Month: February 2015

Oil surge to raise Rouble value, boosting Armenia’s economy

12:51 * 07.02.15

In case the past three days’ surge on the oil market continues, it
will raise the value of the Russian Rouble, whose increased transfers
to Armenia will likely boost the domestic economy, says Vilen
Khachatryan, a Doctor of Economics at the National Academy of
Sciences.

“When the oil price is up, it implies an increasing or increased flow
to Russia. In case the trend is sustained, the Rouble will gain value.
So from this point of view, it is possible to spend less Roubles for
purchasing Dollar, and that will positively impact Armenia’s economy,”
the economist told Tert.am, meantime ruling out the possibility of a
rapid effect.

As of Friday morning, the crude oil Brent future prices for March were
up by 0.95% to $57.11; the WTA future prices for the same period
showed an increase by 1.41% or $51.19.

Khachatryan also cited the Euro exchange rate as a possible reason of
the decline.

“The Rouble today is the world’s most highly devalued currency; while
all the other currencies lost value by 10%-20% in 2014, the Rouble
devaluation was down by over 40%,” the economist noted.

But he refrained from making any forecasts, considering it a bit unrealistic.

“This is a trend, so in case we take the time-based approach, the oil
prices start rising from February until March; that has been the case
in the past five years. But in order to make more or less justifiable
forecasts, we need the Rouble’s stabilization at a higher rate –
within the range of 60-65 Roubles per one Dollar,” Khachatryan added.

Many experts believe that the current surge bears a temporary
character. “The decline in the oil value is said to be due to the
reported oil reserves and supplies in the United States. “The battle
between oil bulls and bears will likely continue tonight when the US
weekly drilling rig count numbers are released,” Nicholas Teo, a
market analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore, said Friday.

Daily Mail reveals Kim Kardashian’s Armenian family roots from Erzurum – Photos

11:16 * 07.02.15

The extraordinary escape from the ‘Armenian Genocide’ of Kim
Kardashian’s ancestors – thanks to a ‘prophet’ who urged them to
uproot to America – can be revealed today for the first time.

The Daily Mail has unearthed a treasure trove of images showing the
reality TV star’s ethnic Armenian forebears who fled the tsarist
Russian empire in the early 20th century, many of whom obeyed the
advice of the sage.

Known at the time as the Kardaschoffs, in Russian style, the family
made their way from their home village of Karakale in the late 19th
Century to German ports. From there, they travelled to a new life in
America on the passenger vessels SS Brandenberg and SS Koln.

By doing so, they escaped the triple horror of the First World War
from 1914-18, the ‘Armenian Genocide’ starting in 1915 – exactly a
century ago this year – and the Russian Revolution in 1917.

One hundred years after the deadly holocaust decimated their ancestral
home, the Kardashians have become one of the most influential families
in America.

The most famous of which is Kim who has chosen this year, on the
hundredth anniversary of the atrocity, to visit Armenia for the first
time.

But her lavish lifestyle, the expensive houses, an army of followers
who hang on her every tweet, the marriage to a musical superstar would
not exist if her ancestors had ignored the warning of a child
“prophet”.

Kim Kardashian’s great great grandparents Hovhannes Miroyan (left,
front row) and Luciag Chorbajian (second from left, front row) fled
Armenia in the early 1900s with their daughter Vartanoosh Miroyan

Haykaakan Zhamanak: Rouble slump challenge to Armenian manufacturers

08:45 * 07.02.15

The sharp devaluation of the Russian Rouble appears to be a serious
problem to the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EUU),
including Armenia.

The paper says that the problem has spurred interesting debates in
those countries.

While in Russia, Rouble lost its value twice, the decline is said to
be 20%-50% in the other EEU countries. This, according to the paper,
means that the cheap price is only due to currency fluctuations that
make Rouble competitive in the other member states of the economic
bloc. To restore the balance, the EEU countries have to either devalue
their own currency or use administrative leverages to ban the Russian
imports into their states, says the paper, adding Kazakhstan has
already made semi-officials proposals over the second option.

Numbeo: Azerbaijan is most expensive country in region according to
Consumer Price Index

13:00 07/02/2015 >> SOCIETY

In the “Cost of living index – 2015” compiled by the world’s largest
database “Numbeo”, Armenia was ranked as 102th in the consumer price
index (40.68) recognized as the cheapest country in the CIS after
Moldova, while Azerbaijan with the 59.13 index is on the 49th place
among 119 countries. The list is published on Numbeo’s website.

