Author: Chalian Meline

DIRECTOR OF ELITE GROUP CJSC FORECASTS 5-10% GROWTH IN CONSTRUCTION SECTOR FOR 2009

ArmInfo
2009-07-01 20:08:00

ArmInfo. Director of ELITE GROUP cjsc, one of the largest construction
companies in Armenia, Armen Mkoyan forecasted a 5-10% growth in the
construction sector till the end of 2009. A.Mkoyan made such forecast
at the official ceremony of signing an agreement with the EBRD for
provision of a $5.5 midterm loan to the company. A. Mkoyan said the
company has overcome the crisis and will make new contacts already
in September 2009.

He said 38 million drams of the $5.5 million loan will be invested
to complete the project . He said the company has developed 3 new
construction projects. Thus, the construction of a new housing complex
in Demirchyan Street will be completed till the end of the year. Elite
Group will be focusing on completion of construction of new elite
buildings for a total of 180,000 sq.m. "Elite Group" is the only
construction company in Armenia, which has received an international
quality certificate ISO 9001-2000. General activity of the company
is top-management in the sphere of construction, interior design
and service of elite residential and public complexes. It provides
Construction Planning and Organizing; Construction: Buildings; Design
Engineering; Finishing Work; Installation Services: Metal Structures;
Marketing: Construction; Painting and Decorating; Tiling Services;
as well as Interior Design of Residential Premises.

CE FORUM FOR FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY EXPECTED IN ARMENIA NEXT YEAR

ARKA
June 30, 2009

YEREVAN, June 30. /ARKA/. The annual Forum for the Future of Democracy
organized by the Council of Europe (CE) is expected to be held in
Armenia next year.

Head of the Armenian delegation to the CE Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE), Chairman of the Standing Committee of State and Legal Affairs,
RA Parliament, David Harutyunyan reported that the initiative of the
forum was advanced by a number of countries, including Armenia.

"The forum has been one the best instruments for the CE over the
last few years and is held yearly ion one of the CE member-states,"
Harutyunyan said.

The topic of the forum, Referendum as means of displaying people’s
will, was proposed by Armenia as well.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

New York-Yerevan Videoconference Connects Armenian University Students
on Many Levels

On March 14, over 40 Armenian university students from five universities
in Armenia and six universities in the greater New York area took part
in the first-ever New York-Yerevan student video conference, organized
by AGBU’s Armenian Students Forum (ASF) and the AGBU Young Professionals
of Yerevan.

Representing various college levels and majors, participants came from
Yerevan State University, the French University, the Russian-Armenian
(Slavonic) University, Yerevan State Pedagogical University and the
Yerevan State University of Economics in Armenia, and Columbia
University, Hofstra University, Hunter College, Nassau Community
College, Queens College, and Rutgers University in the United States.
The discussion of issues concerned Armenian students today, with
emphasis placed on the differences between student life in Armenia and
the US.

After a brief introduction, the American students were able to
familiarize themselves with the practices of higher education in Armenia
directly from their peers and to relay to them their experiences of
college learning. Apart from the structure of education, the students
also discussed less formal subjects such as gender perceptions, family
roles, job prospects, the global economic crisis as well as the
elections in Armenia and America and their implications for Armenian
students. Topics such as stereotypes of diasporan Armenians and
"Hayastantsis" (Armenians from Armenia) and cultural differences were
made evident at some points and created some enlightening moments.

Shant Dosttur, a sophomore at Nassau Community College in Garden City,
NY, said, "As we began to speak about things related to school and
leisure time, the awkwardness began to dissolve, and I started to see
that both our groups relate." The students also discussed perspectives
and views regarding Armenian Genocide recognition and its importance on
a global scale, highlighting the difference in the consequences of the
outcome for those living across the border from Turkey, as opposed to
those living an ocean away. The relations between diasporan Armenians
and natives of Armenia weighed heavily in the discussion, and great hope
was expressed for increased collaboration between the two. "Bonds
created among students in different parts of the world will encourage
Armenians throughout the world, especially the young generation, to go
visit their homeland," expressed Nane Ghazarian, a junior at Hunter
College in New York City.

Not surprisingly, after some time, both groups of students soon saw
their discussion proceed along a more lighthearted, humorous vein, and
inevitably the forum was punctuated by a number of witty jokes and
anecdotes. The atmosphere of what evolved into a three-hour cultural
exchange was well described by Henry Dumanian, a sophomore at Hunter
College, who said, "I constantly hear about ‘the people of Armenia’ as
if they were some distant people. This conference put a face to them and
gave them voices. It also helped us see that even though we live an
ocean and two continents away, we share the same concerns and hopes for
our nation."

This unique event proved to be an excellent opportunity for many of the
students to feel more connected to their peers living on the other side
of the Atlantic and to feel more strongly the bond that is shared by all
students, no matter where they are in the world. "It was a very
interesting experience, a chance to get to know better the Armenian
young people in the U.S. We are willing to participate in another
meeting if there is a chance," Yerevan students Lusine Iskandaryan and
Ani Nargizyan expressed collaboratively.

Formed under the guidance of the University Outreach division of AGBU’s
Education Department, the Armenian Students’ Forum (ASF) fosters
cooperation among the various university student groups in an effort to
establish a united front of Armenian student organizations. While
helping to raise awareness of Armenian issues, it provides a platform
for future collaborative opportunities. To date, the ASF has drawn
support from the Armenian student groups of seven universities in the
NY/NJ area, having encouraged the creation of two of those groups
(Fordham University and Hunter College). The group meets monthly with
the hopes of creating a viable platform for interaction, communication,
information-sharing, and joint planning of educational, professional and
social events between the constituent groups.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually serving some
400,000 Armenians on six continents.

