Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

MONUMENT TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE SET UP IN MOSCOW

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Sept 9 2009
Armenia

19:44 / 09/09/2009The Commission for Monumental Art of the Moscow
City Duma held a sitting on September 8. The Commission discussed
the issue of creating a sculptural composition in commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, reported Regions.ru.

The press service of the Moscow City Duma reported that the proposal
was advanced by the Union of Armenians of Russia (UAR), which pledged
to sponsor the work.

The Commission considered it advisable to recommend the Moscow Duma
to put the proposal on the List of proposals for the creating works
of monumental and decorative art. The sculpture may be unveiled in
the territory of a new cathedral of the Novonakhichevan Diocese of
the Armenian Apostolic Church. The cathedral is being constructed at
the crossroads of Trifonovskaya Street and Olimpiysky Avenue.
From: Baghdasarian

SYRIAN-ARMENIAN JOINT COMMITTEE MEETINGS CONCLUDED BY SIGNING MEMOS OF UNDERSTANDING

SANA Syrian Arab News Agency
Sept 9 2009
Syria

The Syrian-Armenian Joint Committee for Commercial, Economic,
Scientific and Technical Cooperation concluded activities on Monday,
with the two sides signing several documents of cooperation and
understanding.

The signed documents include a memo of understanding in the field
of veterinarian vaccines and medicine and a memo of understanding
between the Central Bank of Syria and the Central Bank of Armenia,
in addition to the protocol of the fifth session of the Committee.

Several documents were also drafted to enrich the legal framework
regulating paperwork in the fields of tourism, housing, construction,
industry and communications.

During the meetings, the two sides discussed cooperation in the
fields of trade, investment, customs, banking, industry, standards,
transport, electricity, energy, petroleum, gas, communications,
technology, agriculture, irrigation, culture, higher education,
health, tourism, justice, internal affairs, housing, construction,
local administration, social affairs, labor and sport.

The Committee was chaired by Syrian Minister of Economy and Trade
Dr. Amer Housni Lutfi and Armenian Minister of Agriculture Gerasim
Alaverdyan.

On the sideline of the meetings, Minister Lutfi met with Armenian Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan, in addition to Ministry of Economy Nerses
Yeritsyan and the Director of the Armenian Development Agency. He also
met representatives of economic activities at the Armenian Chamber
of Industry and Trade.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA LURED TO NABUCCO
by Natalia Grib; Tamila Dzhodzhua; Nikolay Filchenko

RusData Dialine – BizEkon News
September 8, 2009 Tuesday
Russia

Kommersant

Turkey hopes to involve Armenia in Nabucco

The nascent rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia has produced an
unexpected result. Late last week, the Turkish government said Armenia
could join the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline project bypassing Russia,
to bring natural gas from the Caspian region via Turkey to Baumgarten
in Austria.

Analysts say the reason for the offer is the volatile political
situation in Georgia, but that the main obstacle is Azerbaijan,
which is expected to supply gas to the pipeline, and could prevent
Armenia from becoming a transit country.

Sinan Ogan, chairman of the Turkish Center for International Relations
and Strategic Analysis (Turksam), said Armenia could be involved in
the project. When the Georgia-South Ossetia war began a year ago, he
predicted that Nabucco could run from Azerbaijan to Turkey via Armenia.

Sabit Bagirov, head of the Azerbaijani Center for Economic and
Political Studies, said: "The EU may insist on making technical
changes to the Nabucco project to build it not across Georgia but
across Armenia."

Karen Karapetyan, board chairman of Armrosgazprom, an 80-20 venture
between Russian energy giant Gazprom and the Armenian government,
said their agenda of local energy projects in the South Caucasus does
not include Nabucco. However, the partners are considering supplying
Russian gas to Turkey and Iranian gas to Armenian power plants,
which would in turn supply electricity to Iran.

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller earlier mentioned the possibility of swap
transactions between Iran and Turkey. If the Armenian-Turkish border
were opened, these swap deliveries could be made across Armenia.

Azerbaijan is unwilling to discuss the possible involvement of
Armenia in the Nabucco project. The day after media outlets wrote of a
potential breakthrough in Armenian-Turkish relations, the Azerbaijani
authorities criticized plans to open the border between Armenia and
Turkey, saying that any decision on the matter should be linked to
the solution of the Karabakh problem. "Azerbaijan will not transport
its hydrocarbons across Armenia until its occupied territories are
liberated," Bagirov said.
From: Baghdasarian

EV: ARMENIA’S RANKS AS THE 97TH COUNTRY IN TERMS OF ITS COMPETITIVENESS INDEX

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
08.09.2009 14:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s position, according to the World
Competitiveness Index, remains in the same position in comparison with
last year; it ranks as the 97th state in the list of 133 countries
of world, Manuk Yerganyan, Head of Economy and Values (EV) research
centre told journalists Tuesday, introducing the result of "World
Competitiveness Report 2009-2010". "In terms of competitiveness,
Armenia has this year made an advance step towards development. An
important role at the current stage is played by factors affecting
economic efficiency and innovative potentials," he noted.

A leading country, according to the speaker, is Switzerland. The next
country in the list is United States where macro-economic stability
and financial market are on a low level. Other states included in
top five list are Singapore, Sweden and Denmark.

