Author: Andres-Papazian

VARDENIS-MARTAKERT: ROAD CONSTRUCTION SUPPORTED BY PAN-ARMENIAN CHARITY BOOSTS ECONOMIC LIFE IN ADJACENT COMMUNITIES

ECONOMY | 27.11.14 | 10:33

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

RELATED NEWS

Telethon 2014 to benefit construction of Vardenis-Martakert Highway

The construction of the strategic Vardenis-Martakert road linking
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, apart from providing an additional land
connection between the two Armenian republics, has also economically
boosted the towns and villages through which it is passing.

The project is being carried out due to means raised by the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund and today’s Telethon is also aimed at raising money
for the completion of the construction.

Of the $22 million raised by the Fund in 2013, $12 million were
allocated for the construction of the Vardenis-Martakert Highway, which
has a total length of about 116 kilometers and a width of ten meters,
seven of which will be comprised of asphalted surfaces. With funds
raised during the 2013 Telethon, the first phase of the project was
kicked off in early 2014 and is slated to be completed by year’s end.

“To date, crews have performed earthwork and installed all required
engineering systems and fittings including drainage grates and pipes,
embankments, crash barriers, and retaining walls. Crews have also
built or refurbished a total of 17 big and small bridges, including
abutments, along the route. Currently sidewalks are being built in
sections of the highway that pass through towns and villages,” the
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund said in a recent statement.

Close to 12 kilometers of the highway’s Vardenis-Karvachar segment
have already been asphalted. The next segment, up till Martakert,
is currently paved with gravel and is suitable for car traffic. With
proceeds from the 2014 Telethon, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
intends to complete the asphalting of the entire highway as well as
install all remaining safety and navigation components, including
traffic signs and lane marks.

Speaking at a gala organized as part of Telethon 24 in Los Angeles
on November 23, Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan described the
construction of the Vardenis-Martakert road as a project that has
a key strategic and social-economic significance for the entire
Armenian nation.

When completed, the highway will function as an additional lifeline
between Armenia and Artsakh, helping boost the economies and
specifically tourism industries of the twin republics, with the
22 large and small communities which dot the length of the highway
becoming the main beneficiaries of increased economic activity.

Volodya Khloyan, the mayor of the town of Vardenis in Armenia’s
Gegharkunik province, told ArmeniaNow that many local residents have
been engaged in the activities connected with the construction of
the road, which has boosted social and economic life of the community.

“The construction of the road is a welcome step. It also provides
people with jobs. The town is also becoming livelier in terms of
business. People come, they want to have land here for construction
of kiosks, recreational areas. This activity has been noticeable over
the past year,” Khlolyan said.

Six organizations which have won in corresponding tenders are
engaged in the construction of the entire road. It was decided to
engage Karabakh constructors in the process not only for solving the
problem of employment, but also for taxes to be paid to the budget
of Nagorno-Karabakh.

From: A. Papazian

LAWYER DEFENDING RIGHTS OF POLITICAL ACTIVISTS ARRESTED IN AZERBAIJAN

17:53 26/11/2014 ” POLITICS

Human rights activist Elchin Namazov is arrested for 15 days on
charges of not abidance to the police, his brother, Akram Namazov
told the Azerbaijani news agency “Turan” today.

As noted in the article, in the office of Elchin Namazov a search is
conducted and documents, including judicial records, are seized. He
is presented there as a defender.

“At the same time the detainee is kept in the General Directorate for
Combating Organized Crime at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and
no lawyer is allowed to see him. All this gives reason to believe
that law enforcement agencies may be preparing criminal charges
against him by the end of the period of administrative detention,”
the publication reads.

It is also noted that in the past Namazov has been a lawyer and there
were political activists among his clients.

In 2011, he was expelled from the Bar Association, when defending the
rights of Rufat Hajibeyli, young activist from “Musavat” party, who
was arrested for taking part in anti-governmental protest on Fountain
Square in Baku on 2 April of the same year. After that, Namazov was
engaged in human rights activities and was performing in the trials
of civil cases as a legal representative, the publication read.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN ECONOMISTS FORECAST HIGHER PRICE HIKE AHEAD OF CHRISTMAS

12:53 * 27.11.14

Against the backdrop of the floating exchange rate of the US Dollar,
the Armenian society is interested in possible New Year-Eve price
hikes.