According to the rating, the most expensive countries in the world are
Switzerland (126.03), Norway (118.59) and Venezuela (111.01. Pakistan
(30.01), Nepal (28.85) and India (26.27) are on the last places.

Russia took the 43rd place in the ranking, Georgia (39.56) is on
107th, Iran (44.53) on 92nd and Turkey (49.55) on 79th.

The calculations of indexes presented on the site are done by
comparing the countries with New York, the index of which is 100.

Source: Panorama.am

U.S. envoy to Ankara: Full acknowledgement of facts on 1915 massacres
is in interest of Turkish and Armenian citizens

12:48 07/02/2015 >> POLITICS

In an interview with NTV, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass, among
other issues, spoke about the Armenian Genocide and the U.S.
participation in the Battle of Gallipoli centenary events.

According to Hurriyet Daily News, regarding the U.S. position on the
Armenian Genocide, Bass said: “I cannot speak to how the events will
be characterized in whatever the president or Congress chooses to say
on the anniversary, but, I can tell you that our policy hasn’t
changed. Our policy is that we believe that a full, frank and just
acknowledgement of the facts surrounding those terrible massacres and
tragedies in 1915 is in the interest of the citizens of Turkey, it is
in the interest of the citizens of Armenia and it is in the interest
of the descendants of people who suffered in that period.”

Regarding U.S. participation in the 100th anniversary of the Battle of
Gallipoli, he said: “It is too early to say how we will be represented
in Gallipoli. I would say, with respect to the timing of the
commemorations, you know there is so much depth of feeling and so much
suffering that occurred in 1915 among many populations that, I think,
from our perspective, we think that commemorations should occur in a
way that allows every community that suffered to commemorate the
events in a way and in a manner that is respectful of the dead and
that allows them in their own ways to acknowledge that suffering and
to commemorate their dead respectfully.”

From: Baghdasarian

Hraparak: Former minister received big loan for Nairit plant

12:11 07/02/2015 >> DAILY PRESS

Armenia’s former Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen
Movsisyan had received a big loan for the relaunch of Nairit chemical
plant. That sum, however, was misused, Hraparak reports, citing
sources.

“The loan, amounting to about 200 million drams, was wasted without an
audit. Attempts are being made again to get a loan, but this prospect
is unlikely,” the newspaper says.

Investigative Committee Has No Data On Permyakov’s Intellectual Disability

Lragir.am
Law – 07 February 2015, 12:20

To check possible relationship between the members of the Avetisyan
family and the accused Valery Permyakov in Russia it has been found
out that Hasmik and Aida Avetisyan and Araksya Poghosyan did not leave
Armenia since 2005, Seryozha and Armen Avetisyan regularly visited
Russia, namely Moscow, Krasnodar, Anapa, Sochi and Rostov. Works for
checking this version are underway, the Investigative Committee
informed.

To find out the trajectory of Permyakov’s movement on 12 January 2015,
the Investigative Committee’s officers have drafted a map with the
canine unit of the RA Police.

The results of these activities are being juxtaposed with the records
of telephones found on Valery Permyakov and the data of telephone
stations serving the territory to clarify the possible route of
Permyakov’s movement and to find overlaps.

As to rumors on Valery Permyakov’s intellectual disorder, the
Investigative Committee states that there is no such information in
the criminal case. In addition, the Investigative Committee has made
inquiries in Russia requesting records on his health, medical
examinations during his service and information on their results. As
soon as the requested records are received, a forensic examination
will be performed, the press office of the Investigative Committee
informed.

Secret Codes of Russian Weapons on Armenian Border

Lragir.am
Politics – 07 February 2015, 11:15

On February 5 Azerbaijan kept the border villages of Tavush region
under intensive firing all night, killing one civilian. On that day,
Nikolay Bordyuzha, secretary general of CSTO, the military and
political alliance which is supposed to ensure the security of
Armenia, was in Yerevan.

It seems to be a rule: whenever Bordyuzha visits Armenia for one
reason or another, Azerbaijan causes escalation at the border villages
of Tavush region.

A few days before his arrival Borduzha announced that CSTO will not
interfere in Armenian-Azerbaijani escalations. It is but a direct
approval for Azerbaijan to fire, and Azerbaijan is using this approval
at full.

However, there is one interesting circumstance.

