Month: September 2013

KUWAITI AMBASSADOR PROMISED TO SUPPORT NEW ALEPPO PROGRAM

12:58, 27 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: The State of Kuwait has allocated
$100,000 to the public organization “Center for Coordination of
Syrian Armenian Affairs” to assist the school and other educational
programs implemented for the Syrian Armenians living in Armenia. The
corresponding agreement was signed on September 27 at the Ministry
of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia. The Minister of Diaspora of
the Republic of Armenia Hranush Hakobyan highlighted the dynamic
development of the Armenian-Kuwaiti relations and the active
cooperation between the two countries. “Our cooperation has become
closer, when the Syrian crisis began. Kuwait has donated money for
the second time, this time to assist the school and other educational
programs implemented for the Syrian Armenians living in Armenia”, –
said Hranush Hakobyan, as reported by Armenpress.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kuwait to Armenia
Bassam Mohammed Al-Qabandi expressed his gratitude to the Minister
of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia for the warm reception and
stated that he feels home in Armenia. “We are happy to be able to show
support. There is a future program as well connected with the New
Aleppo District. I am certain that Kuwait will be the first country
to assist the program implementation”, – said the Ambassador.

The diplomatic relations between Armenia and Kuwait were established
in July 1994. The Embassy of Kuwait to Armenia was opened in 2011.

Currently about 10,000 Syrian Armenians live in Armenia, who are
permanently supported by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic
of Armenia in apartment and job issues. About 1000 Syrian Armenians
applied to the Ministry and were provided with jobs. The situation
was aggravated in Syria on August 21 when media informed about
using chemical weapons in the suburbs of Damascus. According to
preliminary information, 600 people were killed in the result of the
attack. According to other sources, numbers of the dead people reached
1300. After the incident the governmental forces and the opposition
announced about their non-participation in using chemical weapons
blaming each other in it. USA increased its military presence around
Syria activating the discussion of military intervention scenario.

ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT OLD TERMINAL HINDERS CONCESSIONER’S EXPANSION PLAN

September 27, 2013 – 12:09 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The representative of the General Department of
Civil Aviation (GDCA) Ashot Azizyan submitted a business plan to
Armenia International Airports CJSC during discussions at Armenian
Public Council.

The business plan includes a paragraph on demolition of the airport’s
old terminal. According to Azizyan, with the unsatisfactory state
the building is in, its fortification will require a minimum of AMD
10-12 million. Also, the old terminal renders the concessioner’s plan
to expand the airport area impossible.

Architects present at the discussed spoke against the old terminal’s
demolition, noting that the latter doesn’t necessarily hinder the
expansion plan.

A representative of the air transport policy subcommittee Isabella
Muradyan, in turn, noted that the old terminal allows landing of major
airliners, servicing of several planes, with the new building having
no such capacity. “The old terminal can also allocate a transit zone,”
she said, objecting to the demolition of the terminal.

As Azizyan noted upon completion of discussions, GDCA will support
any decision taken by the Public Council.

As the Public Council spokesperson Ani Gasparyan told PanARMENIAN.Net
a month ago, the head of the General Department of Civil Aviation
Artem Movsisyan requested the Council to organize public hearings on
the Zvartnots old terminal demolition.

“As he noted, with the airport development program discussed by the
government and Armenia International Airports CJSC, the possibility
of the terminal’s demolition is not ruled out,” Ms Gasparyan said.

At the same time, as Zvartnots press service told PanARMENIAN.Net
no application for demolition of the old terminal was submitted to
the Municipality.

Earlier, the Municipality’s Architectural Council gave a negative
assurance over the request of Armenia International Airports CJSC,
owned by Argentinean-Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian, on
demolition of the old terminal.

YEREVAN CONFERENCE TO ATTRACT ABOUT $100 MILLION INVESTMENTS

12:04, 25 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS: A business conference was held
in Yerevan to attract investments in the fields of information
technologies, pharmaceuticals, tourism and vegetables and fruits
processing. As reported by Armenpress, the conference was organized
by the Small Enterprise Assistance Funds and the United States Agency
for International Development. During the conference the President
of Pragma Corporation Paul Davis stated that the conference aims at
presenting the participants the opportunities of the investment field.

“The attraction of investments in the fields of information
technologies, pharmaceuticals, tourism and vegetables and fruits
processing will help to develop them in Armenia. We hope to attract
about $100 million investments. Via economic growth and employment
promotion this program will assist the Armenian enterprises to get
connected with the world and register a stable growth”, – noted
Paul Davis.

The conference was attended by the representatives of the large
financial institutions, consultative companies, as well as small and
medium enterprises.

