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TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL: ARMENIA RANKS 120TH BY CORRUPTION PERCEPTIONS INDEX

ArmInfo
2009-11-17 19:37:00

ArmInfo. Armenia ranks the 120th in the annual Global Corruption
Report 2009 of Transparency International, Corruption Perceptions
Index (CPI). This year Armenia’s index dropped by 0.2 point, making
2.7 points. Georgia ranks the 66th (4.1 points), and Azerbaijan ranks
the 143rd (2.3 points).

The lowest indices testifying the high corruption rate are registered
in Somali, Afghanistan, Myanmar, while the highest index is in New
Zealand, Denmark, Singapore.

In the Report for 2009 published i Berlin on Nov 17, Transparency
International experts assess the level of corruption in 180 countries
on a 10-point scale (0 means total corruptness, 10 means practically
complete lack of corruption).

VIVACELL-MTS AND GNC-ALFA SIGNED AGREEMENT ON ACQUISITION OF OPTICAL DARK CABLES

ArmInfo
2009-11-17 18:31:00

ArmInfo. VivaCell-MTS, the subsidiary of Mobile TeleSystems OJSC,
and GNC-Alfa CJSC signed an agreement that will allow VivaCell-MTS
building of an own high-speed, fiber-optic backbone network. Under
this contract, VivaCell-MTS will acquire the optical dark fibers
in GNC-Alfa’s Fiber Optic Cable system laid between Yerevan and
Armenian-Iranian border.

The GNC-Alfa’s Fiber Optic Network Cable is interconnected to
Iran’s long-distance fiber- optic network and is providing further
access to the worldwide telecommunications networks. Thanks to
the agreement VivaCell-MTS will have an independent and reliable
nationwide network having international access for voice and high
speed data and Internet services. GNC-Alfa will provide operation
and maintenance of the acquired fibers. The high-speed, fiber-optic
network will provide Armenia with high digital communications online
speeds. Higher education and R&D institutions may use the system
for educational and research purposes. It has a big potential for
increasing international collaboration and sharing resources.

"In Europe and the Western hepisphere optical fiber channels have
become widespread in the telecom networks and transfom companies to
cutting-edge technology players. VivaCell- MTS’ own fiber optical
network will provide high-bandwidth access for Armenia. Yerevan and
major cities will be put directly on line with Middle East, Far East,
Europe and the rest of the world. The fiber optic network will offer
new services," said VivaCell-MTS General Manager.

VivaCell-MTS (K-Telecom CJSC) is the leading Armenian mobile operator,
providing a wide range of Voice and Data services. Since its launch
on 1st July 2005, in a short period of time VivaCell-MTS has managed
to build a nationwide network and a considerable customer base.

VivaCell-MTS drives the development and offering of innovative mobile
communications products, services and features in the Armenian mobile
communications market. For more information, visit
Mobile TeleSystems OJSC ("MTS") is the largest mobile phone operator
in Russia and the CIS. Together with its subsidiaries, the Company
services over 96.68 million subscribers. The regions of Russia, as
well as Armenia, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan, in
which MTS and its associates and subsidiaries are licensed to provide
GSM services, have a total population of more than 230 million. Since
June 2000, MTS’ Level 3 ADRs have been listed on the New York Stock
Exchange (ticker symbol MBT). Additional information about MTS can
be found at

GNC-Alfa is a licensed network services operator in Armenia. Its
network is based on Fiber-Optic Cable (FOC) infrastructure and
designed to satisfy growing needs of fixed and mobile operators,
Internet Service Providers and large enterprises in transport network
services and high speed Internet. The Southern Segment of our network
between Yerevan and Armenia-Iran border has been put into operation
in September 2009. The Network is interconnected with the FOC in Iran
having access to the worldwide telecommunications networks.

