Author: Andres-Papazian

Aznavour calls on Senators to vote for Genocide bill

armradio.am
04.05.2011 16:27

Singer Charles Aznavour has called on French legislators to vote for
the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

“Nobody could stop the process of annihilation of the Armenian
population of Turkey. Let this bill at least serve as a means to
prevent the denial, while we are still at peace,’ the singer wrote in
an article published in daily Liberation.

Today the Senate reviews the law punishing the denial of Armenian
genocide that has already been passed by the National Assembly.

From: A. Papazian

Tigran Sargsyan: students paying for their grades guilty of promoting
corruption

May 4, 2011 – 14:35 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

On May 4, Yerevan State University (YSU) hosted another meeting
between the University students and Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan. The effectiveness of an anti-corruption struggle was on
discussion agenda.

The Prime Minister urged to intensify anti-corruption struggle, noting
that the students who’re ready to pay for his grade instead of
studying for it are themselves to blame for promoting corruption.

The YSU students’ council members, in turn, shared their approach to
reducing corruption at universities by introducing amendments to HR
policy as well as improving student – professor relations.

From: A. Papazian

Expert: Azerbaijan is nest of Al-Qaeda in South Caucasus

May 4, 2011 – 14:36 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Political analyst Sergey Shakaryants said that modern Azerbaijan is
not anyhow inferior to Al-Qaeda terrorist organization.

Azerbaijan has been implementing a state terror in the South Caucasus
since 1988, as a result of which three Artsakh servicemen were killed
recently at the line of contact between the NKR and Azerbaijani armed
forces, Shakaryants told a press conference in Yerevan.

According to him, Azerbaijan is a nest of Al-Qaeda in South Caucasus.

Shakaryants added that the Armenian sides have the right to terminate
the negotiations and set a condition before the OSCE Minsk Group that
it prevents Aliyev from provocative actions.

`It is high time for mediators to deal with terrorist Azerbaijan,
telling it that if Baku continues acting the same way, the Armenian
side may act in compliance with the 1994 principle – kill 10
Azerbaijanis in response to any Armenian victim,’ he concluded.

From: A. Papazian

Sevag Balıkçı killed because of commanders’ negligence?

May 4, 2011 – 15:37 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Sevag Å?ahin Balıkçı, 25, of Armenian descent, was killed in a Turkish
military unit on April 24, 2011. As Turkish media reports, the
Armenian was killed after the gunshot wound he received while playing
a practical joke with his co-serviceman.

Recently, new details of his death were revealed. On the day of
Balıkçı’s death, an order was given to fence the military unit he
served at with a barbed wire.

Usually, the fencing is preceded by the soldiers’ unloading their
weapons under the commander’s supervision. However, on April 24, none
of the commanders made sure the weapons were unloaded. Kivanc Agaoglu
claims to inadvertently have pressed the trigger and killed Sevag.
Agaoglu was taken under arrest, ermenihaber.am reported.

From: A. Papazian

A literary-creative competition headed under the title `I am your son,
Armenia’ is organized

04.05.2011 | 12:51 | | Noyan Tapan | Press release

(Noyan Tapan – 04.05.2011) Avetiq Isahakyan Central Library of Yerevan
City Hall organizes a literary-creative competition with the title `I
am your son, Armenia’ dedicated to the 20th anniversary of RA
Independence. 16-25-year-old citizens of RA, who are not a member of
the Writers’ Union of Armenia, can take part in this competition.

For participation in the competition one should present till 5 works
which can be either poetry or prose.

Works should be represented without a signature (in an attached and
closed envelope the author’s surname, name, address and telephone
number should be written).

Works are received in the department of events and Public affairs of
Av. Isahakyan Central Library till September 1, 2011. The results of
the competition will be known during the events dedicated to the 20th
anniversary of RA independence.

1st, 2nd, 3rd class Diplomas and presents will be given to the
participants of the competition.

The directorate of Avetiq Isahakyan Library informed Noyan Tapan about this.

From: A. Papazian

The Ambassador Murad Muradyan informed the president of the parliament
of Iraq that the president of RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan
invited him to visit Armenia

04.05.2011 | 12:28 | | Noyan Tapan | Politics

(Noyan Tapan – 04.05.2011) As the department of press, information and
public affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed `Noyan
Tapan’, during the last week of April the Armenian ambassador had a
lot of meetings in Iraq.

First of all, Murad Muradyan met the president of the parliament of
Iraq Usama Abdu’l Aziz al-Nujayf. During the conversation the sides
noted the long- lasting friendship between the two countries and
discussed the inter-parliamentary relations, their development.

