Month: February 2012

GEOPROMINING INVESTS $1,5MN TO ARMENIAN SOCIAL PROJECTS IN 2011

/ARKA/
FEBRUARY 10, 2012
YEREVAN

The exclusive interview of GeoProMining – GPM company president Roman
Khudoly with “ARKA” news agency.

“ARKA”- Mr. Khudoly, what funds does the company injects into
implementing social programs in Armenia?

R. Khudoly- The company continues developing its active operation
on the enterprises in Armenia, Georgia, and Russia that is estimated
through the company’s careful attitude to its staff and the residents
who live in the regions where these enterprises work. The total
amount of GPM Gold’s and Agarak copper-molybdenum plant’s social
investments in 2011 hit more than $1.5 million in Armenia.Also the
company permanently interacts with the State authorities as well as
local administrations that allows GPM to respond advertently to the
needs of the residents in the regions, where the company operates, and
to inject charity funds into the projects which are more actual for
the local population. The company regularly finances social projects
targeted at the infrastructure development, fire and rescue services,
energy and water supply, repair of hospitals, schools, kindergartens.

Also one of the GPM social activity priorities is to traditionally
support the socially vulnerable population groups.

We have regardfully analysed the projects of the last year and
received recommendations from the international specialists working
in the sphere of corporate social responsibility (CSR), after what
we consulted local administrations to determine the most urgent needs
of the local population.

This information appeared as a basis for composing 2012 budget. We
will keep on developing the principal course of our ” Resources
for the benefit” corporate program paying special attention to the
projects directed to working with our staff and their families as
well as ecology issues.

“ARKA”- Would you, please, depict in more details the goals and
implementation process of “Resources for the benefit” program?

R. Khudoly- Keeping in mind that the sustainable development is one of
GPM main strategic principles, we shifted in 2011 from non-methodical
projects to systematic ones within Corporate Social Responsibility. As
a result the company launched “Resources for the benefit” complex
program.

The program embraces all the aspects of social responsibility
that includes the attentive attitude to the staff, minimization
of environmental impact, concern about local communities and close
interaction with the State authorities in the scope of social-economic
development. These spheres will become the CSR priorities of the
company in 2012.

“ARKA”- Which structures does the company cooperate with while
implementing its social projects?

R. Khudoly- During several years GPM in cooperation with Social
investment Fund of the Armenian government, which implements World
Bank projects in the country, has been realizing projects aimed at
the social development of the regions.

The agreement endorsed between GPM and Fund as well as administration
of Ararat region on February 8 authorizes implementation of the
charity project directed to building a kindergarten. This project was
initiated by the president of Armenia Serge Sargsyan on his visit to
Ararat region in the middle of the last year to respond to the needs
of the region’s residents.

Thus, the kids are already expected to have a new kindergarten in the
beginning of 2013 due to Social Investments Fund and $250 thousand
investments by GPM.

GPM also supports local administrations to organize different
environment protection events as well as create improved and favourable
conditions for residents in Vardenis, Ararat and Agarak.

In 2011 significant funds were spent on the purchase of garbage
equipment and snow removal trucks. In 2012 we plan to buy sweeper
trucks for keeping town streets clean.

“ARKA”- What kind of social projects and facilities does the company
offer to the workers on its enterprises?

R. Khudoly- Currently 815 people work in GPM Gold company which
explores Sotsk gold mining and runs Ararat Gold Recovery Factory.

After we launch the new trend in the factory, based on the unique
modern technology “Albion,” the construction of which started in 2011,
we can hire more people. Agarak copper- molybdenum plant employs 930
workers. GPM enterprises in Armenia are specialized in single-industry
and provide with jobs 70-80% of the working- age population in Agarak,
Vardenis, and Ararat.

The company acts as a responsible employer: our wage is one of the
highest in this field. We often organize qualification trainings for
the workers with different specializations. It helps to stimulate their
professional development. Our employees receive an appropriate social
package and get annual medical examination in the best medical centres
of the country. The company organizes also bright New Year celebrations
as well as sport and cultural events for the children of our workers.

“ARKA” – Does the company follow ecological norms while implementing
its projects?

R. Khudoly- Any industrial production has an impact on environment
and our company’s responsibility is to try to minimize that negative
impact. We regularly check the level of impact on the environment
and take a regardful look at following all the normative indicators.

