Author: Badalian Vardan

L’INSTABILITE DU MARCHE DES DEVISES CONDUIT A DES PRIX PLUS ELEVES DANS LES STATIONS ESSENCE

ARMENIE

L’augmentation recente du taux de change du dollar qui a entraîne
la hausse des prix a egalement affecte les prix du gaz liquefie
comprime (ou de gaz naturel liquefie, GNL), ce qui a provoque la
colère des chauffeurs de bus, dont certains disent qu’ils ne peuvent
pas travailler au tarif actuel plus longtemps .

Depuis jeudi les conducteurs ont eu a remplir leurs reservoirs de
carburant au prix de 230 drams par mètre cube a la place de l’ancien
prix de 180 drams. Ils disent que cela ajoute a leurs coûts dans la
mesure où il n’est plus rentable de travailler.

Certains economistes lient cette augmentation des prix a la
depreciation du dram (au cours des derniers jours un dollar s’est
echange jusqu’a 470 drams alors que seulement a la mi-Novembre,
il etait de 410 a 415 drams). Mais il existe aussi une opinion
contradictoire selon laquelle les proprietaires des stations services
augmentent les prix de leur propre initiative.

L’economiste Vahagn Khachatrian pense que les proprietaires de stations
de gaz ont convenu d’un accord interne et augmentent leurs prix autant
qu’ils le veulent. L’augmentation actuelle va jusqu’a 23 pour cent,
tandis que dans les marches des devises la devaluation du dram a ete
estimee a 11-13 pour cent jusqu’ici.

En outre, l’Armenie a declare que Gazprom vend le gaz aux entreprises
au meme prix et que les nouveaux prix dans les stations de gaz sont
inexplicables pour elle.

Cependant, l’augmentation du prix du gaz comprime peut affecter
les tarifs des transports publics aussi bien, et les chauffeurs
d’autobus ont deja commence a se plaindre, certains ont dit qu’ils
ne travailleront pas tant que l’affaire n’est pas resolue.

Les chauffeurs de bus disent qu’ils doivent ajouter un supplement de 3
000 drams (environ 6 $ ) a leurs coûts quotidiens, tandis qu’un tarif
normal en Armenie est de 100 drams (environ 20 cents). La tentative
des autorites d’Erevan pour elever le prix des transports publics de
50 pour cent en 2013 a rencontre une forte opposition de militants
civils et la decision devait etre reexaminee par la suite.

Le Ministère de l’economie a aborde le problème de l’augmentation des
gaz comprimes liquefies, en disant que la Commission d’Etat sur la
protection de la concurrence economique etudiera la question et que si
la hausse des prix est arbitraire, les responsables seront penalises.

Alina Nikoghosyan

ArmeniaNow

vendredi 19 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

TEMOIGNAGES ACCABLANTS SUR LES TORTURES INFLIGEES AUX ARMENIENS EN AZERBAIDJAN

AZERBAÏDJAN

Le bureau de l’observatoire armenien des droits de l’homme, dirige
par l’ombudsman Karen Andreasian, a organise une projection privee
d’un film video temoignant des tortures et autres sevices corporels
infliges au conscrit armenien Hakob Injighulyan en Azerbaïdjan. Le
ministère armenien de la defense avait saisi ce document accablant
pour les autorites azeries, dont etait en possession l’un des membres
du commando de saboteurs azeris neutralise en juillet dernier par les
forces armeniennes alors qu’il s’etait inflitre dans le Haut Karabagh.

Le ministère armenien l’avait mis alors a la disposition des services
de l’ombudsman. Des representants de plusieurs missions diplomatiques
et d’organisations internationales en poste en Armenie – parmi
lesquels des Britanniques, des Allemands, des Francais, ainsi que
des representants de l’OSCE, du Counseil de l’Europe et des Nations
unites – assistaient a cette projection. Armen Grigorian, adjoint
de l’ombudsman en charge des questions militaires, a indique a cette
occasion qu’il etait profondement indigne par le traitement inhumain
inflige a Hakob Injighulyan ainsi qu’a d’autres prisonniers de guerre
armeniens en Azerbaïdjan.

jeudi 18 decembre 2014, Gari (c)armenews.com

‘US GOT ISOLATED TRYING TO ISOLATE CUBA’ – RENE GONZALEZ OF THE CUBAN FIVE

Published time: December 18, 2014 23:43

Reuters/Enrique De La Osa

A step of reconciliation with Cuba was inevitable, as the US was
becoming increasingly isolated in its failed attempts to isolate Cuba
while their competitors were building closer ties with the island,
Cuban intelligence agent Rene Gonzalez told RT.

