Author: Babajanian Karo

PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION: WE WILL LIBERATE KARABAKH WITHIN 10 DAYS

Mon 22 December 2014 10:12 GMT | 10:12 Local Time

“Our army causes our great feeling of pride”.

The National Army of Azerbaijan is able to liberate the
Armenian-occupied lands within several days.

The statement came from chief of the public policy department of the
Presidential Administration of the country Ali Hasanov.

“The national army which creates our great feeling of pride”, he said
speaking at an event on the third anniversary since creation of the
Youth Fund under the president of the country, Oxu.Az reports with
reference to Interfax.

According to Hasanov, if the international community remains
indifferent to the violation of the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, ‘I am sure that the national army will be able to liberate
all the occupied lands of Azerbaijan within a week or ten days’.

The course of the country’s development, including the youth policy
of the Azerbaijan’s development, is based on people’s interests,
Hasanov said.

“The youth policy is a priority direction of the Azerbaijani state”,
Hasanov said.

He highly praised the activity of the Youth Fund which supports and
finances the projects implemented by youth organizations.

MKHITARYAN 85TH IN THE GUARDIAN’S TOP 100 FOOTBALLERS FOR 2014

12:23, 22 Dec 2014

Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is ranked 85th in The Guardian’s
top 100 footballers for 2014. Mkhitaryan is placed between Isco
of Real Madrid (84th) and Jose Callejon from Napoli (86th). Led
by Hernan Crespo, Gilberto Silva, Slaven Bilic and Dietmar Hamann,
the panel of 73 experts from 28 nations compiled a countdown of the
greatest players on the planet this year.

“An underwhelming year for Dortmund means Mkhitaryan hasn’t enjoyed
a particularly sparkling year, but when on form the Armenian number
ten remains extremely exciting. He specializes in finding space
between the lines and arriving late in the box, and he has a very
precise, deliberate style with his passes and shots. However, it
was Mkhitarayan’s goalscoring ability from midfield which made him
so valuable, and his efficiency in the final third has completely
dried up. Jurgen Klopp has often deployed him in a deeper position
than usual, but no goals or assists in his last 17 Dortmund matches
summarizes Mkitarayan’s struggles,” The Guardian writes.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT ATTENDS TEGHUT MINING COMPLEX COMMISSIONING

YEREVAN, December 22. /ARKA/. Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan
headed to Lori region on a working visit to attend the commissioning
of Teghut mining complex on Saturday.

As part of his visit, the president has been to Tumanyan region to see
the overhaul works on 3.7-kilometer M-6 Teghut motor road and talked
with residents in Shnogh and Teghut villages. Sargsyan headed to Teghut
copper and molybdenum deposit operated by Vallex Group afterwards.

The president participated in the ceremony of commissioning of the
Teghut mining and concentration plant and talked to the staff of
the plant.

The president awarded the founder of Grand Holding Hrant Vardanyan
(posthumously), the chairman of the directors board of Zangezur cooper
and molybdenum combine Maxim Hakobyan and president of Vallex Group
Valery Mezhlumyan for their contribution to economic development in
the country.

Teghut mine is operated by “Teghut” cjsc, a Vallex Group company,
founded in 2006. Teghut deposit is the second biggest Armenian
copper and molybdenum field. A total of 450 million tons of copper
and molybdenum ore resources were confirmed during the geological
prospecting in 1972.

A total of 4,000 people are employed in companies of Vallex Group
in Armenia and Karabakh. The company developed a program to plants
forests on a total of 714 hectares to compensate for 357 hectares to
be deforested.

Vallex Group has been implementing social programs worth a total of
1.4 billion drams over the years of its existence.

The company’s investments in 2001-2010 amounted to a total of 50
million dollars in 2001-2010 and are expected to amount to some 383.2
million dollars in 2010-2016. ($1-464.57 drams).–0–

L’AZERBAIDJAN A RESTITUE A L’ARMENIE UNE FAMILLE ARMENIENNE EN CAPTIVITE DEPUIS 4 ANS

ARMENIE

L’ensemble de la presse annonce qu’un couple armenien et leurs
trois enfants mineurs sont retournes en Armenie, vendredi dernier,
par l’intermediaire de la Croix rouge, après près de cinq ans de
captivite en Azerbaïdjan. Ils avaient fui l’Armenie de leur propre
gre en janvier 2010, le père de famille ayant ete poursuivi pour
un crime. De retour en Armenie, les membres de la famille ont subi
un examen medical. Aucune trace de mauvais traitements n’aurait
ete decelee. Les medecins ont decrit leur etat de sante comme >. Ils affirment toutefois avoir vecu des >
durant ces annees. Un haut fonctionnaire du Ministère de la Defense a
declare que le père de la famille etait >
pour avoir franchi illegalement la frontière.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 15 decembre 2014

lundi 22 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ANELIK BANK FACES NO PROBLEMS WITH LIQUIDITY AMID NATIONAL DRAM HYPER-DEVALUATION DUE TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT CREDIT BANK S.A.L.

by Karina Melikyan

Saturday, December 20, 16:43

Anelik Bank faced no problems with liquidity amid the national dram
hyper-devaluation due to the financial support of its owner, Credit
Bank S.A.L. (Lebanon), Nerses Karamanukyan, Chairman of Anelik Bank
Board, told ArmInfo.

