Month: November 2009

JOINT STATEMENT BY CSTO COUNTRIES TO BE PRESENTED AT OSCE MINISTERIAL COUNCIL MEETING IN SUPPORT OF THE INITIATIVE ON DEVELOPMENT OF EUROPEAN SECURITY TREATY

ArmInfo
2009-11-25 15:26:00

ArmInfo. A joint statement by CSTO countries will be prepared to the
17th OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in support of Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev’s initiatives on development of the European Security
Treaty. The meeting will be held on December 1-2 in Athens, official
representative of Russia’s Foreign Ministry Andrey Nesterenko said
at November 24 briefing.

As the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official site reports, Nesterenko
said that OSCE may be a ground for elaboration of joint approaches to
the issues of crisis regulation. "For these purposes Russia offered
to agree the common principles of conflict prevention and settlement
at the Foreign Ministerial Council in Athens. Their adoption would
allow to avoid recurrence of the situations similar to the Georgian
aggression against South Ossetia in August 2008", A. Nesterenko said.

Moreover, he said that Russia, in co-authorship with the USA advanced
a draft solution of FMC in Athens about OSCE role in fight against
trans-border threats of security and stability.

According to Nesterenko, Russia, in co-authorship with Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan advanced a draft
solution, by FMC in Athens, on freedom of movement aimed at
facilitation of visa regimes in OSCE space.

THE 12TH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA TO CONVENE ON NOVEMBER 28

ArmInfo
2009-11-25 15:22:00

ArmInfo. The 12th Congress of the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) will convene at Karen Demirchyan Sport and Concert Complex on
November 28.

Eduard Sharmazanov, RPA Faction Secretary, RPA Spokesman, told
ArmInfo 2000 delegates will attend the Congress. The agenda of the
Congress comprises election of the new managing body, speech by RPA
Leader, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan etc. E. Sharmazanov said
representatives of local and foreign political parties have been
invited to the Congress.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS DISCUSS NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PROCESS

ArmInfo
2009-11-25 15:17:00

ArmInfo. Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Ilham
Aliyev discussed in details the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
process. As the official site of Kremlin reports, I. Aliyev told D.

Medvedev about the results of the next round of negotiations with the
president of Armenia held with participation of OSCE MG representatives
on November 22 in Munich.

D. Medvedev and I. Aliyev also discussed the issues of bilateral
cooperation, including in the economic sphere, as well as the schedule
of further contacts.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VIRTUAL LABORATORY OF D-LINK COMPANY ON STUDY OF NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES IS OPENED IN GYUMRI INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES CENTER

ArmInfo
2009-11-25 15:18:00

ArmInfo. Virtual laboratory of D-Link company on study of network
technologies is opened in Gyumri Information Technologies Center.

Courses of network technologies by D-Link training programmes will be
held in the laboratory. According to Director of D-Link representation
in Armenia Armen Shahnazaryan, the programme will include a base
course on the bases of line commutation lasting from 6 months to 1
year. Afterwards, the students will be able to hear the courses of
the 2nd and 3rd degree of complexity.

Depending on the needs of the audience, separate courses on wireless
and VoIP-networks, as well as on other disciplines may be held.

‘Currently, D-Link has such programmes in about 50 HEEs in the former
USSR territory, as well as a separate faculty in MSTU after Bauman
in Moscow. The range of the courses is very wide, and we selected
4 – 5 disciplines to offer to GITC students. Moreover, the students
will be able to have remote courses in other D-Link centers in CIS
countries’, A. Shahnazaryan explained. According to GITC Executive
Director Gourgen Paronyan, short courses will be held in December
for a small group of students, and it is scheduled to start regular
courses in 2010. ‘Our plans include remote training from both Moscow
and Armenian HEEs’, G. Paronyan said. The courses will be on a paid
basis. Upon the results of each term, the best 2 students of GITC will
receive D-Link scholarship at the rate of 20,000 drams (the students
beyond GITC may also file an application). Those having finished the
courses will get authorized certificates of D-Link.

Gyumri Information Technologies Center was founded in 2005 by Fund for
Armenian Relief (FAR), Enterprises Incubator Foundation and Shirak
Technologies Company. The center conducts trainings on technical
disciplines, including the programming languages. D-Link Company was
founded in 1986. In 1999, the company’s representation was opened in
Moscow (for Russia, CIS and Baltic countries). At present, over 30
offices of the company have been opened, including in Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

STAR BOLSTERING POSITIONS BY NEW AGREEMENT WITH EBRD

ArmInfo
2009-11-25 16:27:00

ArmInfo. STAR Company, the biggest retailer in Armenia, is going
to open another two supermarkets in Yerevan on USD 5.5 million loan
facility from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(EBRD), STAR Executive Director Vahan Kerobyan said in a press
conference on Wednesday on occasion of the facility agreement with
the EBRD.

V. Kerobyan said STAR will receive the loan in December 2009. USD 3.5
million of total USD 5.5 million will be provided in terms of the loan
to be repaid within 7 years with a two-year grace period. Another
USD 1.434 million will be invested in equity capital with a right
of repurchase in a year, and USD 566,000 as a capital provision
through conversion of the corporate bonds acquired by the EBRD a
year ago into shares. "Thus, we will receive USD 4.934 million of
the total loan in cash," he said. V. Kerobyan mentioned that last
year STAR issued convertible corporate bonds in the amount of USD
3.161 million which were acquired by the EBRD. The shareholders of
STAR Company with the statutory capital of USD 12 million are Henrik
Zakharyan, private businessman (71.7%) and EBRD (28.3%). The credit
facility agreement signed on November 24 will increase EBRD’s share
in the company that will be back to the current level in a year after
exercising the option.