Gonzalez was arrested in 1998 with four other members of the Wasp
Network, secretly deployed by Cuba in Miami to monitor the expat
community. After spending 13 years behind bars on charges of espionage,
he was released in 2011, and has now been reunited with three other
members of the group, exchanged this week for US intelligence agent
Alan Gross, and another unnamed spy.

READ MORE: Obama announces US will establish embassy in Cuba,
lift sanctions

“I found the returnees in good spirits and happy,” Gonzalez told RT,
refusing to be drawn on the particulars of the surprise prisoner
exchange, which came alongside news that Washington was to open an
embassy in Havana, and “normalize” relations with Cuba

“In terms of its attitude towards Cuba the United States gradually
found itself in isolation, while their goal was to isolate Cuba,”
Gonzalez said.

Rene Gonzalez (screenshot from RT video)

But not only the world community was changing its attitude towards
Cuba and demanding similar policy change from Washington, but business
circles within the US itself did not want to miss opportunities to
their competitors, Gonzalez believes.

“They saw their economic competitors increasingly converging with Cuba
while they could not do that. In the end, this process has led to a
lot of people, those who are in power, coming to a conclusion that
the situation in the relations between Cuba and the United States
cannot remain the same.”

Lifting an embargo will take time but the first step has already been
made and there is no turning back, believes Gonzalez, choosing to focus
on events that eventually “will bring happiness to millions”besides
the four families already reunited with their loved ones.

Alan Gross embraces an entourage of family and friends who were
awaiting his return from five years of captivity in Cuba to Joint
Base Andrews, Maryland, December 17, 2014. (Reuters/Master Sgt. Kevin
Wallace/U.S. Air Force)

“All four of them worked for their government in another country,
protecting national interests. I don’t care who got paid what,
or what they did [during their intelligence work]. I want to think
about the four families that will be happy at New Year’s. I even
prefer thinking of Alan Gross being reunited with his, as well as my
comrades,” explained Gonzalez.

“The five of us set an aim for ourselves – to come out better people
than we went in, and we have achieved it… All the burdens of the
trial, and all the mud-slinging from the US has not broken us,”
he said. “Now they can share their joy and happiness, and thus help
make Cuba a place we all want it to be.”

BELARUS’ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RATIFIES TREATY ON ARMENIA’S ACCESSION TO EEU

15:54, 19 Dec 2014

The House of Representatives of the Belarusian National Assembly
ratified the Treaty on the Accession of Armenia to the Eurasian
Economic Union (EEU), BelTA reports.

The treaty was signed in Minsk by the Presidents of Belarus, Russia,
Kazakhstan and Armenia on 10 October 2014. The three countries agreed
to a transition period for Armenia during which the Armenian goods
will be subject to certain import duties. Their rates will differ
from the common customs tariff in the EEU.

“Today is a historic day. Once again we have reiterated our position,
our vector of development. After the ratification we are becoming a
member of the EEU and this opens up great opportunities,” Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Belarus Armen
Khachatryan told Belarusian reporters.

He explained that Armenia can supply the EEU partners with
high-technology services, and also with vegetables and fruits. We have
the best cognac. We have the best mineral waters. We have a lot of
things to offer, added the Ambassador. As regards the ways of delivery,
the goods will go through Georgia.

“I sincerely salute all Belarusians. I wish happiness and joy to
the most beautiful people, the kindest nation as all Armenians say,”
the diplomat said.

For his part, Belarus’ First Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander
Mikhnevich informed that Russia has completed the process of
ratification of the Treaty of Armenia’s Accession to the EEU, and
Kazakhstan is completing this process.

The House of Representatives also ratified the Treaty to terminate
the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC).

