Author: Andres-Papazian

SYRIA’S HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTER TO VISIT ARMENIA

armradio.am
03.03.2011 17:16

Armenian Ambassador to Syria Arsahak Poladyan had a meeting with
Ghiath Barakat, Syrian Minister of Higher Education.

During the meeting Ambassador Poladyan conveyed to Minister Barakat
the invitation of the Armenian Minister of Education and Science,
Armen Ashotyan. According to a preliminary agreement, the visit will
take place at the end of May or during the first week of June.

The interlocutors discussed a broad framework of issues related to
the further development of cooperation between the two countries in
the field of education and science.

From: A. Papazian

THE ISLAMIC FACTOR GAINING STRENGTH IN AZERBAIJAN
Sona Hakobyan

“Radiolur”
03.03.2011 17:38

The Wall Street Journal has recently published the Revolting Index of
85 countries, where our neighbor Azerbaijan ranks 10th, while Armenia
is not included in the list.

Director of the Noravank Foundation Gagik Harutyunyan considers
that this is just a technical issue, while Director of the Oriental
Studies Institute Ruben Safrastyan says Armenia was left out of the
list intentionally.

According to Safrastyan, Azerbaijan appeared in the top ten, since
besides the political and social problems, the Islamic factor is also
gaining strength there with the support of radicalist forces financed
from the abroad.

Safrastyan notes that there is nothing of the kind in Armenia.

According to him, the pro-Russian policy of Azerbaijani authorities
over the past few years has also played a role here.

The foreign policy of Armenia is clearer and more predictable than
that of Georgia and Azerbaijan, he stated, adding that the subjective
factors should not be ignored, either.

From: A. Papazian

PREMIER INSTRUCTS CHIEF OF POLICE TO LAUNCH INTERNAL INVESTIGATION INTO THURSDAY’S CLASH

Tert.am
03.03.11

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has asked the chief of Armenian Police
to launch an internal investigation into the Thursday incident on the
Republican Square, the head of Heritage party faction in parliament
told Tert.am.

Stepan Safaryan said the prime minister gave the instruction to
Alik Sargsyan at a meeting with him and Heritage faction member
Armen Martirosyan.

Earlier on Thursday, several policemen outside the Government Building
came into a clash with MPs from the Heritage party and a crowd of
people protesting the municipality’s recent decision to ban street
vending. Upon the premier’s request, the investigation results will
be posted on the police website later in the day.

“We’ll have more proposals thereafter. The prime minister is willing to
receive us and have a discussion over those proposals,” Safaryan said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT RELIEVES CONSTRUCTORS FROM BUREAUCRATIC DELAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 3, 2011 – 14:11 AMT 10:11 GMT

During the March 3 sitting, the Armenian government simplified
the procedure for obtainment of permissions by constructors, thus,
relaxing the entire process of construction organization.

Armenian Minister of Urban Development Vardan Vardanyan said that the
governmental decision aims to simplify urban development procedures,
reduce the terms for permissions obtainment by constructors, as well
as improve Armenia’s index in Doing Business World Bank’s report.

“The project refers to all problems faced earlier by constructors,”
he said.

Besides, according to Vardanyan, the governmental decision will allow
tackling corruption risks.

During the governmental sitting Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan attached importance to simplification of the procedure for
construction organization by Armenian citizens, the cost of which
totaled AMD 1mln earlier.

According to him, under the simplified procedure, the process of
construction organization will take Armenian citizens 27 days instead
of previous 137 days. Besides, the number of procedures related to
construction organization will be cut from the current 20 to 7.

From: A. Papazian

1.9% INFLATION RATE RECORDED IN ARMENIA’S CONSUMER MARKET IN FEB 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 3, 2011 – 16:17 AMT 12:17 GMT

The National Statistical Service reported that 1.9% inflation rate
was recorded in Armenia’s consumer market in February compared to
January 2011.

The inflation is basically conditioned by 1.5% and 3.4% growth in
prices for foodstuff (including alcoholic beverages and cigarettes)
and tariffs for services respectively. Prices for non-foods also grew
by 0.6% during the reporting period.

The index of consumer prices made 112.4% in February 2011 as compared
with the same period in 2010.

The index of prices for foodstuff (including alcoholic beverages and
cigarettes) amounted to 117.3%, non-foods – 105.4%, services – 107.5%.

In January-February 2011, the index of consumer prices made 111.5%
compared to the same period in 2010, including the index of prices
for foodstuff – 116.5%, non-foods – 105.3%, services – 106.1%.

From: A. Papazian

EXPERT: ALIYEV NOT TO UNLEASH WAR IN KARABAKH TO SOLVE DOMESTIC PROBLEMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 3, 2011 – 15:47 AMT 11:47 GMT

Director of Noravank scientific educational foundation, political
analyst Gagik Harutyunyan said that social unrest is unlikely in
Armenia.

Azerbaijan is the 10th in the “rebellion index,” as high level of
corruption, social inequality is observed in the country, what in its
turn causes society’s protest, Harutyunyan told a press conference
in Yerevan.