The president of the parliament highly appreciated the role of
Armenians of Iraq in the life of the country, their active
participation in science, medicine, culture, education, economic and
other fields, which was a good base for developing and deepening the
political, economical and cultural relations between Iraq and Armenia.

The Ambassador Muradyan informed the president of the parliament of
Iraq that the president of Ra National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan
invited him to Armenia. The Ambassador hoped that the mutual visits
would be a new stimulus for development of relations. He also informed
that RA National Assembly formed Armenian-Iraqi inter-parliamentary
group and hoped that soon the parliament of Iraq would also form such
a group.

The Ambassador Muradyan met the Minster of High Education of Iraq Ali
M. Al-Adeeb. During the meeting they discussed the development of high
education between the two countries, as well as some problems
referring to the Ministry of High Education of Iraq.

The Ambassador noted that the opportunity of the students of Iraq to
study in the universities of Armenia, especially in those universities
where the classes are in English.

The Ambassador Muradyan together with the leader of Iraq diocese
Asaturyan met the leaders and the representatives of the Armenian
national chief departments in Baghdad. He spoke about the relations
between Armenia and Diaspora, the problem of Nagorno Karabagh and
Armenia-Turkey relations.

He hoped that Armenians of Iraq supported by the Embassy will take
part in the events held in Armenia during the year.

From: A. Papazian

IMF says Armenia’s foreign funding and domestic credit pick up, and
nonperforming loans decline

YEREVAN, May 4. / ARKA /. Strong post-crisis recovery in the Caucasus
and Central Asia (CCA) region is expected to continue in 2011,
although at a somewhat slower pace than in 2010, the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its Regional Economic Outlook for Caucasus
and Central Asia released Tuesday.

Restoring banking system health remains a key priority for the region,
the report says. It says in Armenia banks’ profitability is
recovering, foreign funding and domestic credit have picked up, and
nonperforming loans have declined, the report says.

According to the report, average growth across the region this year is
expected to remain strong, at just below 6 percent, compared with 6½
percent last year. Growth will continue to be driven by positive
external factors – high commodity prices, the pickup in Russia, and
strong growth in China.

The report says also the headline inflation has sharply risen in the
CCA, as in other parts of the world Consumer price inflation in the
region reached 11 percent on average in February, up from about 6
percent a year ago. This can be explained mainly by the rising cost of
food, which makes up more than 50 percent of consumption baskets in
the region.

The report says with global food and fuel prices expected to rise by a
further 15-18 percent in 2011, inflationary pressures are projected to
continue, with headline inflation rising further in the months ahead.

Experience suggests that higher food and fuel prices will eventually
pass through into general price inflation, if governments and central
banks do not respond. Central banks are already tightening monetary
policy, and may need to do so more forcefully to contain inflation.
And fiscal policy needs to remain prudent and support
anti-inflationary efforts

In Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan, where the share of
nonperforming loans remains particularly high, authorities will need
to put in place comprehensive resolution strategies. Greater
competition would also help develop stronger banking systems, most
notably in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, where directed
lending continues to crowd out development of credit to the private
sector. Dollarization, which rose with the crisis, remains a risk, and
supervisors need greater autonomy, independence, and legal protection
to do their jobs properly.

The report recommends that, over the long term, the region’s
policymakers should seek to create jobs and reduce poverty by working
toward: developing adequate safety nets; increasing the role of the
private sector; diversifying economies away from natural resources;
achieving greater regional synergies; and improving the business
environment through enhanced transparency, governance and
institutional quality.

According to 2011 Armenian budget, the economy is expected to grow by
4.6% and the inflation is expected to vary between 4% (±1.5%). -0-

From: A. Papazian

Hail-caused multibillion damages require upgrading of special systems:
Arthur Baghdasarian

YEREVAN, May 4. / ARKA /. The secretary of Armenia’s National Security
Council, Arthur Baghdasarian, said today huge damages caused to
Armenian agriculture by heavy rains, hails and spring frosts every
year require that `we pay greater attention to upgrading and
re-equipment of special systems designed to mitigate the impact of
atmospheric precipitations on crops.’ He was speaking during a
discussion on the results of the system’s review.

In 2010 president Serzh Sargsyan approved a special concept on active
impact on atmosphere and atmospheric precipitations. In accordance
with this document and a plan of actions the National Security Council
had carried out a review of this sector.