NO MILITARY SOLUTION TO KARABAKH CONFLICT- SAYS OUTGOING US AMBASSADOR

YEREVAN, December 19. / ARKA /. The outgoing US ambassador to Armenia
John Heffern reiterated today that there is no military solution to the
long-running Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Speaking at a farewell news
conference in Yerevan he said he had to repeat the statements by the
OSCE Minsk Group that the Karabakh conflict has no military solution,
and there is only one way to settle it – it is through peace talks.

However, he stressed that the OSCE Ming Group is acting as a peace
broker and can not impose a solution option on the parties to the
conflict.

“By and large, it all depends on the conflict parties themselves,”
said the diplomat.

According to him, the US hopes that the strategic South Caucasus region
will sooner or later become open, and that Washington, for its part,
is ready to help resolve the conflict and open borders.

He said the US wants to help Armenia to become a strategically
important country with new possibilities and alternatives. According
to him, the US and EU are willing to deepen cooperation with Armenia
in any sphere where Armenia will demonstrate political will.

According to him, even though Armenia is a member of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), it also effectively cooperates
with NATO and is willing to continue cooperation with the West on
mutually beneficial terms, which is natural, “because there are no
winners and losers.”

He stressed that Washington will continue helping Armenia to build
up democracy and strengthen human rights, rule of law and free media.

He said cooperation between Washington and Yerevan is strong and is
based on real values. According to him, Washington wants to have deep
ties with Armenia; to help it develop the skills of young people,
in particular, IT innovators, because the US believes that the future
of Armenia is in knowledge-based economy.-0-

BAKO SAHAKYAN PARTOOK IN A SOLEMN EVENT DEVOTED TO THE DAY OF THE NSS SERVICEMAN

December 19, 2014 12:18

On 19 December President Bako Sahakyan visited central headquarter
of the NKR National Security Service and partook in a solemn event
devoted to the Day of the National Security Service Serviceman,
as Central Information Department of President Office informs.

STEPANAKERT, DECEMBER 19, ARTSAKHPRESS: The President congratulated
the servicemen of the structure on the professional holiday, conferred
military rank and handed in valuable gifts to a group of the system’s
workers.

Bako Sahakyan highlighted in his speech the role of the structure
in the process of maintaining security of our country and nation,
adding that the state would continue to keep in the spotlight the
solution of problems the structure faced.

BABY BORN WITH PARASITIC TWIN FETUS IN ARMENIA

by Karina Manukyan

ARMINFO
Thursday, December 18, 10:40

A baby was born in Armenia with a parasitic twin fetus, a local
Haykakan Zhamanak Daily writes.

The parents applied to specialists after the belly of their newborn
girl began to grow. Head of the Arbakir Medial Center Ara Babolyan
says a parasitic twin fetus was found inside the girl’s belly. The
baby underwent surgery and the fetus was successfully removed. It is
a very rare phenomenon.

Fetus in fetu is a developmental abnormality in which a mass of tissue
resembling a fetus forms inside the body. There are two theories
of origin concerning “fetus in fetu”. One theory is that the mass
begins as a normal fetus but becomes enveloped inside its twin. The
other theory is that the mass is a highly developed teratoma. “Fetus
in fetu” is estimated to occur in 1 in 500,000 live births.

PRIME MINISTER TOURS YEREVAN SUPERMARKETS

16:00 18/12/2014 >> SOCIETY

After today’s cabinet meeting, Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan
paid surprise visits to a number of supermarkets in Yerevan to monitor
the prices on the spot.

Hovik Abrahamyan’s spokesperson Gohar Poghosyan posted the respective
photos on her Facebook page. They show the PM touring stores and
watching currency exchange rates.

At the cabinet meeting, Hovik Abrahamyan instructed head of the State
Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition Artak Shaboyan
to monitor the situation on the consumer market and brief him on the
results every day. “The government will not tolerate unfounded price
hikes,” he said.

Source: Panorama.am

INTER RAO EES ENERGY HOLDING MADE NO STATEMENT ABOUT SELLING ELECTRIC NETWORKS OF ARMENIA

YEREVAN, December 18. /ARKA/. Inter RAO EES has made no statement
saying it intends to sell its “Electric Networks of Armenia” closed
joint stock company, deputy minister of energy and natural resources
Areg Galstyan told reporters on Thursday, referring to the head of the
energy holding Boris Kovalchuk who was in Armenia in early December.

