Month: November 2009

AMBASSADOR OF JAPAN HANDS COPY OF HIS CREDENTIALS TO RA FOREIGN MINISTER EDWARD NALBANDIAN

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

On November 2, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received newly
appointed Ambassador of Japan to RA Masaharu Kohno (residence
Moscow) on the occasion of handing the copy of Ambassador’s
credentials. Mentioning that Armenia attaches importance to development
of relations with Japan in various spheres E. Nalbandian expressed
the hope that Masaharu Kohno will make a considerable contribution
to strengthening of relations formed between the two countries and
promotion of bilateral cooperation in various spheres.

The Ambassador, in his turn, assured that he will do his utmost for
further development of bilateral relations.

According to the RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
during the meeting the interlocutors touched upon possibilities of
activization of political dialogue, promotion of trade and economic and
cultural cooperation and implementation of joint investment programs.

The interlocutors also exchanged thoughts over Armenian-Turkish
relations. At guest’s request E. Nalbandian presented the last
developments in the Nagorno Karabakh problem negotiations process.

ACCORDING TO HRAYR KARAPETIAN, SIGNING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS STRENGTHENED TURKS’ POSITIONS

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The signing of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols strengthened the positions of the Turks and gave them
a possibility to go further in the respect of bringing forward
preconditions. RA NA ARFD faction member Hrayr Karapetian expressed
such an opinion at a November 2 press conference. According to him, the
matters took such a turn that the Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister took
part in the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ meeting. As to the Armenian
Foreign Ministry, according to H. Karapetian, its policy in the issue
of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations is too passive. "Our
Foreign Minister classes any statement of the Turks as a statement of
"internal consumption" and keeps silence, while Turkey should receive
an adequate answer from Armenia," the ARFD figure mentioned.

H. Karapetian mentioned that all structures and departments of
Armenia are obliged to act in correspondence with RA National Security
Strategy’s provisions. And, according to him, those provisions exactly
establish that Armenia’s blockade by Turkey and Azerbaijan is use
of force. In that respect, according to H. Karapetian, all norms of
the international law give Armenia a right to raise a question on
recognizing the mentioned two countries as aggressors.

H. Karapetian also touched upon the bill placed on the agenda of
the NA four-day session last week which proposes adopting a new law
On Use of Transport Means for Defence Purpose. In his words, it is
envisaged by the bill that state and self-government bodies should
provide transport means to the army during peaceful and martial
law. According to H. Karapetian, that practice also existed in the
past and now the NA should just regulate it by the law.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ZHARANGUTIUN PROPOSES MARKING APRIL 24 ALSO AS CONDEMNATION DAY OF HOMELAND DEPRIVATION

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. RA National Assembly Zharangutiun
(Heritage) faction deputies on November 2 by the order established by
the NA Regulations sent a bill On Making an Amendment to the RA Law On
RA Holidays and Memory Days to NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamian. The bill
proposes restating Article 5 of the law, according to which April 24 is
marked as Commemoration Day of Genocide Victims. Zharangutiun proposes
marking that commemoration non-working day also as Condemnation Day
of Homeland Deprivation.

The motivation attached to Zharangutiun’s legislative initiative,
in particular, read:

"Genocide’s consequence was that the Armenians were deprived of
their homeland. The people slaughtered just on its native land was
deprived of its historic homeland. This fact is a common tragedy which
makes more complete the fact of the Genocide. We should perceive the
tragedy within that entity and appreciate the commemoration day in
that context. The adoption of that law will complete the real picture
of Genocide, will stipulate the condemnation of deprivation of its
native heirs of legal and historic rights for the Armenian lands.

The Genocide not only took away lives of 1.5 million innocent people
but also deprived millions of Armenians of their own homeland: it is
a murder of not only a people but also a culture, a whole way of life,
therefore that fact should be also recorded and mentioned. It will not
permit to raze this crime from our people’s collective memory, which
deprived the Armenian generations of their civilization, heritage,
and homeland.

