Month: April 2010

OSCE MONITORING ON ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI AF CONTACT LINE HELD WITHOUT VIOLATIONS

ArmInfo
2010-03-31 12:08:00

ArmInfo. OSCE monitoring on the contact line of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani armed forces was held without violations.

As ArmInfo correspondent reports, the monitoring was held near Berkaber
village of Armenia’s Tavush region. Field assistants of the Personal
Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, Antal
Herdich and Vladimir Chountulov took part in the monitoring from
the Armenian party, as well as Imre Palatinus and Jaslan Nurtazin –
from the Azerbaijani party. Monitoring started at 11:45 AM and lasted
for about 7 minutes. Visual contact was made at a distance of 1500
meters. No ceasefire violation has been fixed.

To note, it was initially scheduled to hold the monitoring near
Koti village, where an Azerbaijani subversive group was found out
and partially liquidated on March 3. However, the day before the
monitoring, the Azerbaijani party said it could not assure security
of participants in the monitoring in this direction. To also note,
despite the Armenian party’s proposal to extend the monitoring to half
an hour today, the Azerbaijani party insisted on its early completion.

ORANGE ARMENIA IMPORTS IPHONE TO ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2010-03-31 13:12:00

ArmInfo. Orange Armenia Company imported iPhone to Armenia.

As Orange Director General Bruno Duthoit said at today’s
press-conference, launch of iPhone was scheduled even several months
ago, however, it was postponed for development of all the necessary
details. "We would like to make certain of the maximum equipment of
the models we offer from now on. This step has become possible due to
the partnership of France Telecom group and Apple Company, owing to
which iPhones have already appeared in many countries", Duthoit said.

Three iPhone models at the cost of 245,000, 295,000 and 350,000 drams
will be presented in sale. Four tariff plans valued at 4,000, 6,000,
10,000 and 20,000 drams per month will be attached to the models at
option. "Having bought an iPhone, Orange subscribers will be able to
easily transfer to the special tariff plans for iPhone. The model is
not envisaged for work with the cards of other operators, however,
the proposals we make in the tariff plans allow a subscriber to save
as more as a bigger tariff plan he/she chose. The funds, saved during a
year, can be compared to the iPhone cost. We do it since we understand
that a telephone has no practical value without the services which are
available by dint of it", Orange Marketing Director Aram Lazarian
said. iPhione buyers in Armenia will have an access to the online
catalogue of Apple – App Store computer programmes containing about
150,000 programmes, including the virtual Armenian keyboard. For more
details, visit iphone.orangearmenia.am website.

Orange Armenia is subsidiary of France Telecom Group which has
been functioning in Armenia since November 5, 2009 as a mobile
operator and wireless Internet. In 2009, the Company’s investments
in Armenia made up about 140 mln Euro. The company currently numbers
over 200,000 subscribers of mobile communication and over 15,000
Internet-subscribers. iPhone, developed by Apple Company, combines the
functions of a media-player, mobile phone and Internet-mapboard. It
came into market in 2007. About 42 mln iPhones were sold in the world
as of late December, 2009.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN-BRITISH CONNECT TO OPEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY IN YEREVAN AND IN LONDON

ArmInfo
2010-03-31 13:27:00

ArmInfo. The Armenian-British Connect (ABC) is expected to open
an Armenian- British chamber of commerce in Yerevan and in London,
Hayk Haroutiunyan, Chairman of ABC Board of Directors told media in
Yerevan on Wednesday.

He said that official opening of the camber of commerce in Yerevan is
scheduled for April 2010. Opening of the chamber in London is expected
at the end of the year. The chamber will help establishing a single
business platform for the Armenian and British business communities
to enhance cooperation between the two countries’ businessmen. H.

Haroutiunyan said that the chamber will create favorable business
environment for foreign investors in Armenia. He said 11 international
and Armenian organizations are members of the chamber, in particular
Ernst & Young. Negotiations are currently underway with HSBC Bank
Armenia, Arpa-Sevan CJSC and others.

Armenian British Connect (ABC) is a membership-based, non-profit and
non-governmental organization that primarily focuses on developing
and strengthening relations between the United Kingdom and the
Republic of Armenia. Our Membership base is comprised mainly of
alumni and current students of UK educational institutions. For more
information regarding admissions criteria, membership base, etc. The
particular fields of operations of Armenian British Connect NGO are:
Educational cooperation; Culture awareness; Financial integration;
Civil Society Building; and Social collaboration.

FINANCE MINISTER: EXPECTED RISE OF PENSIONS AND BENEFITS WILL BE ADEQUATE TO RISE OF GAS TARIFF

ArmInfo
2010-03-31 12:08:00

ArmInfo. The rise of pensions and benefits expected in 2010 will be
adequate to rise of the gas tariff and will recompense the expenses
of the under-privileged people, Finance Minister Tigran Davtyan told
media on Wednesday.

Experts say that rise of the gas tariff starting April 1 2010 will
increase the costs of a family by 2,500 drams in average. The minister
said that the Government will rise the family benefits by 15% (by
3.500 drams) starting May 1 2010 and pensions by 11% (2,600 drams)
starting Nov 1 2010. This is an adequate decision. Social problems
are still prior for the government, but our desires were restricted
by our possibilities, the minister said. He could not specify how
much other products and services grow will in price influenced by
the new gas tariff.

