Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

DRINKING WATER TARIFF TO REMAIN UNCHANGED IN YEREVAN UNTIL JUNE 2009

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 23, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The drinking water tariff will remain
unchanged in Yerevan until June 2009, the RA Public Services Regulatory
Commission decided at the May 23 sitting. At the same time, based on
the commission’s decision, the tariff of 1 cubic meter of water has
been raised by 8.4 drams on condition that its use starts in 2010-2011,
with the raise of 3.6 drams out of the 8.4 drams to be used in 2010,
while the remaining raise of 4.8 drams will be used in 2011. To
recap, in February 2008 Yerevan Water company submitted a bid for
specifying the drinking water tariff to the commission. Based on it,
the company proposed increasing the current tariff of 172.8 drams
(for a cubic meter) by 13.1 drams, fixing it at 185.9 drams. The
company substantiated an increase of the tariff by the decline in
the water consumption by retail users. However, the commission’s
monitoring revealed that 56.7 million c.m. was used in 2006-2007,
which is more by 3,4 million c.m. than the data presented by Yerevan
Water. Fot this reason the commission did not sustain the company’s
bid to the full extent.

The director of Yerevan Water Serge Popoff said that the decline in
consumption is related to the users who did not have water meters,
that is, the total amount of water consumption declined by 3 million
c.m. after the installation of water meters. According to S. Popoff,
although considerable work has been done in two years: 42 illegal
connections have been disconnected and a 18% growth in the water
consumption by users – legal entities has been ensured, he is not
satisfied with the activity of the company over the past two years.

He said that the drinking water network of Yerevan should be divided
into 70 independent networks, which will allow to ensure 22-hour
water supply a day.

This work started two months ago, with 11 such networks to be cretaed
in the city this year. The whole process will finish in 2012.
From: Baghdasarian

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN FOR KARABAKH TALKS

DeFacto Agency
May 22 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 22.05.08. DE FACTO. "ARF Dashnaktsutyun believes that
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be settled via talks, however,
we believe we have the right to require peace guarantees from
the international community", Hrant Margarian, a member of ARF
Dashnaktsutyun Bureau, said at the opening of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
30th General Meeting.

In his words, west-sponsored defeatist moods of Azerbaijan manifested
in its threats of the issue’s military resolution can result in
weakening of Armenia’s stand. "We stand for talks, however, only for
the ones, which will guarantee our security", Margarian underscored,
PanARMENIAN.Net reports.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA TO SEND BATTALION CONSISTING OF 70 PEACE-KEEPERS TO KOSOVO

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 22, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly unanimously,
with 88 votes for, ratified the protocol On Making Amendments to the
Mutual Understanding Memorandum of September 3, 2003 on inclusion
of the rifle platoon of RA Armed Forces in the battalion of Greek
Armed Forces within the framework of the peace-keeping forces of
Kosovo signed on December 19, 2007 and January 21, 2008 between the
Republic of Armenia and Republic of Greece.

According to it, it is envisaged to extend the RA Armed Forces
peace-keeping participation in Kosovo: a battalion of 70 people
consisting of two platoons will leave there instead of the rifle
platoon of 34 people starting the next shift.

RA Defence Minister Seyran Ohanian told journalists the day before
that "negotiations were carried out over increase of the number of
Armenian peace-keepers in Iraq, but no final decision has been made
by our country’s leadership yet." According to the Minister, there
is no agreement on sending Armenian peacekeepers to Afghanistan.
From: Baghdasarian

ARFD BACKS JAVAKHETI ARMENIANS’ STRUGGLE FOR AUTONOMY WITHIN GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.05.2008 16:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia should take every opportunity for recognition
of Javakhk as autonomy, an ARFD Bureau member said.

"The ARFD backs Javakheti Armenians’ their struggle for autonomy
within Georgia. However, we come across a wall of silence of Tbilisi
and the international community. That is why, it’s time to convey a
new impulse to the process," Hrant Markarian said in his address to
the ARF Dashnaktsutyun General Meeting.

The Armenian-inhabited Samtskhe Javakehti region is situated in the
north of Georgia, the Tayk region of historical Armenia. Its population
reaches 238 thousand people.
From: Baghdasarian

415 PEDIGREE CALVES WITH HIGH MILK YIELD CAPACITY TO BE IMPORTED FROM EUROPE INTO ARMENIA THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 21, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. 415 Holstein, Simmental and Schviz
pedigree calves with a high milk yield capacity will be imported this
year from Europe into Armenia with state budgetary allocations of
500 mln drams (about 1.6 mln YSD). NT correspondent was informed by
the head of the Cattle Breeding and Pedigree Stock Farming Department
of the RA Ministry of Agriculture Ashot Hovhannisian that as of May
8, 258 calves were already brought into Armenia and given to 4 big
cattle breeding farms of the country. In his words, another group of
157 calves will be imported into Armenia in June.

In his words, the calves will be leased to farms. In particular,
farmers will have to pay the cost of animals during 4 years: 10%
of the cost in the 1st year, 20% – in the 2nd, 30% in the 3rd year
and 40% – in the 4th year.

The department head said that big farmers of Armenia have expressed
an intention to import another 136 pedigree calves with their own
resources.

The ministry of agriculture will assist the farmers with selecting
the calves on the spot and transporting them.

According to him, 196 calves were imported into Armenia in 2007. Their
average daily milk yield made 23-25 kg, exceeding threefold the
average milk yield of domestically bred cows.