“The latest uneasy situation in the financial market of Armenia is
characteristic to the countries with transitional economy, but the
Central Bank managed to restrain the speculative deals. Anelik Bank
like the other Armenians banks could not but feel anxiety over the
situation, but it did not affect the normal activity of the bank,
which continued to serve its customers on a full scale,” Karamanukyan
said. He spotlighted the financial assistance by the bank’s owner
in that difficult period. “Having rich experience of working in
instable situation in the Lebanese and Russian financial markets,
Credit Bank S.A.L. also consulted Anelik Bank over the situation. This,
along with the systematic and reasonable policy of the Central Bank,
helped the Bank and the financial market, in general, overcome that
destabilization,” Karamanukyan said.

To note, from Oct through Dec 17 AMD dropped against USD by almost
45%. It was hyper devaluation of the national dram. On 17 December,
the average rate reached 570 AMD/1 USD, which saw a real panic. Food
prices began to grow, as the national currency devaluated. Sugar,
flour, and other prices rose drastically. Many food and other stores
refused to sell products since they did not know at what price to
sell their products.

Howeverm on 17 December, the Central Bank toughened the compulsory
reservation standards for the raised funds in foreign exchange from
12% to 24% and already on 18-19 December, the dram appreciated by 25%.

Before that, the CB announced on 8 December that it launches daily
interventions to restore the balance in the exchange market and soften
currency fluctuations. The interventions will last till the end of
2014. Dec 8-17 the CB sold $42mln: $6mln a day Dec 8-12 and $4mln a
day Dec 15-17. On December 18-19, the $4 million daily interventions
were not demanded by the banks. Nevertheless, the banks carried out
forex deals with each other on 18-19 December ($4 million and $5.6
million, respectively). This reduced the interbank rate from 480.12
to 458.01 AMD/1USD.

On 1-5 December, the foreign exchange interbank market showed an
unprecedented maximum – $59.3 million. Forex transactions on NASDAQ
OMX Armenia from June up to 19 December totaled $397.150 million
with the exchange rate rising from 407.14 AMD/1 USD to 560 AMD/1 USD
and then falling to 442.44 AMD/1 USD. Nearly $117 million of total
transactions were made in November. In the period from 1 up to 19
December, transactions were made only trice: on 1 Dec – $3.5 million,
on 10 Dec – $100,000 and on 19 December – $450,000, with the exchange
rate rising from 438.62 AMD/1 USD to 461 AMD/1 USD and falling to
442.44 AMD/1 USD. In the retail foreign exchange market of Armenia on
20 December the exchange rates (purchase/sale) at the swap points were
as follows: 435/465 AMD/1 USD, 525/570 AMD/1 EUR, 7/8.15 AMD/1 RUR.

The highest rates at banks on 20 December were as follows: 454/458
AMD/1 USD, 544/565 AMD/1 EUR, and 7.62/7.86 AMD/1 RUR.

In October 2013, the majority shareholder of Anelik Bank, Credit Bank
S.A.L., Lebanon, became the sole owner of the bank and received the
right to Anelik.RU. Since then, retail lending and SME finance have
become the Bank’s priorities. AnelikRU Moscow branch was alienated
in December 2012 and transferred under management of Credit Bank S.A.L.

TIME FOR CONSIDERATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WITHIN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK – EXPERT

12:35 * 22.12.14

The activities aimed at getting the Armenian Genocide internationally
recognized and condemned must be intensified as the centennial of
the Armenian Genocide is approaching, according to expert in Turkic
studies Ruben Safrastyan.

In this context, he points out the need for transition from the process
of international recognition to consideration of the problem of the
Armenian Genocide within legal framework.

“The slogan ‘Demand and Condemn’ must be translated into reality.

International lawyers need to be involved and a group formed for
consideration of the Armenian Genocide problem at the International
Court of Justice,” Mr Safrastyan told Armenpress.

“We must be able to make our demand as urgent as possible in the
context of international law. Research work needs to be intensified
with involvement of leading international experts. In this respect,
we have much to do. We are dealing with Turkey, a state making huge
investment in its struggle to deny [the Armenian Genocide]. But we
are right, and we must succeed.”

As regards international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Mr
Safrastyan noted that the bills adopted by the Greek and Bolivian
Parliaments are the result of tremendous work by the Armenian Diaspora
and Armenian diplomats.

As regards Armenian-Turkish relations, the expert said:

“Turkey has not changed its policy for decades: setting preconditions
and forcing Armenia to change its diplomatic course.”

SINGLE MOTHERS RAISE THEIR UNDERAGE CHILDREN IN DOMIKS (VIDEO)

14:50 | December 22,2014 | Social

Within the framework of an annual charity event, members of the Shirak
Centre NGO visited families living in dire social conditions. The
representatives of the NGO had brought with them firewood, food and
Christmas gifts.

