in and connected to the realities of professional practice.

Starting from May of this year, when hosted as a guest-speaker by some
of Armenia’s universities, VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian
had a series of meetings with students, graduates and faculties in the
regions of Armenia and Yerevan, to share with them on the Company’s
achievements and business management model. Excited about opportunity
for their students to start professional experience in VivaCell-MTS,
the educational institutions came up with the initiative to organize
professional internship of their students in the Company, in the
framework of their career-planning effort.

The nature of the cooperation between Armenian Universities
and VivaCell-MTS was summarized in the introductory statement
of VivaCell-MTS General Manager during the short press conference
following the signing ceremony: "Armenian high educational institutions
need support in terms of modern tools for quality contemporary
education. We as a company feel responsibility for filling this gap
between theory and practice. Doing so we achieve three goals: we get
young Armenian graduates educated and knowledgeable; we elevate spirit
of competition among young people who have to think about their future
today; and at the same time we prevent them from leaving the country
for a better future. The time will show how we have succeeded. However,
we believe that we are on the right path. Young Armenians deserve
having the same starting opportunities as the young people in other
countries."

ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO: WE NEVER UNITED AGAINST ANYONE

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.11.2009 12:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ It’s impossible to be distanced from definite
problems, including Transnistria, Crimea and Nagorno Karabakh,
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.

"I often discussed the Karabakh issue with the former and incumbent
presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia. I have never interfered with the
problems and nuances and we have never used this question in politics
or united against anyone. But it’s a painful matter for all of us,"
he told Trend News.

"This Gordian knot should be cut. And the most important factor is
that the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia should resolve the
problem by themselves, without any intermediaries, who can provoke
undertaking of commitments and impose opinion of third parties.

Resolution should first of all be based on the interests of people
living in Azerbaijan and Armenia. We support the peace process held
between presidents and nations," Mr. Lukashenko said.

ORANGE ARMENIA GIVES EXPLANATIONS CONCERNING ITS INTERNET TARIFFS

Arminfo
2009-11-09 18:38:00

ArmInfo. Orange Armenia has given explanations concerning the internet
tariffs published Nov 5.

The press service of the company reports that the Internet Now modem
for WF internet will be provided at symbolic 1 AMD price only against
1-year subscription. This contract implies no other expenses (35,000
AMD or anything else). If no 1-year contract is concluded, the modem
will be provided for 35,000 AMD but the subscriber will be able to
use it only inside the Orange network.

There are three tariffs for Internet Now: 9,000 AMD, 11,000 AMD and
20,000 AMD with respective traffic limits of 3, 6 and 15 Gb. When
the limit is exceeded, the subscriber can use internet at standard
128 Kbps speed. Orange Armenia also offers additional packages of 20,
50 and 100 free of charge SMS with the cost of more messages to be 15
AMD per SMS. If the limit is exceeded during the month, the subscriber
can use Once More service: as much internet as on the three initial
plans but for 6,000 AMD.

Orange Armenia started up on Nov 5. It is subsidiary of France Telecom
in Armenia.

ARMENIA, SWITZERLAND SIGN AGREEMENT ON ENTRY VISA ABOLITION FOR DIPLOMATS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.11.2009 12:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian paid a
working visit to Switzerland, where he met with his Swiss counterpart
Micheline Calmy-Rey to discuss bilateral cooperation and a number of
regional and international issues.

The Ministers agreed to hold ministerial consultations and strengthen
trade and industrial ties. They also signed an agreement on entry
visa abolition for diplomats.

‘SWINE FLU’ PENETRATES INTO ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-11-10 14:15:00

ArmInfo. Chief Infectiologist of Armenia Ara Asoyan told ArmInfo that
three cases of H1N1 have been registered in Armenia. All the cases
were confirmed after laboratory examination. One of the patients is
a citizen of Iran, who has already been discharged. The remaining
two patients are citizens of Armenia and are currently at hospital.

As of November 1 2009, "swine flu" killed 6.1 thousand people in
the world. A total of 482,000 people have got H1N1. The symptoms of
the new flu are high fever, cough, sore throat, cold or stuffiness
in nose, body aches, shiver, weakness, wasting, as well as diarrhea
and vomiting.