The government-approved Program on Cattle Breeding Development
envisages increasing the annual number of imported calves to two
thousand by 2015.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN CHURCH PARTICIPATES IN WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES’ EUROPEAN ECUMENICAL ROUND TABLES MEETING

ARMENPRESS
May 19, 2008

ETCHMIADZIN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS: On May 14-17 the city of Ohrid in
Macedonia hosted the World Council of Churches’ European Ecumenical
Round Tables’ meeting.

The information department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
told Armenpress that Karen Nazarian, the executive director of the
Armenian Round Table, was among 35 representatives of the meeting
delivering a report.

During the four-day meeting its participants discussed social,
diaconic and development projects implemented by the European Round
Table. The reports focused on what European churches have done in
fighting against HIV/AIDS, trafficking in human beings and peace and
reconciliation efforts.
From: Baghdasarian

MINISTER OHANYAN MEETS WITH STAFFS OF MOD DEPARTMENTS

armradio.am
19.05.2008 17:08

Continuing his familiarization meetings with the personnel of RA
Ministry of Defense, on May 19 RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan
today met with the staffs of the Information Department, the Department
of Work with the Personnel, the Operational Readiness Department and
the Physical Training Department.

Turning to the activity of the above-mentioned departments, Seyran
Ohanyan stressed the importance of the military, physical and
moral-psychological preparedness of the servicemen, as well as the
essence of the reforms in the Armed Forces.

At the end of the meeting the Minister wished success to the staff
in their future service.

Later the Minister visited the Military Police Department of the
Ministry of Defense, where the Head of the Department, Major-General
Vladimir Gasparyan reported on the cases and accidents registered in
the troops.

Turning to the further activity of the Military Police Department,
the Minister stressed the importance of maintenance of the latter’s
principles of impartiality and gave instructions on raising the
discipline in the Armed Forces, the serviceman-citizen interrelations,
and adherence to the rules of wearing military uniform.

At the end of the meeting Minister Ohanyan wished success to the staff.
From: Baghdasarian

WORKING GROUP OF ARMENIA’S STATE CUSTOMS COMMITTEE TO VISIT MOSCOW ON MAY 19-21

ARKA
May 15, 2008

YEREVAN, May 15. /ARKA/. A working group of the RA State Customs
Committee is to visit Moscow on May 19-21.

The Press Secretary of the Committee Nelly Manucharian reports that
the group is to discuss simplified procedure for transportation of
goods liable of excise tax with their colleagues from the Federal
Customs Service of Russia. The sides will also discuss efficiency
of customs control in transportation of the goods through customs
check-points of Armenia and Russia, as well as issues on customs
warehouses and laboratories, she reported.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Union of Employers (Manufacturers and
Businessmen) of Armenia Arsen Ghazarian said that the customs bodies of
Armenia and Russia are negotiating over additional duty-free export of
goods liable to excise tax from Armenia. According to him, an agreement
is to be signed by the parties saying that no transit inspections
should be made and additional dues paid for the goods. Russia has
such agreements with Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Russian mass media outlets report that an extended meeting is to be
held in port Caucasus on May 16 with participation of the Russian
Federal Customs Service, Russian Ministry of Transport, RosMorPort and
involved local services. The participants are to discuss admittance of
alcoholic products from Armenia and measures to be taken for crossing
the border in port Caucasus.

The current infrastructure in Caucasus port does not provide
proper receipt of goods in Caucasus port. Meantime, Black Sea Ferry
Investments LLC sea operator suggests arranging procedural matters
on receipt of alcoholic products at Temriuk point of port Caucasus,
which will not require additional means and construction.-0–
From: Baghdasarian

Panorama.am

18:48 17/05/2008

JOINT EXAMINATION TESTS IN ARMENIA

At night the tests of joint examinations published in
London have been brought to Armenia, Panorama,am
reporter has been informed by Gayane Manukyan, the
press secretary of Evaluation and Testing Center. She
said that the tests were taken to -Ararat- bank by the
support of -Hay Inkasacia-.

The center will form a committee which should deliver
the signed tests according to the number of examinors.
After the tests will be deliver to branches of
-Ararat- bank and early in the morning the tests will
be taken to the examination centers.
G. Manukyan said that the pupils will be allowed to
use calculators during the mathematic examination.

Source: Panorama.am
From: Baghdasarian

NA SPEAKER MET WITH THE NEW AMBASSADOR OF TURKMENISTAN

armradio.am
14.05.2008 17:02

On May 14 Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Tigran Torosyan
received the newly appointed Ambassador of Turkmenistan Shokhrat
Jumayev.

The Ambassador informed the Armenian Parliament Speaker about the
political, economic reforms implemented in Turkmenistan and expressed
the willingness of his country and people to deepen the relations
with Armenia in all spheres. Mr. Jumayev attaches special importance
to raising the economic ties to the level of political relations,
development of interparliamentary cooperation. The Ambassador expressed
willingness to do the utmost for deepening the traditionally friendly
relations between the two countries and peoples. He thanked Tigran
Torosyan for participating in the inauguration of the President
of Turkmenistan, assessing his visit to Ashgabat as an expression
of respect.

The Speaker of the National Assembly congratulated the Ambassador on
assuming office and expressed hope that his tenure in office will be
remarkable for the development of interstate and interparliamentary
relations. Turning to the level of economic and political relations,
the Speaker noted that the economic development of the two countries
opens new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.
From: Baghdasarian