Almost every time Bordyuzha visits Armenia, Azerbaijan causes
escalation in Tavush. It is not ruled out that this is regulated
through codes. It is possible that Bordyuzha possesses certain codes
which activate Azerbaijani arms that start shooting at Armenia.

Ashot Manucharyan, member of Karabakh Committee, announced a few
months ago that Russia sells weapons to Azerbaijan but keeps the codes
and those codes are used to manage or thwart operation of Azerbaijani
arms.

In fact, as soon as Bordyuzha arrives in Armenia, codes are
immediately activated in Azerbaijan in the direction of Tavush.
Therefore, Ashot Manucharyan should interfere to make sure that the
codes are reset and Russian codes direct Azerbaijani arsenal at
Azerbaijan, not us.

By the way, it is worth noting that before Bordyuzha’s arrival, in the
night of February 4, the Azerbaijanis shot at their own villages, and
on February 5, as soon as he arrived, the Azerbaijanis started firing
at the Armenian territories.

ARMENIE
>

Hayastani Hanarapetoutioun, Hayots Achkhar, 168 Jam, Haykakan Jamanak,
Joghovourd, Golos Arménii, Novoyé Vrémia, RFE/RL, la Radio Publique,
l’ensemble des chaînes de télévision et de nombreuses agences de
presse ont suivi la conférence de presse de l’Ambassadeur de France au
club de presse Media Center. De nombreuses questions portant sur les
relations franco-arméniennes et sur l’actualité régionale ont été
posées à l’Ambassadeur.

Voici les principaux thèmes évoqués :

Attentat contre Charlie Hebdo- Qualifiant .

le Sommet de Riga, qui réunira les dirigeants des pays de l’UE et du
Partenariat oriental pour définir les axes de coopération entre l’UE
et ses partenaires, dont l’Arménie. L’Ambassadeur n’a pas partagé le
point de vue selon lequel l’adhésion de l’Arménie à l’UEE aura un
impact négatif sur les relations entre l’UE et l’Arménie et sur les
échanges commerciaux entre l’Arménie et la France. Selon lui, bien que
les engagements économiques souscrits par l’Arménie auprès de l’UEE
soient assez larges, >. Le sommet de Riga devrait de ce
fait permettre de tracer l’avenir des relations entre l’Arménie et
l’UE.

la tenue à Erevan en automne 2015 de la conférence ministérielle de
la Francophonie. Ce sera la première fois qu’Erevan organisera un
événement d’une telle ampleur depuis son adhésion à l’OIF.

Coopération économique entre la France et l’Arménie- L’Ambassadeur a
évoqué le renforcement des échanges commerciaux entre les deux pays
comme l’une des principales priorités de sa mission, le niveau actuel
des échanges (50 millions d’euros) étant très modeste. Il a estimé
qu’il était nécessaire de mieux utiliser les outils à notre
disposition, à savoir la Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie
franco-arménienne en France, le Club d’affaires franco-arménien en
Arménie, le Fonds arménien de développement etc. Il a annoncé la
tenue, au mois de juin, d’une semaine économique française avec
l’agence > qui sera centrée sur deux thèmes
principaux : d’une part la mode, le design et le prêt-à-porter et,
d’autre part, les matériels viticoles, ce dernier sujet étant très
important aux yeux de l’ambassadeur alors que l’Arménie est un pays où
la viticulture est en expansion. L’Ambassadeur n’a pas exclu non plus
l’organisation d’un deuxième Forum économique franco-arménien au cours
de cette année. Ouverture du premier hypermarché de Carrefour en
Arménie- Selon l’Ambassadeur, le premier hypermarché de Carrefour en
Arménie devait ouvrir ses portes probablement en mars, les travaux
étant en phase d’achèvement. Il a rappelé la politique particulière de
Carrefour, à savoir accorder une importance particulière à la
production locale. Quant aux importations, il s’agit de produits
spécifiques du savoir-faire français.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIE-AZERBAÏDJAN
Selon l’expert en géostratégie Gaïdz Minassian, le groupe de Minsk de
l’OSCE pourrait durcir le ton envers l’Azerbaïdjan

Interrogé par le journal arménien > Gaïdz Minassian expert
en géostratégie estime que le Groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE a changé sa
stratégie envers l’Azerbaïdjan. > dit Gaïdz Minassian et d’ajouter >.

Krikor Amirzayan
samedi 7 février 2015,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com