Author: Badalian Vardan

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.

FINDING EMPLOYMENT REMAINS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR SYRIAN ARMENIANS

Society | 17.10.12 | 12:19

In August, the Armenian Ministry of the Diaspora met with Syrian
Armenians

About 100 Syrian Armenians have found jobs in Armenia with the help
of the Diaspora Ministry, writes tert.am quoting Lusine Stepanyan,
head of Armenian community department of Middle East at the ministry.

About 57 organizations and individuals applied to the Ministry of
Diaspora presenting the list of vacancies.

However, 400 out of 500 offers come from a textile factory, and only
one Syrian-Armenian marketing specialist applied for the vacancy.

VivaCell, Orange mobile phone operators, ACBA Credit Agricole
Bank,Ameria Bank, Converse Bank, Prometey Bank and other companies
voiced readiness to give jobs to Syrian Armenians.

“The problem is in salaries. In their country the salary is higher,
the prices lower. People are not used to do the same work for less
pay,” she said.

Stepanyan said many Syrian Armenians prefer having their own business
and with that aim the ministry in collaboration with Armenian
Development Agency will organize seminar-classes for providing
legal and other consultation to Diaspora Armenians starting their
own businesses.

SHAKIRA SHOWS ARMENIAN FLAG AT BAKU CONCERT

Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

Shakira during her Baku concert on Saturday

World famous singer Shakira caused a stir at an international soccer
tournament in Beku Saturday as she mistakenly held up a Colombian
flag upside down giving the impression it was the flag from Armenia.

The Colombian singer took to the stage before the FIFA Under 17
Women’s World Cup Final between France and Korea in Baku, Azerbaijan,
for the first time since the announcement of her pregnancy.

She was dressed all in black and displaying what she thought was her
native Colombian flag. However the flag, turned backwards, represents
Armenia due to it having similar colors as the Colombian flag.

Amnesty International had urged Shakira and Rhianna a week before
the concert to open their eyes to recent arrests of journalists,
bloggers and activists in Azerbaijan, before their performances in
the former Soviet republic this month,.

Amnesty and Sing for Democracy said in a joint letter that it wanted
to draw the singer’s attention to human rights and freedom of speech
issues in Azerbaijan.

“Both singers should be aware of the situation in the country
post-Eurovision,” the letter said, referring to the singing contest in
the Azeri capital of Baku in May, which spurred protests and rallies
by Azeris demanding democracy.

Authorities in Baku arrested dozens of protesters in May and have
since arrested several journalists and political activists.

Rihanna is scheduled to perform in Baku on Saturday, while Shakira
performed on Oct. 24.

“Amnesty International believes that the Azerbaijani government should
afford all artists, journalists, activists and ordinary citizens the
right to express themselves freely without fear of reprisal. We hope
that you share our belief,” said the letter to Rihanna and Shakira.

ARMENIA’S AID SENT TO ALEPPO DISTRIBUTED AMONG NEEDY FAMILIES (PHOTOS)

17.10.12

Within the framework of Help your Brother initiative the aid sent
from Armenia to Aleppo is already being distributed among the needy
families.

According to Syria’s State TV, the aide that reached Aleppo yesterday
was welcomed by Aleppo’s governor Wahid Akkad, Armenia’s consul in
Aleppo Karen Grigorian and primate of Aleppo Diocese of the Armenian
Church Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian.

Aleppo governor thanked Armenia for the aid, stressing that it
testifies the friendship between the two peoples.

The aid will be distributed both among Armenian and Syrian families.

Its distribution will be coordinated by the newly set up
Syrian-Armenian emergency aid body. Over 14 tons of aid has been sent
to Aleppo.

The aid will be of continuous nature and soon another plane with food
will depart for Aleppo.