As for how the internal instability in Azerbaijan may affect the
Karabakh conflict settlement, Harutyunyan noted that even being
an adventurer Ilham Aliyev will hardly dare launch hostilities in
Karabakh to solve his domestic problems.

“If the Azerbaijani leadership launches hostilities in Karabakh,
it will be fatal for Aliyev’s clan. The popular rebellion will be
inevitable in such case,” the Armenian expert concluded.

From: A. Papazian

PROBABILITY OF RIOTS HIGH IN AZERBAIJAN, EXPERT SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 3, 2011 – 16:40 AMT 12:40 GMT

Unless external forces interfere, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
will be able to retain power, according to the director of the
Institute of Oriental Studies at Armenian National Academy of Sciences.

Commenting on the list of potential hot spots published by the Wall
Street Journal, Ruben Safrastyan noted that there’s a major probability
of riots in Azerbaijan.

“The situation is conditioned by several factors. The power in
Azerbaijan was transferred from father to son, which is negatively
perceived by the society. Besides, activation of religious radical
groups has been observed in the country over the last years,” the
expert stated.

The Wall Street Journal has published recently a list of countries
likely to be hit by anti-government revolts in the future. The top
10 potential hot spots are led by Kenya and Cameroon and include
Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, Morocco, Jordan and Azerbaijan. Libya,
Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia are in the next 10, together with Vietnam,
India and Uzbekistan. The top 30 is then made up of countries including
Colombia, South Africa, Iran, Venezuela, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan
and Brazil. Saudi Arabia is 39 out of the 85, Russia is 40 and Kuwait
is 51. The highest-ranked European Union country is Romania at 37.

Bottom ranked is Sweden followed by Austria, Canada, Denmark and
Germany. In terms of oil producers, Norway, Qatar and the United Arab
Emirates look pretty safe.

Armenia is not on the list.

From: A. Papazian

UN: DRUG ABUSE ON RISE IN SOUTHERN CAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 3, 2011 – 14:55 AMT 10:55 GMT

According to the Report of the International Narcotics Control Board
(INCB) of the UN for 2010, the southern Caucasus is increasingly being
used as a transit area for consignments of opiates from Afghanistan,
and as a result, drug abuse is on the rise in the subregion.

“Given the long borders that countries of that subregion share with
Iran (Islamic Republic of), the Russian Federation and Turkey and
their access to the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, the Board remains
concerned that the situation with regard to drug trafficking and abuse
in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia may continue to deteriorate unless
increased attention is given to information-sharing, more efficient
border control, drug demand reduction and regional and national
coordination of drug control activities,” the report reads.

As for Armenia, the report says: “A mission of the Board visited
Armenia in October 2010. The Board’s previous mission to that country
was in 1997. The Board notes the commitment of the competent national
authorities of Armenia to comply with the provisions of the three
international drug control conventions, to which Armenia is a party.

The Board has identified shortcomings in mutual cooperation and
information exchange among the drug control authorities in the country
and encourages the Government to address that issue.

Armenia has recently been targeted by criminal groups engaged in
trafficking in precursors used in the illicit manufacture of heroin
and amphetamine-type stimulants, as evidenced by the clandestine
amphetamine laboratories uncovered and dismantled in the country in
2010. The Board has requested the Government to further strengthen
the control of precursors. The Board recommends the Government to
assess the requirements for narcotic drugs used for pain treatment
in the country and to identify and address any impediments to making
them available in sufficient quantities for medical use.”

From: A. Papazian

ARTSAKH PRESIDENT VISITS HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION SITE

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 3, 2011 – 17:30 AMT 13:30 GMT

On March 3, President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan visited
the new complex of the republican hospital being built in the capital
and familiarized himself with the activities carried out.

Afterwards, the President visited the territory of the Rescue Service
where the models of the buildings to be constructed next to the
structure were presented.

Bako Sahakyan gave specific instructions to heads of the corresponding
structures for proper implementations of the activities.

Vice-premier, finance minister Spartak Tevosyan and other officials
accompanied the President, Central Information Department of the
Office of Artsakh President reported.

From: A. Papazian

FAO FORECASTS GLOBAL WHEAT PRODUCTION TO INCREASE BY AROUND 3% IN 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 3, 2011 – 17:10 AMT 13:10 GMT

FAO expects winter crops in the northern hemisphere to be generally
favorable and forecasts global wheat production to increase by around
3 percent in 2011.This assumes a recovery in wheat production in major
producing countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. So far,
conditions of winter crops in those countries are generally favorable.

The latest estimate for the world cereal production in 2010 is
8 million tons more than was anticipated in December but still
slightly below 2009. This month’s upward revision reflects mostly
higher estimates for production in Argentina, China and Ethiopia.

The forecast for world cereal utilization in 2010/11 has been revised
up by 18 million tons since December. The bulk of the revision
reflects adjustments to the feed and industrial utilization of
coarse grains. Larger use of maize for ethanol production in the
United States and statistical adjustments to China’s historical
(since 2006/07) supply and demand balance for maize are the main
reasons for the revision, FAO said.

From: A. Papazian