Author: Andres-Papazian

Three scientific centers to be established in Armenia

June 25, 2010 – 17:39 AMT 12:39 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Chairman of the Armenian State Committee for Science Samvel
Harutyunyan said that scientific centers uniting scientific potential,
interests of various organizations and their technical base will be
established in Armenia.

The centers will allow increasing the efficiency of funds usage, as
well as optimizing administrative and maintenance staff, Harutyunyan
told a press conference on June 25.

`The scientific centers can be established on the basis of one or
several scientific organizations of Armenia, which have relevant
territory and technical base, as well as qualified staff. Besides,
they should have experience of international cooperation and
application of results of scientific activity,’ said Samvel
Harutyunyan.

According to him, a draft governmental decision on creation of three
scientific centers is ready. The centers will be regulated by the
State Committee for Science of the RA Ministry of Education and
Science.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian community in Austria stimulates further development of
RA-Austria relations

June 25, 2010 – 19:18 AMT 14:18 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

On June 25, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II met Foreign
Minister of Austria Michael Spindelegger.

At the meeting, Karekin II expressed his satisfaction over Austrian
authorities’ attitude to Armenian community. As Catholicos of All
Armenians emphasized, Armenian community in Austria stimulates further
development of bilateral relations, Holy Echmiadzin press service
reported.

From: A. Papazian

Some citizens of Armenia do not trust pension reforms

June 26, 2010 – 16:03 AMT 11:03 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Member of the Republican Party of Armenia parliamentary group,
Chairman of the RA NA Committee on Social Affairs Hakob Hakobyan said
that the National Assembly adopted in the first reading a legislative
package on State Benefits. It consists of 5 basic laws and 47
amendments to laws, Hakobyan told a press conference on June 26.

The transfer to the funded pension scheme foresees 5% deduction from
citizens’ salary, while another 5% will be added by the state. These
sums will be sent to different funds, which will add interest rates to
them.

80% of the sums deposited by citizens will be guaranteed by the state,
while 20% – by the funds receiving the sums.

Member of Heritage parliamentary group Anahit Bakhshyan does not trust
the reform. According to her, it will be difficult to control the
entire process.

However, Hakob Hakobyan believes that the process will be transparent
and any citizen will have the opportunity to follow it online – to see
which fund received his/her sum and change the fund, if necessary.

From: A. Papazian

Clinton heading to 5 countries in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus

By Associated Press

11:52 AM PDT, June 25, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is heading
next week for a five-day trip to Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.

The State Department said Clinton will leave July 1 for Kiev, Ukraine,
where she is to meet with President Viktor Yanukovych
(yah-noo-KOH’-vich).

Clinton then will head to Krakow, Poland for a ceremony before
visiting the capitals of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. The United
States and other countries have been pushing for a resolution on
disputed territory in Azerbaijan under Armenian control.

Clinton plans to wrap up her trip July 5.

From: A. Papazian

Haykakan Zhamanak
June 16 2010

US businessman sells his shares of Armenia TV

A US businessman of Armenian origin, Gerard Cafesjian who owned 50 per
cent of shares of a privately-owned television channel based in
Yerevan, has sold his shares for 25m dollars, the pro-opposition
Armenian daily Haykakan Zhamanak reported on 16 June.

There has been no official information on the deal, the paper said
adding that it had failed to get hold of the channel, Armenia TV, or
Gerard Cafesjian’s office for comment. Haykakan Zhamanak claimed that
President Serzh Sargsyan’s son-in-law, Mikayel Minasyan, is now in
control of the shares.

Cafesjian has been selling out his businesses in Armenia of late, the
paper said. He sold his Cascade Bank in April 2010 and later the
Cascade Insurance Company.

The author of the report, Hayk Gevorgyan, does not rule out that
Cafesjian has been forced to sell his shares of Armenia TV. But he
also supports the view that Gafesjian simply sells his businesses for
money. Gevorgyan says that Cafesjian is not a benefactor but rather a
businessman. The sum he has made from the sale of his businesses in
Armenia is bigger than the amount he has invested in the country,
Gevorgyan says. He adds that Gafesjian has made 45m dollars from the
sale of his shares in Armenia TV and Cascade Bank.

From: A. Papazian

Xinhua General News Service, China
June 20, 2010 Sunday 1:17 AM EST

Armenian dominates last category at junior weightlifting worlds

SOFIA June 20

Armenian Ruben Aleksanyan dominated the last category in the Junior
World Weightlifting Championships here on Sunday.

In the men’s +105kg, Aleksanyan swept three gold medals at 392kg in
total, 180kg in snatch and 212kg in jerk.