It should be recorded that this problem is as actual on the political
agenda of the Republic of Armenia as never: not to renounce and to keep
the memory of Genocide victims, statehood’s dignity. The Republic of
Armenia should double the potential of stopping the denial going on for
centuries until the international community recognizes aforethought
deprivation of a whole people of its homeland. By adopting this
law the Republic of Armenia will again value the memory of Genocide
victims and the fact of homeland deprivation.

7 CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR NA DEPUTY BY-ELECTIONS AT YEREVAN ELECTORAL DISTRICT N 10

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Seven candidates were nominated
in the established term, until November 1, 18:00, for the NA deputy
by-elections by majority system at Yerevan electoral district N 10
to be held on January 10.

As NT correspondent was informed by district electoral commission
Chairwoman Silva Markosian, non-partisans, Haykakan Zhamanak
newspaper’s editor-in-chief Nikol Pashinian accused of organization
of the 2008 March events, former NA deputy, Chairman of the Union
of Political Scientists Hmayak Hovhannisian, former NA deputy and
former RA Minister of Transport and Communication Eduard Madatian,
Zhamants LTD’s Director Vladimir Kostanian, ARFD member, unemployed
Rafael Ayvazian were nominated by the self-nomination order. Head of
the National Unity Party legal department, NUP member Ara Simonian
and leader of the Marxist Party David Hakobian were nominated by
their parties’ decisions.

The deadline of introducing registration documents to the district
electoral commission is November 26. Candidates’ registration will
be done from December 1 to December 6.

It should be mentioned that the Armenian National Congress headed by
first RA President Levon Ter-Petrosian made a statement to support
the candidature of N. Pashinian being currently imprisoned.

To recap, the deputy powers of Khachatur Sukiasian elected in the
2007 parliamentary elections from electoral district N 10 were stopped
ahead of the schedule according to the application on resignation.

INDIAN ARMENIANS CELEBRATE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF ENTHRONEMENT OF HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II, CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS

NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
KOLKATA

KOLKATA, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On 1st November,
2009, the Indian Armenian community celebrated the 10th anniversary
of enthronement of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of all Armenians. The event was held on the premises of
the Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Kolkata. Very Rev. Father Khoren
Hovhannisyan, pastor of Indian Armenians and manager of the Armenian
College and Philanthropic Academy along with chairperson, Michael
Dutt and Susan Ruben and Sunil Sobti, wardens of Mother Church of
Holy Nazareth, Kolkata saw through all the arrangements of the day.

In the morning Fr. Khoren conducted the Divine Liturgy. "By visiting
India, His Holiness expressed his love for the Indian Armenians
and showed that every single Armenian even in the remotest part of
the world is important and dear to him. His Holiness brought love
and spiritual awakening to his flock in India. It is difficult to
express in words the greatness of His Holiness and to speak of his
awe-inspiring presence. My reverence for him is much more than what
words can express," said Reverend Hovhannisyan in his sermon. It
was followed by a special prayer for the long life and health of
His Holiness.

Thereafter the faithful and guests joined Fr. Khoren in the inaugural
ceremony and blessing of a charitable dispensary sponsored by the
Armenian Church of Kolkata. The medical unit is named after "His
Holiness KAREKIN II." It will have a qualified doctor and a nurse
who will attend to the poor and the ailing and will also provide
free medical treatment to them. Later a concert was put up by the
ACPA choir and lunch served to the guests.

ITALIAN COMPANIES TAKE INTEREST IN PROJECTS IMPLEMENTED IN ARMENIAN RAILWAY SYSTEM

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. During the November 2 meeting
with the Italian Ambassador to Armenia Bruno Scapini, RA Minister of
Transport and Communication Gurgen Sargsyan presented the projects
being implemented in the sector. He said that the preliminary
feasibility study on construction of the Iran-Armenia railway has
already been completed: it was done by ILF company (Austria) with money
of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. Negotiations for a final feasibility
study are now being conducted witn the Asian Development Bank.