V. Kerobyan said that the facility agreement is another step by STAR
towards network restructuring project launched in the middle of
the year. "Starting July we have been working to enhance activity
of STAR as regards spending, first of all. Now, we are focusing on
fulfillment of the best requests by our customers. We have a number
of projects aimed to extend the assortment of products, to develop
more aggressive pricing and improve quality of services," Kerobyan
said. Thanks to the credit facility, the company is going to replenish
circulating assets that will promote profitability of the network, and
allow opening another two supermarkets in Yerevan (Kentron and Arabkir
communities), as well as fulfill the liabilities to suppliers of goods.

For his part, Valeriy Razlog, the head of the EBRD office in Yerevan,
said the EBRD strives to support all its partner-companies including
those who have faced market challenges of the financial and economic
crisis. The bank supports its partners proceeding from certain
factors. In the case of STAR, V. Razlog said that EBRD approved the
loan to STAR considering several positive factors: developed retail
business, highly qualified management and good plan of business
restructuring. STAR network of supermarkets founded in 1998 comprises
13 supermarkets (12 in Yerevan, 1 – Hrazdan).

POLITICAL EXPERT SAYS CSTO SECRETARY GENERAL’S VISIT TO ARMENIA WAS NOT BY CHANCE

Panorama.am
17:19 25/11/2009

Political expert Alexander Manasyan told the reporters today that
Aliev’s pre-Munich statement should not be taken so seriously.

Manasyan says he is sure the trick is released for Azerbaijani
community, co-chairs and Turkey; he says it’s a trick of information
war. "Aliev’s military statements are to emphasize Turkey’s peaceful
role, and it might happen that Turkey should have appearance of
a trustworthy member of EU family," Manasyan said. According to
the political expert it’s not by chance that CSTO Secretary General
Nikolay Borduzha visited Armenia. In this respect it might be a hint
addressed to Baku.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVES ARMENIAN-ARGENTINEAN BUSINESSMAN EDUARDO ERNEKYAN

Panorama.am
17:02 25/11/2009

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the Armenian-Argentinean
businessman Eduardo Ernekyan.

Ernekyan introduced the process of the investment projects implemented
in different fields of economy and things to do in the upcoming
future. He highlighted that the global crisis hadn’t much affected
his plans over Armenia’s economy and all the initiatives are under way.

According to President’s press office, Serzh Sargsyan signified that
the construction works of "Zvartnots" Airport new complex be finished
in terms determined to ensure the annual service of about 3mln. of
passengers in 2011, as well as the due implementation of post service
activities both in municipal and rural areas.

Serzh Sargsyan said he encourages the investment of novelties and
fresh ideas into the field of agriculture.

ST GEVORG OF MUGNETSI NEEDS SERIOUS PROTECTION

Panorama.am
16:56 25/11/2009

Armenian Republican deputy, the president of "Djavakhq" union Shirak
Torosyan says Georgian political and spiritual authorities are to be
the only guilty in collapsing of Georgian St Gevorg of Mugnetsi.

"Georgian authorities should be blamed in what has happened," the
Republican deputy told Panorama.am. He says St Gevorg needed serious
reconstruction for almost 20 years. Georgian authorities have not
taken appropriate measures to protect that exclusive treasure.

"Georgian orthodox church is also to be blamed as they are aggressive
mood towards national minorities," Mr. Torosyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EXPERT SAYS NKR TALKS HALTED, THEY SHOULD RESUME

Panorama.am
16:02 25/11/2009

NKR talks are halted, they should resume, Alexander Manasyan, Head
of the Philosophy and Logics Chair of the Yerevan State University
told a press conference today.

The talks will resume when Nagorno-Karabakh becomes a negotiating
party, as the OSCE approved the format in 1992, he said.

Manasyan expressed dissatisfaction over the French Co-Chair Bernard
Fassier’s statement as if Baku should give consent over NKR becoming
a negotiating party.

"The talks are halted; bilateral meetings do not meet the format
criteria, determined by the OSCE since Budapest Summit in 1990ies. The
format has been infringed now and the meetings should be seen as
consultations over resuming the talks," the politician described.

42% OF WOMEN IN TURKEY ARE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE

Panorama.am
17:55 25/11/2009

According to ANSAmed, 42percent of women in Turkey become targets of
physical or sexual violence, a staggering statistic which along with
others will be the focus of events held on the occasion of tomorrow’s
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

As Today’s Zaman reports quoting data by the Directorate general on
status of women, one of every four married women who are targets of
violence is injured to the point of requiring medical attention. One
of every three women who face violence from a husband or boyfriend
attempts suicide. One in every five women, married and single, face
violence from their relatives or peeple at school or the workplace. In
recent years, some changes to the country’s human rights laws have
been made as Turkey inches along it its bid to join the European
Union, but for many women who for various reasons end up in custody
or behind bars, the situation is desperate. In the past 12 years,
74 women have been raped while in custody, and with allegations that
have not yet been proved, this number climbs to over 300.