$100-million-investments.html

OSKANIAN AND MARKOSIAN FINED 200,000 DRAMS FOR DRUG USE

Wednesday,
September
25

Administrative sanctions were imposed on Ara Oskanian – the son of
former Armenian Foreign Minister, currently a deputy of Prosperous
Armenia Party (BHK) parliamentary faction Vartan Oskanian – and his
friend Vahagn Markosian for use of narcotic drugs without a doctor’s
prescription, Aysor.am was informed by the press service of the
Armenian police.

Following expert examinations, a decision was made to impose an
administrative sanction – a fine of 200,000 AMD on the two men.

According to PastInfo news agency, no drugs were found on Ara Oskanian,
but the police found a powder on Vahagn Markosian and sent that powder
for testing. Both young men were detained by the police on Khanjian
Street of Yerevan on suspicion of drug use.

TODAY, 14:16

Aysor.am

VIEWS FROM YEREVAN: KARABAKH SHOULD BE OPENED NOT CLOSED
by David Stepanyan

arminfo
Wednesday, September 25, 13:05

Informal meetings of representatives of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
civic societies are quite rare. They meet only outside the region,
which makes such meetings expensive and not easy to organize. In
addition, Armenian analysts and civic society representatives cannot
travel to Azerbaijan, Director of the Caucasus Institute Alexander
Iskandaryan told ArmInfo.

“Meanwhile. foreign citizens visiting Nagorny Karabakh find themselves
in the ‘black lists of personas non-grata’ in Azerbaijan. I think,
it is necessary to do everything quite on the contrary in order to
avoid paranoidism characteristic to close societies. Karabakh should
be opened not closed. It is necessary to try to talk to the Karabakh
people. After all, Baku considers Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, but
the citizens of Azerbaijan cannot travel to Karabakh,” he said. In
this light, the political scientist believes that Baku’s policy is
a failed PR.

Earlier on 23 September, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has removed
four foreigners from the list of the people, who have visited the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. A member of Russia’s State Duma Alexei
Mitrofanov, head of the Moscow office ‘Voice of America’ James Brook ,
Johns Hopkins University students Ivan Benovich and Nicholas Vondra
are those ‘happy’ people that have been removed from the list of
“persona non grata” after expressing their sincere regret for visiting
Nagorno Karabakh.

They appealed to the government of Azerbaijan and expressed their
remorse, after which their names were removed from the list of
“persona non grata”. Azerbaijan has already blacklisted 300 prominent
and well-known people who ‘dared’ to visit Nagorno Karabakh ‘without
permission of Baku.’

ALROSA EXPORTS 40 233 CARATS OF DIAMOND TO ARMENIA IN JAN-SEPT

September 25, 2013 – 14:24 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – ALROSA exported 40 233 carats of diamond worth of
USD 4,851 mln to Armenia in January-September 2013 against 34 769
carats worth of USD 7,586 mln in the same period of 2012.

47 531 carats of diamond were produced in Armenia in January-September
2013 against 27 043 carats from the year-earlier period (75,8% growth).

ALROSA’s Q2 2013 revenue increased by 9% compared to Q2 2012 and
amounted to RUB 42.8 bn as the result of increased diamond sales
volumes. EBITDA grew by 1% to Q2 2012 and amounted to RUB 19.4 bn with
a margin of 45%. In Q2 2013, ALROSA’s net profit amounted to RUB 8.4
bn, which was a 2.4x increase vs Q2 2012 mainly due to the recognition
of gain on disposal of 51% stake in “Timir” and lower FX losses.

H1 2013 revenue grew by 7% vs H1 2012 and reached RUB82.3 bn driven
by increased sales volumes and improved demand for diamonds in Q2 2013.

EBITDA decreased by 1% and amounted to RUB 35.2 bn, net profit
decreased by 10% and amounted to RUB 14.6 bn due to growth of FX
losses and higher interest expenses.

ALROSA posted positive dynamics in the diamond markets in H1 2013,
which resulted in a 7% growth of rough diamond prices since the
beginning of 2013.

ABOUT POLICE PROMPTNESS. “ONLY TEN DAYS LATER THEY GOT THE FINGERPRINT.”