Zaurbek Naniev of Russia got three silvers at 380kg, 172kg and 208kg
respectively.

Brazilian Reis Fernand Saraiva conceded to the bronze in the snatch at
171kg, while Bahador Moulaei of Iran won the bronze in the jerk.

A total of 270 weightlifters, 170 men and 100 women, participated in
these championships opened on Monday.

China dominated the women’s categories, winning 18 gold medals, Russia
grabbed the other three women’s golds.

In the men’s competitions, eight countries won gold medals, namely
China (7), Romania (3), Iran (3), Russia (3), Armenia (3), Lithuania
(2), Latvia (2) and Ecuador (1).

From: A. Papazian

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
June 19 2010

Police detain nearly 50 illegal migrants in northwestern Turkey

Edirne, 19 June: Turkish gendarmerie arrested 47 illegal migrants in
the northwestern province of Edirne on Saturday [19 June].

Gendarmerie forces detained 47 illegal migrants, who wanted to sneak
abroad, in downtown Edirne and its Ipsala town.

The illegal migrants were from Myanmar, Eritrea, Palestine, Iraq,
Armenia and Somalia.

They would be deported once legal proceedings were completed,
gendarmerie forces said.

From: A. Papazian

Moj News Agency, Iran
June 19, 2010 Saturday

Iran, Armenia Economic Meeting Launched in Yerevan

An Iranian delegation including representatives of 83 companies
arrived in Yerevan on Tuesday to attend a meeting on bilateral ties in
various economic and commercial ties and cooperation. This is the
second Iranian-Armenian business forum held this year, the first was
held in Teheran this February. The Armenian Development Agency (ADA)
is a co-organizer of the forum.

Although Iran is Armenia’s neighbor, with friendly political relations
with the country, Armenian-Iranian economic ties are not so active.
Last year, Armenian-Iranian trade turnover totaled $153.4 million,
showing 32.7% decrease as compared with 2008. Iran’s share constituted
3.8% of Armenia’s foreign trade turnover in 2009, and 4.2% in 2008.
Iran is Armenia’s seventh largest trade partner. Armenia mainly
imports products from Iran. In 2009, Armenian exports to Iran totaled
$19 million, whereas the country’s imports from the Islamic Republic
totaled $134.4 million.
Last year, Armenian exports to Iran showed a 24% decrease, even after
Iran took greater interest in importing sheep from Armenia and
purchased 150,000 head.
The meeting is aimed at further expansion of trade between the two countries.

From: A. Papazian

Moj News Agency, Iran
June 19, 2010 Saturday

Iran to Establish Trade Center in Armenia

Iran’s trade center in Armenia will be established at the cost of $4.5
million in near future, Leon Aharonian said.
Establishment of trade centers in various countries stands at the top
of Iran’s agenda to promote its economic ties with the world’s
different countries, he said adding that opening Iran’s trade center
in Armenia could result in expansion of bilateral ties within few
months.
Already, Iran has established 3 trade centers in China and Oman and
the country sets to establish 8 centers in Beijing, Senegal,
Afghanistan, Qatar, Sudan, Armenia, Tajikistan and South Africa, as
well.

From: A. Papazian

TendersInfo
June 19, 2010 Saturday

Armenia : Seminar dedicated to Armenia s water supply system

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan took part in a seminar dedicated to
Armenia s water supply policy. The seminar seeks to summarize interim
progress in the government-initiated sector reform and outline
challenges. The debate was also attended by public and private
stakeholders, representatives of international financial organizations
and experts.

The government has asked the World Bank to develop concept note on
water policy based on situation analysis, local public-private
cooperation experience and international practice.
Addressing the seminar, Tigran Sargsyan stated in part: We have
reached a new haven in economic reforms. We asked the World Bank to
provide consultancy on a number of fundamental problems, including the
strategy of drinking water supply management.
The head of government further noted: It can be stated that the
government s recent initiatives have been quite productive considering
that we have ensured a 22-hour daily supply in Yerevan, first of all,
thanks to the efforts of international operators.
With reference to capital investments made in communities and the
problem of proportionate regional development, the Prime Minister
emphasized: It should be noted that no investment had been made since
last century s 60-70s while estimates pointed to the need of USD 1.7bn
in this area. Only recently we made some investments aimed at
developing the existing infrastructures.
Wrapping up his statement, the head of government thanked all those
organizations having assisted the government with the the management
of water supply system in Armenia.
Based on the findings and recommendations formulated during the
seminar, all water policy-related proposals will be summarized and
submitted to the next workshop scheduled for this autumn.
Ltd.

From: A. Papazian