Month: February 2012

BOOK GIVING MUST BECOME LIFESTYLE, CHAIRMAN OF WRITERS UNION OF ARMENIA CONSIDERS

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 20, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: It is already four years that the
all-Armenian Book Giving Day is marked February 19 thanks to the
efforts of the Writers Union of Armenia. Levon Ananyan, Chairman of
the Writers Union of Armenia, said this is a successful initiative.

Armenian Ministries of Education and Science and Culture have already
joined it, organizing “Admission with Book” series of events.

“It means that the movement of book giving is not only a matter
of intellectual, public and strategic significance,” Levon Ananyan
told Armenpress.

Armenian writers implement different projects on book giving in
different establishments of the capital, in provinces, military units.

Chairman of the Writers Union of Armenia emphasized that the goal
of the Writers Union is to turn the ritual of book giving into a
lifestyle, a national program.

In answer to the question of Armenpress’ correspondent the Chairman
of the Writers Union said the favorite Armenian author of all time
is Tumanyan and the foreign one is Shakespeare.

Levon Ananyan assured that thanks to Tumanyan’s verses the crystallized
wisdom of Armenian people is conveyed to generations.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA IMPORTS FERTILIZERS

Tert.am
20.02.12

Armenia has imported a total of 2,865 tons of high-quality fertilizers.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan supervised the unloading of
the cars at the Karmir Blur station.

Under a government program Armenia is to import 25,000 tons of nitrogen
fertilizers before April 10. This amount will fully meet the demand
of Armenia’s agricultural sector.

The first lot of fertilizers has been distributed. The government
will cover all the transportation costs.

The government has also launched a fuel supply program in Armenia’s
rural communities.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIANS IN CANADA ORGANIZE CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 20, 2012 – 21:19 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian Prelacy of Canada’s Armenian National
Education Council is working on a unique event for children
between the ages of 3-12. The event is scheduled for March 17,
2012 from 11a.m.-5p.m. at the Montreal Armenian Community Center’s
Homenetmen-Gamk gym.

The festival offers an array of free activities, including singing,
dancing and music shows, along with creative workshops and cooperative
games, press service of Armenian Prelacy of Canada reported.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANI MPS TO VISIT YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 20, 2012 – 21:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – From February 21-23, Azerbaijani MPs Rovshan
Rzayev, Faraj Guliyev and Azay Guliyev will pay a visit to Armenia
to participate in the meeting of Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
social committee.

Discussion of issues related to civil society development in
partner-countries, poverty reduction strategy, boosting the role of
women and youth in civil society and parliament is planned to be on
meeting agenda, according to Azerbaijani media outlets.

GELBAKHIANI CAUGHT CROSSING ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN BORDER

Vestnik Kavkaza
Feb 20 2012
Russia

Valery Gelbakhiani, former Georgian MP, head of the electoral
headquarters of the candidate for president businessman Badri
Patarkatsishvili, was caught on the Armenian-Georgian border on
February 20, News Georgia reports.

Gelbakhiani was accused of planning a coup on January 22, 2008. The
court ordered his detention on February 2, 2008. The former MP was
put on the wanted list on February 4, 2008.

Vestnik Kavkaza reported earlier that Georgian parliamentary opposition
vouched for Valery Gelbakhiani to allow him to visit his ill mother
in Georgia.

GEORGIAN ALLEGED COUP PLOTTER ARRESTED AT ARMENIAN BORDER POINT
By Helena Bedwell

Georgian Daily

Feb 20 2012
Georgia

Georgian police said they have detained a suspect who is on the wanted
list for plotting to overthrow the government in 2008.

Valery Ghelbakhiani, a member of parliament and head of Badri
Patarkatsishvili’s presidential campaign, was charged with plotting
a coup and a “terrorist attack” on a government official, the
police said in a statement their website. He attempted to cross the
Armenian-Georgian border when he was apprehended, according to the
statement.

Christian Democrat leader Giorgi Targamadze condemned the arrest
and said at a news conference in Tbilisi today that Ghelbakhiani was
returning to Georgia to visit his ill mother in the hospital.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, US CONGRESS DISCUSS PARLIAMENTARY POLLS

Vestnik Kavkaza
Feb 20 2012
Russia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Speaker Samvel Nikoyan have
received a delegation of the US Congress headed by Congressman David
Dreier, PanArmenian reports.

US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern was present at the meeting. The
sides discussed the upcoming parliamentary polls in Armenia. Dreier
noted that political parties will put all efforts into making the
elections fair and clear.

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIAN GAS TRANSIT TO ARMENIA HALTED TO REPAIR PIPELINE LEAK
By Helena Bedwell

Bloomberg

Feb 20 2012

Russian gas shipments to Armenia via Georgia were halted today because
of a pipeline leak, Tamar Shoshiashvili, a spokeswoman for state-owned
Georgian Oil and Gas Corp., said by telephone from Tbilisi.

“The gas leak was discovered late yesterday in the Gardabani area and
we are repairing the pipe,” Shoshiashvili said. Shipments may resume
tomorrow, she said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN ARMENIA DECREASES BY OVER 50% IN JANUARY

Vestnik Kavkaza
Feb 20 2012
Russia

The index of economic activity in Armenia has decreased by 53.7%
as compared to December 2011, according to the updated statistical
data of the National Statistical Service of the country published in
January 2012.

However, the economic activity figure is 4.4% higher than last January,
ARKA reports, referring to the Statistical Service of Armenia.

In contrast to GDP, the rate of economic activity is calculated
in terms of realized economic activities, rather than based on the
volume of added value and does not include net taxes on production
and financial services, which are calculated indirectly.

EU TO BOOST TRADE TIES WITH ARMENIA

New Europe

Feb 20 2012

In order to increase economic growth and investment in Armenia, the EU
is launching negotiations on a deep and comprehensive free trade area.

The negotiations will focus on regulatory approximation along with
market access conditions, both of which will help to achieve a closer
economic integration of Armenia with the EU.

By increasing economic integration, the EU aims to enhance political
stability and security in Armenia. The free trade area will be part
of the broader Association Agreement, which has been negotiated with
Armenia since July 2010. It is expected to diversify and strengthen
the country’s export capacity and thus open the way to access the
EU markets.

“The opening of free trade negotiations mark a turning point in
our trade relations with Armenia. We are entering a new phase that
will bring our economic ties to a new level of depth and ambition,”
said Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht. “The EU is Armenia’s first
trading partner and a deep and comprehensive free trade area will
give Armenia a more favourable access to the European Single Market
thereby helping to boost economic growth in the country.”

The Association Agreement with Armenia aims at closely associating
the country to the EU both in economic and political terms. The future
trade relations will therefore expand significantly beyond the scope
of current cooperation, set out in the Partnership and Co-operation
Agreements.