With slightly a little more than a month left until the holidays,
people in Yerevan food stores are often seen discussing their New
Year shopping plans and asking salespersons about the expediency of
buying certain products in advance.

Speaking to Tert.am, economist Zoya Tadevosyan said she expects a hike
in the prices of absolutely all types of goods. “And the hike this time
will be not only due to the importers’ desire to secure more income
but because our economy is already starting to experience the impact
of exogenic shocks. Hence, under the influence of external factors,
we will see – or rather have already seen- the [Armenian] Dram lose
its value due to the devaluation of the Russian Rouble,” she explained.

According to Armen Poghosyan, President of the Association
of Consumers, the inflation started much earlier in Armenia which
annually imports $90 million worth food. The economist said he knows
that the prices of several food products, including nuts, meat, pastry,
buckwheat and even bakery have been going up in the recent months.

Chairman of the Armenian Agrarian Peasants’ Union Hrach Berberyan
forecasts a hike only in the prices of ham .

“Ham, as a part of pig’s body, may be more expensive, as our
population traditionally loves grilled ham, but the other parts, such
as shoulder-blade, won’t sell for more,” he told our correspondent,
ruling out a hike in the prices of pork.

Edward Kirakosyan, CEO of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen,
said he doesn’t expect an unprecedented hike this year. “The Russian
inflation wave has not reached us,” he said, admitting in the meantime
the national currency’s declining trends.

From: A. Papazian

NKR PRESIDENT VISITS WESTERN DIOCESE OF THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA

11:21, 27 Nov 2014

On 26 November Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s Great House of Cilicia and
met prelate of the Western Diocese Archbishop Moushegh Martirosyan,
members of the Diocese’s central executive and religious councils,
representatives of the local Armenian community.

The President rated high the role of the Great House of Cilicia in
strengthening the Motherland-Diaspora ties, solving pan-Armenian
issues and preserving the Armenian national identity, adding that
continuous assistance of the Diocese had always been felt in Artsakh.

Deputy prime-minister Arthur Aghabekyan, ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the USA Tigran Sargsyan,
and other officials partook in the event.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIAN EXPERT: FORMAT OF MILITARY-POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UNION WITH RUSSIA IS CONVENIENT FOR ENSURING ARMENIA’S MULTI-LEVEL SECURITY

by David Stepanyan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, November 26, 09:45

The format of military-political and economic union with Russia is
convenient for ensuring the multi-level security of Armenia given the
current regional and global threats, Dmitry Polikanov, Vice President
of the Russia-based PIR Center for International Studies, said at an
online press conference when replying to ArmInfo’s question.

“Armenia has always been an example of balanced policy. It has always
found solutions in the relations with Russia and the West, following
its national interests. It is clear that the accession to the Eurasian
Economic Union is a logical step, which has arisen from the CSTO
membership and long-term allied relations with Moscow”, he said.

Polikanov is convinced that Yerevan will take no steps by Moscow’s
instruction as a result of Armenia’s accession to the EAEU. In this
light, he pointed at the EAEU experience, which demonstrates that
both Belarus and Kazakhstan have a lot of possibilities and levers to
promote an interesting agenda. “I suppose Armenia will also have new
opportunities to ensure its security – both economic and military”,
said Polikanov.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIAN EXPERT: PROJECT OF UNBLOCKING OF ARMENIA STILL HAS ALL CHANCES TO SUCCEED

by David Stepanyan

Wednesday, November 26, 09:46

“I see no discrepancies between the signing of the Russian-Abkhazian
Treaty on Alliance and Strategic Partnership and the Russian
President’s statement on the need to rehabilitate the railway
communication with Armenia via launching the Abkhaz railway section,
Dmitry Polikanov, Vice President of the Russia-based PIR Center for
International Studies, said at today’s online press conference when
replying to ArmInfo’s question.