Every event that is targeted to the company’s development is organized
only after we have detailed consultations with the specialists scoping
in the environment protection sphere. Our main priority is to do our
work in accordance with the legislature.

Events organized in the frame of the industry modernization program
respond to the best international ecological standards. This is proved
by the fact that the world best ecology experts from such companies as
Fraser Alexander, Epoch E Digby Wells Environment participate in our
project. The new unique and modern technology “Albion” which will be
exploited in Ararat Gold Recovery Factory, corresponds to the world
best ecological standards.

“ARKA”- Does the company organize any cultural or educational events?

R.Khudoly- GPM pays great attention to preserving national traditions,
culture and art in all the regions it operates. We were one of the
general sponsors of the celebrations dedicated to the 20th anniversary
of independence in Armenia. The company also actively participated
in organizing and preparing celebration events.

When visiting Yerevan GPM administration never misses the opportunity
to get introduced with the historical heritage of the Armenian nation.

At the end of the last year when I visited Armenia with Siman
Viktorovich ( Siman Povarenkin, the chairman of GPM Board of Directors
– “ARKA”) we had a chance to go to National History Museum and get
introduced to the exposition dedicated to the Armenian mining history.

Being an international company, GPM participates enthusiastically
in the projects goaled to strengthen mutual understanding and
expansion within the international cooperation between Russia and
Armenia. Since 2009 the company has been backing the project on Russian
language knowledge improvement in Armenia, which is implemented by
the Charitable Foundation for Russian Language promotion under the
auspices of the Embassy of Russian Federation in Armenia.

GPM finances opening computer classrooms for interactive teaching
of Russian language. The classrooms are equipped with the modern
technical tools for communication and detailed teaching books. This
charity project promotes Russian language learning as well as its
spread and popularization in Armenia as an inseparable part of the
world culture, present instrument of international communication and
CIS business language as well as economic cooperation development
between Armenia and Russia.

GPM in cooperation with Russian Embassy also backs Russian Drama
Theater after K. Stanislavsky in Yerevan, which is one of the brightest
cultural establishments in Yerevan and a popular place for staging
Armenian and Russian playwrights’ works. In December 2011 the theater
showed the first night of Sergey Dovlatov’s play “Abanamat”.

The staging became possible due to financing made by the company.

ARMENIA MUST OFFER INTERESTING INVESTMENT PROJECTS TO KUWAIT – PM

news.am
February 10, 2012 | 17:14

YEREVAN. – Armenian PM Tigran Sargsyan received Kuwait’s Ambassador
to Armenia, Bassam Muhammad Alqabandi.

Sargsyan expressed a conviction that the relations between Armenia
and Kuwait will further deepen and extend.

“By opening an Embassy in Kuwait two years ago, the Armenian-Kuwaiti
relations rose to a new level. Kuwait is a country that exports
capital, and in this sense we must be able to offer interesting
investment projects,” Tigran Sargsyan said, Government Press Service
informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In his turn, the Kuwaiti Ambassador noted that his country’s government
likewise is interested in developing relations with Armenia.

The sides stressed the need to also develop the trade and economic
ties between the two countries. And in this context they discussed the
possibility of Kuwait’s involvement in the construction of Armenia’s
North-South Highway and the 400-km railway. They also reflected on
the prospects for starting flights between both countries.

Also, Bassam Muhammad Alqabandi conveyed Tigran Sargsyan the Kuwaiti
PM’s warm greetings, and he invited Sargsyan to attend Kuwait’s
Independence Day celebrations.

From: Baghdasarian

FRENCH MP VALERIE BOYER BELIEVES CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO ADOPT GENOCIDE BILL – INTERVIEW

news.am
February 10, 2012 | 01:37

Armenian News-NEWS.am presents the interview of the author of the
bill criminalizing denial of genocides, Union for Popular Movement
(UMP) MP Valerie Boyer published in Nouvelles d’Armenie.

Were you satisfied with the Jan. 23 events covered by media?

I saw nothing special. It proves the press shows no particular interest
in the topic. The only thing it was interested in was to speak against.

Could you disclose motives of MPs who appealed to the Constitutional
Council?

I can guess the Senate’s motive as Secretary General of the Government
expects a response. I have no other information.

What shocked you most in this demarche?