According to Galstyan, Inter RAO EES is interested in doing business
in Armenia.

Deputy minister of energy Yosif Isayan, in his turn, said an agreement
was reached to develop a program for solving financial issues during
Kovalchuk’s visit in Armenia on December 11. A delegation of Inter RAO
EES is expected to arrive in Yerevan soon for discussion of further
steps and the way out of the current situation. The final solution
is expected to be ready by February, Isayan said.

According to the ministry of energy, the loan portfolio of Electric
Networks of Armenia is about $220 million, which provoked instability
in the energy market as many of the loans taken by the company are
not included in the electricity tariffs.

Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC is distributing electric power in
Armenia and exporting it to Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

-0–

DRAM DEBACLE: ARMENIAN CURRENCY HITS NEW LOW AMID UPBEAT GOVERNMENT STATEMENTS

ECONOMY | 18.12.14 | 11:00

By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

RELATED NEWS

Armenian PM: Government supports CB efforts to ensure financial
system stability

CB Governor: Dollar overrated, dram will appreciate

The Armenian national currency, the dram, continued its dramatic fall
on Wednesday amid assurances from top government officials that the
financial market situation will stabilize soon.

With new lows of well above 550, the dram has not even been exchanged
for hard currencies at most commercial banks in Yerevan since
yesterday. Meanwhile, many stores stayed closed for the second day,
and others had to change price tags every hour following news from
the currency market and responding to the depreciation of the dram.

(Because Armenia is a mostly importing country the foreign exchange
rate highly influences retail prices that tend to grow when the
national currency weakens).

Representatives of the government, however, insisted that the apparent
panic on the currency market is groundless and within a few days the
dram will start regaining its value.

Late on Wednesday, the Armenian parliament held a closed-door
discussion on the situation that has threatens to paralyze the
country’s already struggling economy.

Finance Minister Gagik Khachatryan found it difficult to say
precisely how long the situation will last as he spoke to media
after the meeting. He said that Armenia is not the only country in
the world affected by currency market turbulence these days. Still,
Khachatryan insisted that the situation has not spiraled out of
control, but admitted that the process of recovery will not be as
speedy as the decline.

Parliament Speaker Galust Sahakyan, who represents the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia, too, blamed the situation on “force
majeure”, saying that it cannot serve as grounds for the government’s
resignation. “Different processes take place and no country was
possible to predict such a situation. Does it mean the whole world
should resign?” he said.

Nevertheless, the situation has become particularly grave for farmers
who had their bank loans in dollars. Hrach Berberyan, president of
the Agrarian-Rural Union of Armenia NGO, blames the Central Bank (CB)
for the created situation, saying that the CB must freeze farmers’
loans before the situation gets stable, because it was a very difficult
year, and the farmers are in an unimaginable situation.

“Let them turn to the National Assembly and conduct studies with the
help of the board, and they will see how this situation affects the
villagers. Many villagers took one-million dram loans from the state
and they had to pay back the loan this December to take another loan
again,” Berberyan said.

The current market instability that economists say originated in
Russia and spread to Armenia makes many Armenian migrant workers face
a dilemma as well. Many of them usually return home right before the
New Year holidays and go back to Russia in January.

Vahagn Petrosyan, 50, from Echmiadzin, has just returned from Moscow.

He says that his work of the whole year has proved in vain because
of the ruble devaluation (the Russian currency has lost more half of
its value in recent months).

“It turns out that I worked for only six months, the money fell for
that much. It is an awful situation. If the Russian economy collapses
I have no idea where else we will be able to find work, how we are
going to support our families. Look at the prices rising each day,”
Petrosyan complains.

Karo Sahakyan, 47, said that he could barely buy the plane ticket and
come to Armenia. They will send the money later, because they could
not pay.

Late on Wednesday the dram in Armenia began to regain some of the
ground on the news from Russia where a rare reverse trend was observed
for the ruble.

Later, after the closed-door parliamentary meeting, Speaker Sahakyan
also spoke about “reverse tendencies”.

“Moreover, we had news that world oil prices have started to go up.

There are certain changes both in the region, particularly in Russia,”
he said.