To note, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili came out with
a statement following the “strategic partnership” agreement signed
by Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Abkhazia Raul
Khadzhimba on Monday. “The so-called agreement ‘on alliance and
strategic partnership’ between the Russian Federation and the occupied
Abkhazia is a step towards annexation of Georgia’s territories. This
will make the situation in the South Caucasus even more complicate
and create an insuperable problem for Abkhazia,” Margvelashvili said
in the statement.

“The Kremlin is going to invest in Abkhazia’s development and at the
same time to solve other geopolitical problems, including establishment
of normal communication with its ally Armenia. One can understand
Georgia’s indignation, but that indignation is of no significance to
the real policy. It is simply very hard for the Georgian authorities
to put up with the fact of existence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
as separate entities. De facto they have been no Georgian territories
for a few decades already. They have their own power bodies, national
identity and economy”, said the Russian expert.

Polikanov pointed out that Tbilisi can certainly amuse itself with an
illusion under the guise of protection of territorial integrity but
Georgia has missed its chance to incorporate these territories. 6
years have passed since 2008 but Russia has no intention to annex
Abkhazia or South Ossetia. In this light, he thinks that the project
of unblocking of Armenia has all chances to succeed.

The 221km Abkhazian section of the railway extending from Psou
roadside stop (Abkhazia-Russia border) up to Ingur roadside stop
(Abkhazia-Georgia border) has been closed for Armenia and Georgia
since Aug 14 1992 after the railway bridge over the River of Ingur
(dividing Georgia from Abkhazia) was detonated. Therefore, the South
Caucasus Railway (SCR) under concession of the Russian Railways is
engaged in transportation of passengers and freight inside Armenia
and to Georgia via Poti and Batumi. Out of four locomotive changing
points of the SCR only one with Georgia (Ayrum-Sadakhlo) operates. The
other three: Akhuryan-Dogukapi (Turkey), Yeraskh- Velidag (Azerbaijan)
and Ijevan-Barkhudarli (Azerbaijan) have been idling since 1991.

From: A. Papazian

VIEWS FROM MOSCOW: RUSSIAN-ABKHAZIAN TREATY SHOT DOWN PROJECT OF RAILWAY TO ARMENIA VIA ABKHAZIA AND GEORGIA

by David Stepanyan

Wednesday, November 26, 09:48

The Russian-Abkhazian treaty has shot down the project of the railway
to Armenia via Abkhazia and Georgia, Andrei Yepifantsev, head of the
analytical bureau Alte Et Certe, told ArmInfo when commenting on the
latest Russian-Akhazia strategic treaty.

In this light, Yepifantsev was outraged at Vladimir Putin’s statement
on the need to reactivate the railway to Armenia via Abkhazia and
Georgia. “Abkhazia refused from that project avoiding resumption of
the political contacts with Georgia. They did not need the railway
economically as Russia fed them and they did not need to work,”
he said.

Meanwhile, the expert said, Georgia needed the project depoliticized.

What Tbilisi would face in case the project was launched is a severe
economic shock from Azerbaijan, the country Georgia greatly depends
on. This would result in gas, petrol price hike. In such situation,
only with Russia’s political concessions on the breakaway territories
it would be possible to explain the Georgian people that the railway
was necessary. “Actually, the treaty improving Abkhazia’s state bears
relation also to Georgia. It conserves the Abkhazian ethnic project
in its current form that is at odds with reality,” he said.

Yepifantsev thinks the chances that Abkhazia will return to Georgia
on its own, if there were such, now seem as never obscure for the
Georgian people. Consequently, Georgia’s agreement for the railways is
obscure too. It is a simple dilemma: either you strengthen Abkhazia’s
sovereignty and get its agreement for the railway, with no chances for
Georgia’s consent, or you curtsey to Georgia and feed it with hopes
for Abkhazia’s return, and in that case Abkhazia will not let you make
the railway. Before the treaty, there was a chance to get the golden
mean,” he said. Generally, Yepifantsev harshly criticizes the project,
as it does not meet Russia’s interest while creating more expenses on
Abkhazia. In the meantime, Russia’s initial version of the treaty was
quite interesting and admissible, as it implied partial integration
of Abkhazia into Russia, something Russia could pay for.