Touching upon CIS countries, Yerganyan said that positive progress
was observed in Azerbaijan (51). Competitiveness level in Russia (63)
and Ukraine (82) has sharply decreased. Other countries positions
are as follows: Georgia – 90, Kazakhstan – 67, Kyrgyzstan – 123 and
Tajikistan – 122.

Among positive competitiveness advantages, Head of research center
indicated such factors as small amount of state debts and stabilization
of employment market, including agricultural policy and expenses in
the sphere of combating crimes and terrorism. In terms of malaria
influence, Armenia ranks as the first country whereas in the sphere
of effective anti-monopoly policy, existence of dominant groups
on market and overload of custom procedures, the country is in the
last positions.

This is the fifth consecutive year Armenia’s name has been included in
"World Competitiveness Report 2009-2010". This year, 80 Armenian small,
medium and big enterprises participated in the survey. Companies are
selected based on their economic structure and international experience
for ens omparing Armenia’s economic atmosphere with other states.

"Economy and Values" research center is a partner of the Global
Competitiveness Network of the World Economic Forum.
From: Baghdasarian

ANY BREAKTHROUGH IS POSITIVE, PARUYR HAYRIKYAN CONSIDERS
Sona Hakobyan

"Radiolur"
07.09.2009 17:44

Any breakthrough should be considered positive, says Paruyr Hayrikyan,
leader of the National Self-Determination Union.

Paruyr Hayrikyan considers, however, that the current Armenian-Turkish
developments are not practically close to a solution. "We still
have to do with a theoretically possible solution," he told a press
conference today.

"The things may start moving, there may be breakthrough, and it may
be positive, but we have nothing real today," Hayrikyan said.

Paruyr Hayrikyan does not predict a soon opening of the border, since
Turks have a good opportunity to maximally drag out the solution of
the issue.
From: Baghdasarian

.S. STATE DEPARTMENT DELEGATION DISCUSSES ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS WITH TURKEY

Yerkir
07.09.2009 13:41
Yerevan

Yerevan (Yerkir) – A U.S. Department of State delegation headed by
William Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs, and Tina
S. Kaidanow, a deputy assistant secretary, are on a visit in Turkey
to discuss the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation and the Karabakh peace
process with Turkish authorities, according to the Turkish NTV.

Normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations as well as the Karabakh
settlement are on the agenda of the talks. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
Marie Yovanovitch will also join this delegation in Turkey.
From: Baghdasarian

KHACHATUR SUKIASYAN HAS MADE A STATEMENT

Aysor
Sept 7 2009
Armenia

"Events that happened to me and to my colleagues caused by Armenia’s
deputies’ unprincipled position and incomprehensible voting make me
think I’ve nothing to do in this Parliament," said in statement of
Armenia’s National Assembly member, Khachatur Sukiasyan.

Citing sources reported earlier that Kh. Sukiasyan had resigned
his post, but official confirmation of this information hadn’t been
received.

"I have nothing to do in this Parliament any more and I can’t imagine
myself in the status of a deputy. Therefore I compose my deputy’s
mandate. I am sure my voters welcome my decision," Kh. Sukiasyan said.

Recall that from March 5, 2008, he was wanted on charges of organizing
mass riots. September, 2, Kh. Sukiasyan voluntarily surrendered to
the authorities, and on September, 5, was released on recognizance
not to leave.
From: Baghdasarian

Unibank client list goes over 90 000
05.09.2009 11:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As of September 1, 2009, the number of Unibank
clients’s number exceeds 90 000, ranking the bank among financial and
crediting institutions of social importance, Unibank press service
reported.

Beside numbers indicated, Unibank services 2600-3000 Unisteam payment
system clients daily. In accordance with clients’ wishes, Unibank
starts a new summer regime, with client services to be rendered from
9.15 a.m.

Currently 31 online system-connected subsidiaries are operating in
Unibank, enabling clients to effect banking transactions in any
subsidiary regardless of primary servicing subsidiary address.
From: Baghdasarian

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN SIGNED DECREE ON APPOINTING NEW MEMBER OF CBA BOARD

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.09.2009 11:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ President Serzh Sarzh Sargsyan has signed a decree
on removing Karine Minasyan from RA Central Bank’s board.

Under another decree issued by President, Aharon Chilingaryan was
appointed as CBA board member till August 4, 2012.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA AND JAPAN SIGN GRANT AGREEMENT ON PURCHASE OF FARMING MACHINES FOR VULNERABLE FARMERS

/ARKA/
September 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 4, /ARKA/. Representatives of Armenian and Japanese
governments have signed today in Yerevan a grant agreement whereby the
Japanese government will provide Armenia with a fresh $1.5 million
grant to be spent on purchase of farming machines for vulnerable
farmers.

The agreement was signed by Armenian minister of agriculture Gerasim
Alaverdian and Misaki Ikegama, a counselor of the Japanese embassy
in Moscow, Russia.

The Armenian minister said the grant will be used to buy 5 harvest
combines and 30 tractors that will be leased to farmers.

It will be the 10-th Japanese grant for purchase of agricultural
equipment.

The first was made available back in 1997. A total of 63 combines
and 305 tractors have been bought since then. Until 2001 the machines
had been leased by farmers, after 2001 they were auctioned.

Misaki Ikegama said the grants are given to help raise the
self-sustainability level of Armenian farmers and their living
standards. He added that the Japanese government is interested in
further strengthening of relations with Armenia and will continue to
support its economic development.
From: Baghdasarian