Construction of the Northern Segment between Yerevan and
Armenia-Georgia border is in progress. In the North, the Network will
be interconnected at least with two FOC systems in Georgia providing
high-capacity transit services via Armenia. Within Armenia, the
Network will be extended to the main towns of the country. The goal
of our company is to become a major Fiber Optic Backbone operator
in Armenia. Our personnel is comprised of qualified telecom experts
with sophisticated know-how in FO network operations and services
provision. Additional information about GNC-Alfa can be found at

SCPEC INITIATES ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS AGAINST 19 MEDICINE COMPANIES

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.11.2009 12:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The State Committee for Protection of Economic
Competition of the Republic of Armenia will initiate administrative
proceedings against 19 medicine companies over ungrounded rise in
prices for cardiovascular, antiviral and antidiabetic medicine.

"Monitoring of the medicine market will be consistent," SCPEC chairman
Davit Harutyunyan said, adding that similar problem exists in Russia
as well.

"After a thorough research, the committee will submit relevant
recommendations to the government," he said.

3 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN ARMENIA

news.am
Nov 16 2009
Armenia

18:39 / 11/16/2009According to official data, as of October 1, 2009 the
population of Armenia consists of more than 3 million people. A total
of 3.245.900 people lives in Armenia which is 10.900 more compared with
the same period last year, RA National Statistical Service reports.

At that, the number of urbans is 2.079.400 people, whereas
countrymen-1.166.500. Officially, the populace of Yerevan officially
is 1.115.800.

ARMENIAN CHURCH TO BE BUILT ON JORDAN RIVERSIDE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.11.2009 16:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An Armenian Church will be built on Jordan
riverside. Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian Patriarch of
Jerusalem, laid the cornerstone for new church, which will be named
St. Karapet Church.

SOCIETY TREATS ART AS SOMETHING USELESS, VAHE ARSEN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.11.2009 17:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Each author needs advertising, and awards and bonuses
are a specific kind of advertisement. But it is necessary to bear in
mind that awards are also means for encouraging a writer, Professor,
Doctor of Philology David Gasparyan told today journalists.

Present at the meeting was also Vahe Arsen. Both guests pointed out
to Armenian society’s indifference to art, particularly literature. "I
have written two big books about Aksel Bakunts and Yeghishe Charents,
perfectly realizing society’s indifference," Gasparyan noted. Society
currently treats art as something useless, Vahe Arsen finds.

Guests also agreed that people in Armenia do not have serious approach
to the sphere. "We must establish an institute of criticism. And
organizational issues should be tackled by the state. Government
should be interested in what society reads. Whereas, everything here
is maintained by pure enthusiasm," the poet noted.

Each author needs recognition and awards. It’s a different matter
when the writer himself refuses the award," Vahe Arsen told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. "We are facing the problem of making proper
distribution of values, but our society is not ready for that. There
are talented writers, and there are awards. It is just necessary to
bring them together," Gasparyan said in conclusion.

IRAN’S NUCLEAR POWER PLANT NOT TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2009

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.11.2009 18:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Nuclear Power Plant of Bushehr, Iran, will
not be launched in 2009, said RF Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko. "We
anticipate serious results by year end, however, plant is not expected
to be launched by that time. Iran positively assesses activities of
RF. Iranians see how the project works. There are no questions in
that regard," Interfax quotes him as saying.

"Russia, as before, is convinced of fulfilling all its commitments to
Iran," Minister said. "Construction work in Budapest is in satisfactory
state." Moscow and Tehran do not yet consider terms for launching the
plant, as that is conditioned by technical conditions," Shmatko said.

"Bushehr" Nuclear Power Plant (100 MW) is the main target
of Russian-Iranian trade-economic cooperation. Its construction
(launched back in 1970) is carried out by Atomstroyexport CJSC. In
February 2009, Rosatom Director Sergei Kirienko said the plant might
be technically launched by the end of current year. Later, however,
Moscow announced it wasn’t making haste considering the need for
"observing time-limits as well as security and reliability terms".