B. Scapini in his turn said Italferr company takes interest in the
projects being implemented in the raiway system of Armenia. In his
words, a number of other Italian companies are also interested in
various projects of the Armenian transport sector.

According to Susanna Tonoyan, spokeswoman for the RA minister of
transport and communication, an Italian road construction company
is already operating in Armenia. A joint venture of two consulting
companies – IRD (Italy) and Safege (Belgium) ensure quality control
of the road construction work within the World Bank’s Lifeline Roads
Improvement Project.

TOTAL AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL EQUALIZATION SUBSIDES FOR ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES TO MAKE 32.5 BILLION DRAMS IN 2010

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The total amount of financial
equalization subsides for Armenian communities, including state
compensation to communities under the RA Law on Local Self-Government,
will make 32.488 billion drams in 2010, which exceeds the amount
approved by the 2009 state budget and the respective annual consumption
index by 4.65 billion drams or 16.7%. First Deputy Minister of Finance
Pavel Safarian announced this at the November 2 joint sitting of the
RA National Assembly Standing Committees.

It is envisaged distributing subsidies of a total of 32.41 billion
drams to communities by the financial equalization principle in
accordance with the RA Law on Financial Equalization. A new system
of financial equalization will be introduced in order to improve the
efficiency of state financial assistance to the budgets of Armenian
communities and to mitigate the current polarization among communities
with various financial capacities.

The 2010 draft state budget envisages environmental subventions of
201.4 million drams for communities and subventions of 6.4 billion
drams to assist with the implementation of projects of the Yerevan
city community.

Environmental subventions of 201.4 million drams will be given to a
number of urban and rural communities in Syunik, Lori, and Kotayk
Marzes which are subjected to harmful impact as a result of the
operation of Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Enterprise CJSC, Agarak
Copper and Milybdenum Enterprise CJSC, Armenian Copper Program CJSC,
Mika Cement CJSC, and Dzulakentron OJSC in Charentsavan.

The draft budget calculations are based on the settlement exchange
rate of 376 drams per dollar.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PURCHASE AND SALE TRANSACTIONS OF 568 THOUSAND DOLLARS CARRIED OUT AT NASDAQ OEMEX ARMENIA ON NOVEMBER 2

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Purchase and sale transactions of
568 thousand dollars at the weighted average exchange rate of 387.5
drams were carried out at Nasdaq Oemex Armenia OJSC on November 2.

According to the press center of the Central Bnak of Armenia, the
closing price was 387.5 drams.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS AWARDED SAINT MESROP MASHTOTS ORDER

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. By RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s
October 30 decree Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II was awarded
Mesrop Mashtots order for his exclusive contribution in preservation
and development of national and spiritual values. Noyan Tapan was
informed about it by RA President’s Press Office.

ARMENIA PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE SCENARIOS IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS: SERZH SARGSYAN

Tert
Nov 2 2009
Armenia

Today, Serzh Sargsyan visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
where he attended the Diocese Representation Assembly of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, the Armenian president’s press service informs.

The president welcomed the assembly participants and wished success to
all of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s activities, which are charged
with supplying Armenia’s and the Armenian people’s spiritual needs.

Serzh Sargsyan placed exceptional importance on each and every Armenian
political figure’s activities in the Diaspora, and, even more so for
the Armenian president, for the Armenian church.

Clarifying the Armenian-Turkish relations establishment process,
Sargsyan emphasized once again that in no way does the process mean
withdrawal from efforts towards international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. He said the Republic of Armenia, as a responsible
player in the system of international relations, has always adhered
to fulfilling its commitments and is ready to proceed in line with
the signed Protocols without preconditions and to establish relations
with Turkey within a reasonable timeline.

The president said that the broader international community also
supports ratification and confirmation of the signed Protocols
without preconditions and within a reasonable timeline. Sargsyan also
emphasized that Armenia has its own strategic and tactical ideas on
possible scenarios in the establishment process of Armenian-Turkish
relations, and, based on corresponding developments, appropriate
steps will be taken.