September 24 2013

Recently, the police released a statement that the violence against
civilian activists are revealed. In particular, it was written:
“Recently, unknown persons were accusing the police for displaying
inactivity with regard to disclosure of the said criminal cases
along with the information on cases of beatings and violence against
the activists of civil actions. These accusations are baseless and
do not meet the reality. Immediately after the incident, numerous
operational and reconnaissance and investigative measures were
conducted, examinations were assigned, eyewitnesses were discovered,
video recordings were explored. Investigation of cases of violence
against civilian activists are directly under the supervision of the
Chief of Police, progress is reported every day.” And the detailed
description was following as to what and how was done. Next to a
couple of “disclosed” cases there were still the ones unrevealed, one
of which was the violence committed by unknown persons against Haykak
Arshamyan and Suren Saghatelyan on September 5, as a result of which
both got injured and were sent to hospital. We got interested from
Suren Saghatelyan and Haykak Arshamyan as to how prompt the police
was exactly for their case. S. Saghatelyan said,- “After the incident,
I was in the hospital for three days. I can say that on the same day,
September 5, police received written explanation of the incident from
us. On the day of being discharged from the hospital, I was given a
reference on passing a forensic examination. On the 9th day of the
incident, in the evening, I got a call from the police, and the next
day I and Haykak were called for the recognition of the victim. Papers
were filled in and we answered the questions from the investigator. A
criminal case was filed. On the 10th day after the incident, the same
criminal investigators came and took fingerprints from Haykak’s car,
and the investigators also fixed the cameras nearby. And whether they
have done anything or not, I am not aware of, because I was in the
hospital.” Suren Saghatelyan still has not fully recovered. “I still
have headaches, I take medicine against headaches. And my finger is
in the cast.” To note that Suren Saghatelyan was diagnosed with a
brain concussion, and criminals had broke his nose and finger. Haykak
Arshamyan confirmed that the inspection of the location was conducted
only ten days later after the incident. “In our case, a forensic
examination was assigned 4 days later after the incident. The car,
in which Suren was beaten, was examined only 10 days later and
fingerprints were taken, and only after PACE Commissioner Stefan
Fule’s meetings and appeals to various instances. As for the cameras,
I would like to tell that the investigator was trying to enter one
of the stores on Khorenatsi street on the 10th day to speak with the
management about the camera, although, there are also dozens of SRC
cameras in the street, and also a big camera attached to the light
pole, most probably recording 380 degrees, which, I think, belong
to the police or the City Hall. As for the beatings of activists at
the City Hall, a criminal cases was filed only weeks later, again
after Fule’s visit. So, Edik Baghdasaryan’s statement on the very
first day that our case could be disclosed at the very same night,
and criminals arrested, it still in force.” To note that Haykak
Arshamyan has got two closed fractions of the rids and injuries on
the face. “I’m not bad now, just my ribs still bother me and also
the swelling of sutures on my face and cheek have not yet come down,
but generally I am not bad,” – said he.

Melania BARSEGHYAN

Read more at:

KARABAKH’S “WE AND OUR MOUNTAINS” MONUMENT IS RESTORED (PHOTOS)

September 25, 2013 | 13:27

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, or Artsakh, President
Bako Sahakyan on Wednesday attended the opening the fully restored
“We and our Mountains” monument, which one of Artsakh main symbols.

The President stressed the importance of maintaining national symbols,
and expressed satisfaction that the Armenian Diaspora likewise was
involved in this process.

In this context, Sahakyan thanked philanthropist Karen Avagyumyan for
funding the restoration of the complex, and considered this act to
be one of the best ways to maintain strong ties with the historical
homeland.

NKR’s second President Arkadi Ghukasyan, Armenian National Assembly
(NA) Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, First Lady of Armenia Rita Sargsyan,
NKR NA Speaker Ashot Ghulyan, PM Ara Harutyunyan, British House of
Lords member Baroness Caroline Cox, Ashot Baghdasaryan-son of the
monument’s architect Sargis Baghdasaryan-, officials from Artsakh
and Armenia, and numerous guests from abroad also were on hand at
the official opening of the monument.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT APPOINTS FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL TO NEW POST

September 25, 2013 | 13:01

YEREVAN. – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan signed an order on
establishing the Legal Committee on Formation of Joint Investigative
Body.

The President’s respective order states that the aforesaid committee
will be formed to strengthen the independence of Armenia’s
investigative bodies, increase the effectiveness of criminal
investigations, and to form a single investigative body-and on the
basis of the working investigative bodies-within Armenia’s Ministry
of Defense, Police, and State Revenue Committee.

And pursuant to the order, former Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan
will be appointed Chairman of the Legal Committee on Formation of
Joint Investigative Body.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THERE WILL BE REVOLUTION IN ARMENIA – OPPOSITION MEMBER

September 25, 2013 | 13:46

YEREVAN. – A reform is no longer possible within the authorities, and
therefore there will be a revolution, no matter what we do in Armenia.

Armen Martirosyan, opposition Heritage Party Vice-Chairman and member
of the “Barev [Hello], Yerevan” faction at capital city Yerevan Council
of Elders, stated the aforesaid during a press conference on Wednesday.

“If something suddenly happens, it will be like a flood; the
disappointment exists. The public wants the unity of the opposition,”
he noted.

As per Martirosyan, the Armenian authorities attempt to ensure their
legitimacy by way of receiving help from abroad, and they give some
things in return.

“Today’s result is a result of illegitimate authorities. The
opposition forces, the body politic-which were prepared for a short
struggle, which did not try to create a single opposition front and
to struggle-have their fault here. The problems can be solved solely
in a united agenda,” he said.

Armen Martirosyan stressed that the opposition may have shortcomings
at most, whereas the authorities have guilt.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am