According to Baghdasarian, in 2009 the damages caused by rains,
floods, spring frost and hails amounted to 1.9 billion Drams. In 2001
the figure rose to 4.2 billion Drams.

`This is quite a large amount. If we look into annual dynamic we shall
see that over the last 10 years our agriculture has suffered 30-40
billion Drams worth damages, largely due to absence of effective
systems to fight dangerous atmospheric phenomena,’ he said.

He recalled that during the Soviet times there were 12 operating radar
stations backing up the work of antihail stations. Today, he said,
there are only 2 radar stations. He said the results of the review
show that the government should work out an effective system of
affecting atmospheric phenomena and a clear-cut plan of actions for
2011-2015.

`The studies have revealed that we lack a single registry and database
about regions hit by hails most. We suggest that modern technology be
used to learn international experience and introduce it in our
country,’ Baghdasarian said.

He also proposed that a special training course be created at the
Emergency Management Academy to train and re-train personnel.
Baghdasarian said based on the findings of the review the National
Security Council will ask the president to sign a decree to order
implementation of these tasks. He said this will help solve the
problems as soon as possible and secure, in case of need, government
financing. -0-

From: A. Papazian

Areximbank-Gazprombank group receives 500 applications for one-time
student stipends

YEREVAN, May 4. / ARKA /. Areximbank-Gazprombank Group said today it
has short-listed 30 participants of the second competition announced
for Armenian students wishing to win one of its one-time stipends. The
offer is part of a special program called `For All Country and for
Interest of Each Student.
‘
The bank said in a press release it has received 500 electronic
applications from students majoring both at state-run and private
universities. Thirty applicants have been selected by a scoring system
and by a special commission in several categories like excellent
academic progress, public activity and social status. The competition
was announced on March 9 and ran through April 30 for fifth -year
students as well as for second-fourth year bachelors and students
seeking master’s degree from state-run and private universities.

The main goal of this special offer is to help young students who are
demonstrating not only excellent academic achievements but who are
also active in public and research areas, Alexander Hakobian, head of
the bank’s division in charge of clientele base and marketing, was
quoted as saying.

The 30 short-listed students will be interviewed by bank’s experts and
winners of the previous similar competition held in 2010 to determine
25 beneficiaries and the winner of the main prize. Their names will be
placed on the bank’s official website on June 2. The amount of
one-time stipend is from 40, 000 to 300, 000 Drams. The 300,000 Dram
stipend will be awarded to only one applicant.

In 2010 some 500 students took part in the first competition. The main
prize of 400,000 Drams was awarded to Anush Martirosian, a student of
Yerevan State University.

Areximbank-Gazprombank Group (formerly Areximbank) was established in
1998 to handle financial flows between Armenia and Russia. It is a
principled member of VISA International and MasterCard International
payment systems. In 2007 it joined Armenian ArCa payment system. The
bank is owned fully by Russian Gazprombank. It has 6 branches in
Yerevan and 9 in regions.

According to ARKA data, as of March 31, 2011 the bank’s assets stood
at 80.7 billion Drams, liabilities at 65.7 billion Drams, total
capital rose to 15.1 billion Drams, the authorized capital stood at
12.3 billion Drams, the outstanding credit portfolio stood at 55.4
billion Drams deposits at 33.9 billion Drams. In the first quarter of
2011 the bank earned 194.9 million Drams in net profits. ($1- 371.82
Drams). -0-

From: A. Papazian

New software allows Armenian businessmen to receive online data about
their businesses

YEREVAN, May 4, /ARKA/. Introduction of a new software at the State
Revenue Committee (SRC) will allow Armenian businessmen to receive
online data about the status of their businesses through special
codes, according to a press release of the SRC. The new software
offers improved online contacts between taxpayers and taxation
authorities.

SRC chairman Gagik Khachatrian who met with heads of local commercial
banks, was quoted as saying that a total of 118 measures are planned
to be implemented as part of customs and tax reforms, including
introduction of a new service format in taxation area ensuring online
communication between taxpayers and tax authorities. In his words,
about 90% of all operations are performed electronically.

Ashot Osipyan, chairman of the Union of Armenian Banks, said local
banks are well aware about the advantages of online communications
because they submit their tax reports electronically.

According to the press release, bankers spoke about legislative
problems impeding business development and suggested possible ways of
their solutions.

According to SRC data, Armenian commercial banks are one of the
largest corporate taxpayers. In 2010 they paid a total of 12.9 billion
Drams in taxes. ($1 – 371.82 Drams) -0-

From: A. Papazian