However, the Abkhazian parliament removed its responsibilities from
the Russian version of the treaty and left only Russia’s commitments
to support Abkhazia, the expert said.

The 221km Abkhazian section of the railway extending from Psou
roadside stop (Abkhazia-Russia border) up to Ingur roadside stop
(Abkhazia-Georgia border) has been closed for Armenia and Georgia
since Aug 14 1992 after the railway bridge over the River of Ingur
(dividing Georgia from Abkhazia) was detonated. Therefore, the South
Caucasus Railway (SCR) under concession of the Russian Railways is
engaged in transportation of passengers and freight inside Armenia
and to Georgia via Poti and Batumi. Out of four locomotive changing
points of the SCR only one with Georgia (Ayrum-Sadakhlo) operates. The
other three: Akhuryan-Dogukapi (Turkey), Yeraskh- Velidag (Azerbaijan)
and Ijevan-Barkhudarli (Azerbaijan) have been idling since 1991.

From: A. Papazian

GOLOS ARMENIYI – FIVE MILLION PAIRS OF SHOES CAN BE MANUFACTURED IN ARMENIA PER YEAR

YEREVAN, November 25. /ARKA/. Armenia can bring its footwear industry
output up to 5 million pairs per year, Golos Armeniyi newspaper says.

The country has large footwear manufacturing capacities (Yerevan
leather Plant is the biggest), and if they are used, the output may
reach 5 million per year, still far from 18 million pairs produced
in 1990, the newspaper says referring to Armen Yeganyan, the head of
industrial policies department at Armenia’s ministry of economy.

The problem is to provide the national footwear sector with
good-quality leather supplies and to ensure the entire chain, from
proper cattle housing conditions to civilized slaughtering, from
training professional fashion designers to showcasing products at
foreign target markets, he said.

Some five up-to-standard slaughteries are currently built in Armenia
as part of cooperation between the ministry of economy and the
ministry of agriculture. Apart from this, the government Industrial
Development Fund provides co-financing for companies to participate
in international exhibitions, for their certification, and etc.

“The same can be said about the textile industry, and we are preparing
to participate in an Armenian fashion event in Moscow to showcase
our models and to promote the demand. We need to just work hard…”,
Yeganyan said.

According to Armenia’s Union of Local Manufacturers, a total of about
4,000 tons of leather is imported to the country every year. -0–

From: A. Papazian

US STATE DEPARTMENT: HELICOPTER DOWNING UNDERSCORES THE NEED TO FIND A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

13:16, 25 Nov 2014

The November 12th downing of the military helicopter and the subsequent
violence underscores once again the need to find a peaceful resolution
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Jeff Rathke, Director of the Press
Office of the US Department of State, told a daily briefing.

“We urge all sides to show restraint and avoid actions that would
increase tensions along the line of contact. And we also urge the
sides to refocus their efforts to negotiate a peaceful and lasting
settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As a co-chair of the
Minsk Group, the United States remains ready to assist,” he said.

As for the fact that the OSCE monitors have still been unable to
visit the helicopter crash site, Rathke said: “We do understand that
an OSCE representative may have been refused access to the site. We
would refer you to them for further details, but clearly, we see a
need to find a peaceful resolution in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

From: A. Papazian

L’ARMENIE ENREGISTRE UNE CROISSANCE DE 34,5% DE SA PRODUCTION DE TABAC

ARMENIE

La production de l’industrie du tabac s’est eleve a 34,52 milliards
de drams en Armenie entre Janvier et Juillet de cette annee, soit
une augmentation de 34,5% par rapport a la meme periode de 2013,
rapporte le Service national des statistiques.

La production de tabac a represente environ 7,7% de l’industrie du
traitement sur l’ensemble de la periode.

Selon les statistiques, un total de 6,623 milliards de cigarettes a
ete produit dans le pays entre Janvier et Juillet 2014, soit une
augmentation de 62,8% par rapport a la meme periode de l’annee
precedente.

mardi 25 novembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian