Author: Badalian Vardan

THE SITUATION IN ARMENIAN POPULATED DISTRICTS, QESSAB AND QAMISHLI IS CALM

YEREVAN , OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS: No major changes have been
orchestrated in Aleppo. The clashes are continuing in some districts
yet the situation in Armenian districts is more quiet. ” Voices of
remote shoots are heard in Armenian populated district. Only occasional
shells may fall in the direction of Armenian districts” Jirayr Reisyan,
Berio National Primacy press secretary told Armenpress. In the words
of our compatriot humanitarian aid distribution to the needy Syrian
Armenians and Arabs has not been started yet. Our Qessab compatriots
state the situation in mostly Armenian populated Qessab and Qamishli
districts is relatively peaceful . Syrian SANA agency informs dozens
of rebels have been killed in Aleppo Sakhur and Shaar districts on
October 27. Their cars and weapons have been confiscated. Over 30
thousand people have been killed during 18-month-ongoing clashes in
Syria , four dozens of Armenians inclusive.

ARMENIA’S POLICE DETAIN BODYGUARDS OF CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD REPRESENTATIVE – NEWSPAPER

news.am
October 18, 2012 | 06:31

YEREVAN. – Zhoghovurd daily’s reporter became an eyewitness as to how
Armenia’s law enforcement officers stopped two expensive vehicles,
in capital city Yerevan, and detained the six young men who were
inside one of them, the daily reports.

“It was found out that the men in [police] uniform were
‘de-bodyguardianizing’ cafe owner Jndi Amalyan, who is well known in
the criminal [under]world. Jndi, [and] his wife and children were in
the first car while [his] six bodyguards, in the second [car].

And since Armenia’s Police Chief Vladimir Gasparyan has promised to
cleanse the country from bodyguards, the police publicly stopped the
automobiles and took the bodyguards to the police station to warn
them to no longer work as arbitrary bodyguards.

Incidentally, according to our information, Jndi was told several
months ago that [President] Serzh Sargsyan has instructed to get rid
of the bodyguards, but the criminal authority did not heed [this],”
Zhoghovurd writes.

LA PRODUCTION AGRICOLE EN ARMENIE EN HAUSSE DE 8,1 %
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 19 octobre 2012

Le volume total de la production agricole es ten hausse de 8,1 % a
presque 203,5 milliards de drams entre janvier – juin 2012 compare
a la meme periode un an plus tôt, selon le Service National de la
Statistique d’Armenie.

Le volume total de la production agricole et de l’industrie de la
production piscicole en Armenie a augmente de 8,5 % a plus de 211,2
milliards de drams dans la periode annoncee.

L’elevage de betail est en hausse de 2,9 % a presque 23 milliards de
drams en juin 2012 compare a 2011.

Les ventes de betail et la petite viande de betail aussi bien que la
volaille sont en hausse de 3,6 % a 4600 tonnes entre janvier et juin
2012 compare a la meme periode en 2011.

La production de lait a augmente de 3,7 % a 74,7 mille tonnes dans
la periode annoncee.

En meme temps, la production d’oeuf a baisse de 1,3 % a 90 millions
d’oeufs dans les six premiers mois compares a Janvier – juin 2011.

vendredi 19 octobre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

ASSOUPLISSEMENT DU REGIME DES VISAS ENTRE L’EUROPE ET L’ARMENIE
Gari

armenews.com
vendredi 19 octobre 2012

Se felicitant d’une avancee majeure dans leur cooperation, l’Armenie
et l’Union europeenne ont finalise le 18 octobre un accord visant a
faciliter le regime des visas pour les citoyens armeniens desireux
de visiter les pays de l’EU.

Stefano Manservisi, pour la Commission europeenne, et Avet Adonts,
ambassadeur de l’Armenie auprès de l’UE, ont aussi conclu un accord
separe dit de “rapatriement” a Bruxelles, qui oblige Erevan a aider
les services de l’UE en charge de l’immigration a proceder au plus
vite au rapatriement des immigres clandestins armeniens.

Les accords en question ont ete annonces après trois tours de
pourparlers entre les responsables de l’Armenie et de l’UE qui avaient
debute en fevrier a Erevan.

L’accord sur le visa vise a ouvrir l’espace Schengen aux voyageurs
armeniens en reduisant les coûts d’entree et les procedures. Par
ailleurs, certaines categories de la population, comme les etudiants,
les universitaires et les representants de l’Etat auront droit a un
visa de longue duree et a entrees multiples dans l’espace Schengen.

M.Manservisi a indique que ces accords ” rapprocheront ” les Armeniens
et les Europeens ” et qu’ ” en ce sens, ils sont bien plus que de
simples accords “, car ils portent leurs relations a ” un nouveau
niveau de confiance mutuelle, fondee sur la cooperation et la liberte”.

Selon une declaration des autorites armeniennes, ces accords devraient
etre officiellment signes en decembre et devraient entrer dans une
“phase de ratification” dans le premier semestre 2013.

M. Manservisi s’est montre plus prudent sur la question des delais,
invoquant les ” aspects techniques” qu’il convient de regler pour
achever le processus. Mais il a precise que la Commission europeenne
mettra en ~uvre les accords le plus tôt possible. Le responsable de
l’UE a aussi confirme que l’accord ouvrait la voie a l’exemption de
visas a termes pour les Armeniens voyageant dans les pays de l’UE.

L’Armenie de son côte a unilateralement decide de dispenser de visa
les ressortissants de l’UE desireux de se rendre en Armenie.

A partir de janvier prochain, les voyageurs europeens pourront se
render en Armenie sans visa pour une duree de 90 jours.

HUNGARIAN STATE SECRETARY OFFERED EXCUSES. SAFAROV’S EXTRADITIONS WASN’T AIMED AGAINST ARMENIAN NATION

20:14, 18 October, 2012

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS: The extradition of Azerbaijani
perpetrator Ramil Safarov has nothing to do with any financial factor.
As reports Armenpress, this was noted by State Secretary for Foreign
Affairs under Hungarian Prime Minister’s office Peter Shiyarto in
the letter responding to the question of Shushan Harutyunyan, the
student of Budapest’s Central European University.

“Our decision concerning this issue was not aimed against Armenia
or Armenian nation, a nation which has been respected by Hungarian
nation from the Middle Ages, when Armenian families started to settle
on the territory of Hungarian kingdom. Hungary deeply regrets for the
decision of Armenian President to suspend the relations between the two
countries, and Hungarian government will spare no efforts to restore
the relations with Armenia in near future” was noted in the letter.

Hungarian State Minister once again underlined that Safarov’s
extradition corresponds to the Strasbourg Convention on the transfer
of sentenced persons. Azeri perpetrator Ramil Safarov hacked Armenian
officer Gurgen Margaryan with an axe during the training courses
organized by NATO in Budapest. Safarov was sentenced to a life
imprisonment without the right of granting clemency in first 30 years.
Safarov was transferred to Azerbaijan on August 31 and granted amnesty
immediately by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Armenia suspended
its diplomatic relations with Hungary.

Many international and local organizations, political parties and
politicians expressed condemned the shameful bargain between Azerbaijan
and Hungary.

ARMENIA AND US SIGN MEMORANDUM TO COOPERATE IN ENERGY FIELD

news.am
October 18, 2012 | 18:10

YEREVAN. – Armenian government signed cooperation memorandum on
energy sector with the United States. The document was signed after
the session of the Armenian-American Working Group on Economic Affairs
held on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by Armenian Finance Minister Vache Gabrielyan
and Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia Daniel
Rosenblum.

The delegations reached arrangement on cooperation in several
initiatives which may give an impetus to bilateral trade and
investments.

The discussion focused on formation of most favorable environment
for business with the emphasis on customs policy, fair competition,
intellectual property rights and cooperation in energy sector. One of
the issues was the prolonging terms of exploitation of Armenian NPP,
assistance to safety, hydropower and renewable energy sources as well
as U.S. involvement in regional energy projects.

MANVEL GHAZARYAN: ARMENIANS USE MORE VODKA THAN RUSSIANS

06:31 pm | October 17, 2012 | Economy

The RA Minister of Agriculture or his representatives visit “Vedi
Alco” Company every day to see whether the company has not gone back
on its promise to purchase grapes from peasants.

The president of the Company, Manvel Ghazaryan says they will keep
their promise, though he notes their business is not going well.

“The company’s exports have declined about 50 percent in volume,”
Mr Ghazaryan said adding that Vedi Alco has also lost its largest
market in Russia.

Asked why the government forces a company with reduced export volumes
to buy grape from villagers, Mr Ghazaryan said, “They are fulfilling
their functions; they are concerned.”

Though the president of the company says they have not been forced
to purchase grapes from farmers, he confesses that they do not need
to store the fruit. “We have not fully exhausted the harvest bought
in 2010,” he said.

At the same time Manvel Ghazaryan says they want to help farmers by
buying grapes. He also noted that Armenians started to drink less
wine and more vodka.

“Today Armenians use more vodka than Russians,” he concluded.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES LOAN AGREEMENTS WORTH OVER 40 MILLION EUROS FOR MODERNIZATION OF BORDER CROSSINGS

YEREVAN, October 18. / ARKA /. The Armenian government approved
on Thursday two agreements with European Investment Bank (EIB)
and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development which has
committed to provide it with over 40 million euros for modernization
of three border check points at Bagra, Bavra and Gogavan on the
Armenian-Georgian border.

Armenia will receive 30.316 million euros from the European Investment
Bank, also 10.294 million euros from EBRD. Also 12 million euros
will come from European Neighbourhood Investment Fund and a 4 million
grant from UNDP.

Loan repayment period is from 4 to 25 years with a grace period of two
months to seven years with a floating rate equal to EUROLIBOR + fixed
margin. The implementation of a substantial part of the program will
rest with UNDP. The main beneficiary is the State Revenue Committee.

The program provides for repair and technical re-equipment of border
checkpoint in accordance with WTO standards to improve border security,
facilitate the movement of people, goods and vehicles crossing the
Armenian-Georgian border. Construction work on the modernization of
the three border points began in Armenia in 2011 autumn. The program
also calls for expanding inter-agency cooperation, and establishing
rapid exchange of information. -0-

THANKS TO DONATIONS BY ORANGE CUSTOMERS AND THE ORANGE FOUNDATION TWO MORE CHILDREN TO RETURN HOME

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 18:06:52 – 18/10/2012

The Orange Foundation and World Vision Armenia finilize the September
results of the joint SMS charity project “Let’s Keep Children Home”

Today the Orange Foundation and World Vision Armenia announced
the September results of the joint SMS charity project “Let’s Keep
Children Home”. This project gives the chance to every Orange customer
to support Armenian children, whose families, due to financial
difficulties, deliver them to the care of state institutions.

In September Orange customers have donated a total of 299 600 AMD. As
in the case of previous months, the Orange Foundation in its turn
will double the money donated by the customers all together and
transfer 599 200 AMD to World Vision Armenia to be used by the latter
to help a family living in Syunik region. The family consists of a
young mother and 2 children. Due to tough social conditions Shoghik,
the mother of these 2 children, has had to deliver her 13-year-old
daughter and 14-year-old son to the care of a state institution. With
the donated amount necessary equipment for confectionery production
at home will be acquired, thus enabling Shoghik to earn money and
keep her children home.

“Since launch of this project over 5800 customers have made donations,
and many of them have donated more than once. We thank all our
customers, who have particiapted to this initiative. The Orange
Foundation has doubled the money donated by each of them. We call
on our customers to donate again 100 or 500 AMD, as thanks to the
donations to be made in October one more child will return home,”
said Francis Gelibter, Chairman of the Board of the Orange Foundation
in Armenia.

“Thanks to the donations of Orange customers and the Orange Foundation,
we were able to return 6 children to their families by creating a
source of income for their parents. This project relies on sustainable
development of a family and not on a simple charity, as thanks to small
donations there is a possibility to create economic sustainability
in families,” said Graham Strong, Director of World Vision Armenia.

Orange customers can help the families in need by sending SMS to 1234
and 5678 short numbers and donating 100 and 500 AMD correspondingly.

The SMS charity project “Let’s Keep Children Home” will last until
June 2013 during which the Orange Foundation will regularly provide
information on the donated money and the children and families who
have been the beneficiaries of this project.

For privacy reasons last name of the beneficiary family and first
names of the children are not indicated.

CHORROD INKNAISHKHANUTYUN: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO BRING ARMENIAN RULING PARTY’S ‘FRIEND AND PARTNERS’ TO SELF-DISSOLUTION

tert.am
17.10.12

According to behind-the-scene talks, the presidential residence has
decided to enact a scenario.

Under the scenario, the undercover parties working for the ruling
regime are to take the course of self-dissolution after the 2013
presidential election.

The forthcoming elections are going to be the last chance for the
aforementioned political forces to remind the public of themselves
or even to save themselves.

According to the information at the newspaper’s disposal, the
vice-chairmen of the Armenian ruling party’s “friends and partners”
are displaying their discontent and will certainly raise their voice
through mass media and information leakage.