Ali Akbar Salehi, Director of Iran’s Atomic Enrgy Organization,
refrained from specifying time-limits back in September. Main
equipments are installed but terms of launching plant depend on test
work, he said

DELAY IN PROTOCOLS RATIFICATION PROCESS BY TURKEY IS NORMAL OCCURRENCE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.11.2009 11:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Normalization of the Armenia-Turkey relations without
progress in the Karabakh settlement can harm Ankara’s relations with
Baku, states the report of Chatham House "Turkey, Russia and the
Caucasus: the common and conflicting interests".

According to the report, the war in August of 2008 adversely affected
the Armenian economy and therefore opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border, closed by Turkey in 1993, may be useful either for Armenia
or Georgia.

Chatham House believes that Turkey put forward preconditions for
Armenia to open the border: abandoning international recognition
of the Armenian Genocide and settlement of the Karabakh conflict on
terms favorable to Azerbaijan.

"After the August events Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan initiated
the start of "football diplomacy", resulted in signed protocols on
the establishment of the Armenia-Turkey diplomatic relations. This
initiative, contrary to some expectations, did not lead to Moscow’s
resistance, " the report said.

The report focuses also on Russian-Turkish relations. "Moscow supports
the Kurds and the Turks of Cyprus, where Russia can create an offshore
zone. British experts believe that the Russian-Turkish relations
correspond to overall political picture of the region.

According to Chatham House, despite current concerns, normalization
of Armenia-Turkey relations would unlikely lead to the weakening of
relations between Russia and Armenia, and on the other hand, cooling
of relations between Ankara and Baku.

British experts treated as normal the delay caused by Turkey of
the ratification of Armenian-Turkish Protocols. "Delays could have
serious consequences, since the Armenian authorities threatened to
abandon the process of reconciliation, if the protocol ratification
process is delayed," the report of Chatham House says.

ARMENIA WILL BE PRESSURED TO RETURN LAND AROUND KARABAKH – GERMAN EXPERT

news.az
Nov 16 2009
azerbaijan

Alexander Rahr Alexander Rahr, programme director for Russia-Eurasia
at the German Council on Foreign Relations, expects the European
Union to become more active in the South Caucasus.

Over the next six months the European Union will be preoccupied with
its own internal affairs, Rahr said in an interview with Armenian news
agency Arminfo. It will introduce the post of EU foreign minister,
which will have huge powers, particularly in resolving territorial
conflicts like the one in Nagorno-Karabakh, he said.

Rahr said that the EU foreign minister will have staff and an office
and some special representatives will probably be changed. "I do not
expect any rapid or drastic changes, but European foreign policy will
target the South Caucasus because the EU understands that a result
of the Russian-Georgian conflict is it was able as an institution to
enter the Caucasus and gain a firm foothold in Georgia. Now the EU
will try to do the same in Armenia and Azerbaijan."

It seems that the EU is not sure what to do with the upper hand it
has gained in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Rahr said. "Maybe,
and this is just my own speculation, Armenia will come under pressure
to return to Azerbaijan the territories around Nagorno-Karabakh and at
the same time a clearer status will be given to the Nagorno-Karabakh
republic itself, and opportunities will be found to resolve
peacekeeping issues, maybe through some European troops."

IRANIAN ARMENIAN SWIMMERS TAKE PART IN ASIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP IN IRANIAN NATIONAL TEAM

Noyan Tapan
Nov 16, 2009

TEHRAN, NOVEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Iranian Armenian
swimmers Emin Novshadi and Gamer Dilanchian took part in the Asian
Swimming third round competitions in the Iranian national team
consisting of 6 swimmers.

According to the Alik daily, the Iranian national team won a silver
medal in the 4×100 meters free-style competitions. In the 100 meters
butterfly style Emin Novshadi improved Iran’s former points.

Iranian swimmers won two gold, one silver and one bronze medal.