We have been dealing with the issue for over ten years, and I am
shocked that such an appeal was made for the Constitutional Council.

We deal with state values: freedom, fraternity and equality and
we decided to vote for the bill criminalizing the denial. I do not
understand that on behalf of the equality we would be blocked with
unequal attitude towards victims of genocides during principles of
humanism. France is a big state to make all the institutes function. I
do not blame anyone and yet, I believe that the Council will approve
our approach.

What will happen if the Council rejects the bill?

We will start over.

Did you manage to talk to the French President Nikolas Sarkozy after
the appeal to the Council?

Not directly, but I believe that the Secretariat General expects a
response by the Council. It should review the bill on its essence
and form. I think the constitutional judges will approach the issue
from the right angle and not from the standpoint of a false debate
about the memorial laws, which the National assembly held. However,
I am afraid that the Council may be terribly pressed.

What can you tell hypothetically if the 2011 law and 2012 bill were
rejected?

In that case we would have dealt with an unequal treatment and sued
to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). It is just
impossible.
Content-Type: MESSAGE/RFC822; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Description:

MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252
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From: Mihran Keheyian
Subject: French MP Valerie Boyer believes Constitutional Court to adopt
genocide bill – interview

French MP Valerie Boyer believes Constitutional Court to adopt
genocide bill – interview

news.am
February 10, 2012 | 01:37

Armenian News-NEWS.am presents the interview of the author of the bill
criminalizing denial of genocides, Union for Popular Movement (UMP) MP
Valerie Boyer published in Nouvelles d?Arménie.

Were you satisfied with the Jan. 23 events covered by media?

I saw nothing special. It proves the press shows no particular
interest in the topic. The only thing it was interested in was to
speak against.

Could you disclose motives of MPs who appealed to the Constitutional Council?

I can guess the Senate?s motive as Secretary General of the Government
expects a response. I have no other information.

What shocked you most in this demarche?

We have been dealing with the issue for over ten years, and I am
shocked that such an appeal was made for the Constitutional Council.
We deal with state values: freedom, fraternity and equality and we
decided to vote for the bill criminalizing the denial. I do not
understand that on behalf of the equality we would be blocked with
unequal attitude towards victims of genocides during principles of
humanism. France is a big state to make all the institutes function. I
do not blame anyone and yet, I believe that the Council will approve
our approach.

What will happen if the Council rejects the bill?

We will start over.

Did you manage to talk to the French President Nikolas Sarkozy after
the appeal to the Council?

Not directly, but I believe that the Secretariat General expects a
response by the Council. It should review the bill on its essence and
form. I think the constitutional judges will approach the issue from
the right angle and not from the standpoint of a false debate about
the memorial laws, which the National assembly held. However, I am
afraid that the Council may be terribly pressed.

What can you tell hypothetically if the 2011 law and 2012 bill were rejected?

In that case we would have dealt with an unequal treatment and sued to
the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). It is just
impossible.

ARMENIA TO DEVOTE SONG TO FRANCE

News.am
February 10, 2012 | 00:57

YEREVAN. – As a token of gratitude to France in connection to the
Senate~Rs adoption of the bill criminalizing denial of genocides,
including the Armenian Genocide, a song will be composed initiated
by Vive La France group devoted to France and its people, member of
the group Rudik Ter-Galstyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Armenia and France have always had close relations. However, France
has taken a step and we want to thank the French people with a song
Vive La France, Ter-Galstyan said.

In addition, anyone can support the initiative.

YOU WISH EARTH COULD SWALLOW ME? – ARMENIAN MOD

news.am
February 09, 2012 | 15:38

YEREVAN. – The disability class of servicemen and the amount of social
benefit is qualified not in the Defense but in the Ministry of Labor
and Social Affairs, Armenian MOD Seyran Ohanyan told the parents,
who gathered in front of the Government and complained for changing
their sons’ disability class.

According to the parent of a serviceman Arthur Grigoryan, who was
disabled by the guilt of the commander, Grigoryan received second class
of disability. However, Labor Ministry changed the class into third,
which of course decreased amount of the social benefit.

In response to the parents’ remark the Defense Minister should also
carry responsibility for the social benefit of servicemen, Ohanyan
got angry.

“Maybe, you wish the earth could swallow me?” he said.