The minister said that the decision to increase pensions and tariffs
will create additional burden for the budget for 2010 in the amount
of 6-6.5 billion. Tigran Davtyan said the pensions and benefits will
be increased at the expense of additional incomes from activation
of economy, toughening of the tax administration and the government
reserve funds.

Starting April 1 2010 gas tariff for the population will increase
from 96,000 drams to 132,000 drams per 1000 cu m. In some regions of
the country water and other communal services have already increased
in price.

NKR PRESIDENT MEETS VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE LINCY FOUNDATION

armradio.am
31.03.2010 11:09

On 30 March President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan met
president of the United Armenian Fund, vice-chairman of the Lincy
Foundation Harut Sassounian, Central Information Department of the
Office of the NKR President reported.

Issues related to developing socio-economic spheres of Artsakh as
well as widening and deepening ties between the Motherland and the
Diaspora were discussed during the meeting.

The Head of the State rated high the role of the United Armenian
Fund in realizing different programs, building social objects and
educational hearths, as well as making Artsakh recognizable to the
outer world.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AT LEAST NINE KILLED IN DAGESTAN EXPLOSIONS

armradio.am
31.03.2010 13:25

At least nine people have been killed in two explosions in the town
of Kizlyar in Russia’s North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan.

In the first, a car blew up near the offices of the local interior
ministry and the FSB security service.

The second explosion happened about 20 minutes later on the same
street.

This comes two days after 39 people were killed in two suicide bombings
on the Moscow Metro.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARTAK SHAKARYAN: THE KEY TO THE SOLUTION IS IN THE HANDS OF THE SOCIETIES OF ARMENIA AND TURKEY
Lusine Vasilyan

"Radiolur"
31.03.2010 14:46

"The key to the solution of the Armenian-Turkish relations is in the
hands of the societies of Armenia and Turkey, not official Yerevan
and Baku," Turkologis Artak Shakaryan told a press conference today.

"Even if the Armenian-Turkish protocols are ratified, Turkey may
later use any opportunity to make a step back," he said.

According to Shakaryan, Turkey’s main task is to prepare the society
for the establishment of sincere relations with Armenia, something
that demands years.

As for the perspectives of the Armenian-Turkish relations, Shakaryan
considers that ifTurkey fails to make any step before April 24,
the process will drag out for another 5-6 years.

However, the political scientist considers that Turkey will try to
take any step to keep the process going.

"Turkey doesn’t need a positive outcome of the process. It neither
needs a negative outcome. It will not benefit if Armenia withdraws
from the process. Therefore, Turkey will do its best to keep the
process at least half-dead," Shakaryan said.

TURKISH LAWYER FILES A LAWSUIT, DEMANDING TO RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

armradio.am
31.03.2010 15:09

Turkish lawyer Bendal Jelil Ezman has submitted a lawsuit to Ankara’s
arbitration court demanding to recognize the Armenian genocide, accuse
Taleat Pasha and his confederates and strike out his name from streets
and parks, Turkish Haberturk reported.

Ezman, who had joined internet campaign on apologizing for their crimes
and had signed under that list, declared: "It’s first time ever such
claim is submitted. Turkey should take into account its history."

Turkish lawyer demands an investigation based on Turkey’s criminal
code article on "Crime and praising the criminal and committing a
crime against humanity."

THE NUMBER OF SHOTS AT THE ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI BORDER
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
31.03.2010 16:02
Tavush

The OSCE held its recurrent planned monitoring of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani contact line near Berkaber village in Ijevan
region. The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
Andrzej Kasprzyk, did not participate in the monitoring. The monitoring
was carried out by his Field Assistants and officials of the Armenian
Ministry of Defense.

Before the monitoring Tavush Marzpet Armen Ghularyan presented
the situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. It turned out
that despite the 2008 decision of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to
withdraw the snipers from the front positions, the Azerbaijani side
has not taken steps in that direction and keeps the snipers on the
front line, which leads to human losses.

Marzpet Armen Ghularyan informed the OSCE representatives that doing
agricultural works in frontier villages has become impossible because
of periodic shooting from the Azerbaijani side.

In general, the number of shots at the Armenian Azerbaijani border
has increased. The number of cases totaled 4 500 in 2009, while the
figure has already reached 1 500 this year.

As for the monitoring, it was initially planned to be held near
the village of Koti. Azerbaijan had given its consent, but it later
refused, saying they would not be able to provide security guarantees.

The monitoring lasted seven minutes instead of the planned 30. The
Azerbaijani side demanded to stop it.

CENTER FOR NEUROVASCULAR SURGERY OPENS IN YEREVAN
Lilit Muradyan

"Radiolur"
31.03.2010 17:13

The Center for Neurovascular Surgery at the Yerevan State Medical
University was officially opened today. The opening ceremony was
attended by President Sargsyan, President of the Armenian General
Benevolent Union Berge Sedrakian, Member of the AGBU Council of
Trustees Nazar Nazarian, and members of the AGBU Central Board of
Directors.

The construction of the Center, which is a unique project of regional
significance, was initiated by the Yerevan State Medical University
three years ago. The Center is equipped with the high-tech devices
and its staff was undergoing professional training in the best clinics
abroad for three years.

The YSMU’s project on the creation of the Center received considerable
support from the AGBU, and the well-known philanthropist Nazar Nazarian
donated 1,7mln USD for the construction of the Center.