Unfortunately, they met numerous single mothers who with their underage
children live in rented domiks (temporary wagon-like shelters). They
live on social benefits and can hardly make both ends meet: they can
only cover the cost of utilities. People living in damp and rundown
domiks mainly heat their ‘homes’ with work-out shoes and paper waste.

HEAD OF NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE OF ARMENIA: NSS IS NOT GOING TO WATCH POWER CHANGE ATTEMPTS FROM THE SIDELINES

by Tatevik Shahunyan

ARMINFO
Monday, December 22, 10:42

In his statement dedicated to the professional holiday of the
National Security Service employees, Gorik Hakobyan, Head of the
National Security Service, urged some politicians to abstain from
irresponsible statements on forcible shift in power.

The National Security Service has told ArmInfo that Hakobyan recalls
the “unfortunate results of color revolutions leading to long-term
instability and a socio-economic crisis”.

Hakobyan says that Armenian people “have failed to avoid social
polarization, intolerance, malice and hatred”. “Immense efforts were
exerted to normalize the situation. However, some politicians have
failed to draw lessons and are trying to involve people in shady
undertaking again by their irresponsible statements calling for
forcible shift in power and rebellion”, said Hakobyan. He adds that
the National Security Service is not going to watch this from the
sidelines. He assures that the special services will take all measures
to prevent any unconstitutional attempts to destabilize the situation.

At the same time, he admits that constitutional expression of
discontent cannot be forbidden.

Hakobyan also points out possible involvement of Armenian Diaspora in
the opposition’s plans, formation of opposition headquarters abroad
and adds that this is fraught with “non-constructive consequences”.

“It is only the Armenia-Diaspora-Artsakh triunity that can help
Armenian people gain success. On the contrary, the “export” of domestic
political conflicts to the Armenian communities in foreign countries
may cause discord among Armenian people. It is the citizens of Armenia
that should resolve the domestic political problems, and the foreign
citizens, regardless of their nationality, have no right to interfere
in these problems”, says Hakobyan. He also expresses bewilderment at
some politicians’ attempts to get financial means from abroad.

INVESTIGATOR ABUSES HIS POWERS, DIRECTS WITNESS DURING INTERROGATION

11:32 | December 22,2014 | Official

In the course of the preliminary investigation reviewed in his
proceeding, the Investigator of Lori Regional Investigation
Administration of the Investigation Committee of the Republic of
Armenia, by using his official position contrary to the interests of
his service, out of other personal interests when interrogating the
witness to the case urged the latter to give testimonies about the
circumstances unfamiliar to the latter.

A criminal case was launched with regard to this case in the Special
Investigation Service as per the materials prepared on basis of the
report of the Prosecutor of Lori region in accordance with Part 1 of
Article 308 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia.

A preliminary investigation is underway, the SIS Press Service reports.

ARMENIE
Le Premier ministre en action contre l’inflation

Le Premier ministre Hovik Abrahamian a ordonné jeudi à la commission
de réglementation anti-monopole d’Arménie de sévir contre les
entreprises qui auraient relevé de manière disproportionnée les prix
des biens essentiels pour encaisser d’importantes marges sur le dos
des fortes fluctuations des taux de change.

> a déclaré
Hovik Abrahamian lors d’une réunion du cabinet qui a été suivie par
Artak Shaboyan, le président de la Commission d’Etat pour la
protection de la concurrence économique (SCPEC).

> a-t-il dit à Artak Shaboyan. Il a déclaré que le PSRC
devrait présenter ses conclusions au gouvernement sur une base
quotidienne.

Hovik Abrahamian a également chargé le ministre de la Santé Armen
Mouradian d’enquêter de manière similaire sur de fortes hausses des
prix de détail des médicaments. Il s’est plaint que certains prix des
médicaments ont grimpé de près de 40 pour cent cette semaine.

Les denrées alimentaires clés importées en Arménie sont devenus plus
chères, même avant la dépréciation du dram arménien qui s’est
considérablement accéléré lundi et mardi. Artak Shaboyan a dit au
gouvernement la semaine dernière que le coût de la farine, du sucre,
de la volaille, des oeufs, du beurre et de l’huile de cuisine a
augmenté de 2 à 13 pour cent. Il a décrit cela comme une conséquence
inévitable d’un dram plus faible.

La Banque centrale d’Arménie a estimé la semaine dernière que les
hausses de prix vont pousser l’inflation de 2 points cette année. Mais
il a déclaré que le taux annuel d’inflation restera dans la cible de 4
pour cent des autorités arméniennes.

Plus tard dans la soirée de jeudi Hovik Abrahamian a visité certains
supermarchés à Erevan afin de parler au personnel et aux clients et
recevoir des informations de première main sur les prix alimentaires.
>
a-t-il déclaré aux journalistes dans l’un de ces magasins. > a déclaré le premier ministre. Il a refusé de
nommer l’une de ces entreprises.

Les importations de produits alimentaires de base et de carburant à
l’Arménie ont longtemps été contrôlées par une poignée de riches
hommes d’affaires proches du gouvernement.

samedi 20 décembre 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com