Armenian News-NEWS.am tried to clarify the situation with the Labor
Ministry. However, they told to turn to the Defense Ministry. MOD
spokesperson Davit Karapetyan responded that the issue is in the
Labor Ministry’s authority as only that Ministry has agency to carry
out medical-social examination.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COULD YOU IMAGINE WHAT RULING COALITION MPS DO SECRETLY? – ARMENIAN OPPOSITION

news.am
February 10, 2012 | 15:05

YEREVAN. – If Armenian ruling coalition member parties falsify voting
results unhidden, then one can imagine what they can do secretly,
parliamentary opposition Heritage group MP Larisa Alaverdyan said at
parliamentary briefings on Friday.

To note, several MPs from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA)
voted on Thursday in place of their Party colleagues who were at the
parliament halls at the time. The RPA MPs’ conduct was criticized
by their opposition colleagues. Opposition Heritage group MP Larisa
Alaverdyan responded saying whether there are MPs with two heads as
they voted on behalf of other MPs as well.

“We are advised not to politicize, however, on the contrary we must do
so. Parliament is a political body and should care for its political
image,” Alaverdyan added.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REOPENED

news.am
February 10, 2012 | 17:52

YEREVAN. – Armenian international Zvartnots airport reopened and
flights operate in accordance with schedule, spokesperson of General
Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia Nelli Cherchinyan told
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to her, Gyumri airport also reopened and visibility is
normal with no delayed flights. If snow intensity is not increased,
flights will operate as usual.

As was informed earlier, Yerevan and Gyumri airports were closed
since 10.00 a.m. due to snow.

HOVHANNESYAN: ARMENIA’S REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS LOST ITS POLITICAL FORCE

February 10, 2012

During today’s press briefings at the Parliament, the Head of ARF-D
Parliamentary Faction Vahan Hovhannesyan said that the adoption of the
law “On Private Guard Activity” was very important and reminded that
it was the ARF-D that first introduced it around 2000 concerned about
the unacceptable accumulation of these services around the rich elite.

ARF-D’s proposition got always rejected by the government but now,
since Armenia’s Republican Party (HHK) is one of the authors the law
was adopted, he argued.

Asked to comment on the repetition of the voting procedure that took
place yesterday in the Parliament, Hovhannesyan pointed out that
this isn’t the first incident of this sort and added that atrocities
have taken place. “This means that the ruling political force isn’t
really a force but rather it forces itself to power. It doesn’t
have the ability to convince. Obviously, it’s not even in a position
to organize its own faction’s voting attendance” said Hovhannesyan
citing the fiasco caused by the ARP ally, Prosperous Armenia Party’s
withdrawal from the February 6 voting. The ARF-D MP believes that if
ARP and its leaders think that the adoption of a single law is more
valuable than the state’s image, the Parliament’s as well as their
own dignity and if they use any means to justify their purpose then
they will always do so. “If you spit on and bypass the law why should
I trust you in conducting fair elections?” wondered Hovhannesyan.

ARAKELYAN RAISES ARTSVASHEN PEOPLE’S HOUSING PROBLEM

February 8, 2012

During a Q&A session with the government, ARF-D Member of Parliament
Ruzan Arakelyan raised the Artsvashen village, now under azeri
occupation, former residents’ housing issue. Arakelyan, stressed the
fact that the residents which have settled down Chambarak city, have
bought on special loans, mostly wooden or clay houses. “Twenty years
later, Artsvashen people are facing the same issue. Let me remind you
that on 2010 the government had agreed on the concept of ensuring the
housing of those from Ardzvashen resettled in Armenia. But this is
still a present-day issue” said the ARF-D MP. In reply, Deputy Prime
Minister Armen Gevorgyan said that for that purpose the government
has decided to allocate the total sum of 708 million drams to the
Ardzvashen people.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SHAHBAZYAN: 2011 CENSUS SHOWS EMIGRATION AND INFLATION INCREASE

February 7, 2012

Commenting on the findings of the National Statistical Service’s last
census, ARF-D Parliamentary Faction’s Secretary Artashes Shahbazyan
said that during the last year nearly 50.000 people left Armenia.

“It’s quite clear that the emigration rate has grown in comparison
to previous years” he said reminding that these are the state’s data.

Furthermore, he stated that the inflation was at 4.8%, the highest
for the last seven years and put an emphasis on the 3.6% inflation
increase between the last and the month before that.