SYUNIK REGION TO ENROLL IN ARMENIA-IRAN ENERGY PROJECTS

ARKA
June 29, 2009

YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. Syunik region will enroll in energy
projects between Armenia and Iran, RA Deputy Minister of Territorial
Administration Vache Terteryan was quoted as sating during the RA
Government’s meeting in Kapan (Syunik region).

A number of large-scale international programs, including the
construction of the Armenia-Iran third power transmission line
(400 kWh) and the pipeline linking the two countries, the deputy
minister added.

With Syunik getting involved in most of these projects, this will
enhance the macroeconomic situation in the region, according to
Terteryan.

He stressed that new midget power plants were being constructed in
the region.

The deputy minister expressed a hope the energy sector in the region
would help attract new investments.

Hurriyet, Turkey
June 28 2009

Turkey to reopen Orthodox school shut 38 years ago: report

ANKARA – Turkey is planning to re-open a Greek Orthodox seminary that
was shut down nearly four decades ago, Turkeys culture minister was
quoted as saying Sunday.

The European Union, which Turkey is seeking to join, and the United
States have long pressed Ankara to re-open the theology school on the
island of Halki, off Istanbul, to prove respect for the rights of its
tiny Christian minority.

Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay said the government was inclined to
re-open the school, even though a final decision was not yet made, the
mass-selling Milliyet daily reported.

"Both my personal conviction and the general inclination I see is that
the school will be opened," Gunay was quoted as saying.

"The school does not currently fit into our university system, but
another formula will be worked out… There is no political problem,"
he said.

The minister explained the authorities were grappling with "the
technical problem" on whether the seminary should have the status of a
university or a vocational high school.

The century-old seminary was closed down in 1971, depriving the
Eastern Orthodox Church, seated in Istanbul since Byzantine times, of
its only facility to train clergy in Turkey.

The closure was the result of legislation bringing institutions of
higher education under state control, an arrangement into which the
seminary did not fit.

Gunay conceded that Turkish-Greek tensions over the island of Cyprus
at the time were also a prominent factor behind the move.

"What happened in the past is left behind… We need to say new things
now," he said.

Keen to boost its struggling EU membership bid, Ankara has in recent
years moved to improve the rights of its tiny non-Muslim minorities,
mainly Greeks, Armenians and Jews.

ARMENIAN MIGRANTS DO NOT HURRY TO RETURN TO ARMENIA FROM RUSSIA: THEY LOOK FOR NEW WAYS TO EARN MONEY

Noyan Tapan
June 26, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian migrants do not hurry to
return to Armenia from Russia: the number of migrants returning from
Russia is not big. The head of Migration Office of the RA Ministry
of Territorial Administration Gagik Yeganian reported this at the
June 25 press conference.

According to him, Armenia expected more return of migrants because
of the influence of world economic crisis on Russia. "We expected a
great number of people to return to Armenia. We had even signed an
agreement with respective Russian migration services to facilitate
the process of their return, but the number of people returning to
their homeland is not big yet," G. Yeganian said. According to him,
though many Armenians lost their jobs in Russia because of the crisis,
all the same, they do not hurry to return to the homeland and look
for new ways to earn money.

‘EASTERN PARTNERSHIP AND THE PROSPECTS FOR DEMOCRACY BUILDING IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS’ INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE STARTS IN YEREVAN

ArmInfo
2009-06-26 14:56:00

ArmInfo. "Eastern Partnership and the Prospects for Democracy Building
in the South Caucasus" international conference started in Yerevan
today. The key topic of the conference is dedicated to assessment of
the Eastern Partnership programme after Prague summit, the value of
the Eastern Partnership for the South Caucasus.

Assessments and political recommendations of this programme will be
sounded during the event.

Well-known experts and representatives of the civil society from
Armenia and Georgia, as well as Director of the Heinrich Boell
Foundation Regional Office in South Caucasus Iris Kempe and Director of
the Research Center of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association Alexander
Duleba presented reports at the conference. An analytical report
"Armenian-Turkish dialogue: in search of the way out of a vicious
circle" was also presented. The report has been jointly prepared by
experts at Sabanci University Aybars Gorgulu and Sabiha Gundogar
and employees of the Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan and
Sergey Minasyan.

Scientists, journalists, diplomats, representatives of non-governmental
sector and international organizations take part in the conference,
organized by the Caucasus Institute and the South Caucasus Regional
Office of Heinrich Boell Foundation .

KARABAKH ISSUE ON THE AGENDA OF THE G8 SUMMIT

armradio.am
25.06.2009 18:42

Russia doesn’t support intrusion of any solution from outside to the
parties of Nagorno Karabakh conflict", the Russian foreign ministry
said, ITAR-TASS reported.

G8 foreign ministers will discuss the further development of the
conflict settlement in Trieste, Italy on June 25, the ministry said.

"Russia has unchangeable and sustainable position on the settlement
of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Russia is against the intrusion of
outside recipes to the sides. We consider that only Azerbaijanis and
Armenians have a responsibility for the final decision. Russia is ready
to support the solution accepted by both sides and to be a guarantee
for the conflict settlement in the case of any compromise. We consider
that there could be made a decision which will not turn the region
into the arena of international military-political confrontation and
will allow the restoration of stability and welfare in the Caucasus."

HUD NEWS
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Shaun Donovan,
Secretary
Office of Public Affairs, Washington, DC 20410

HUD No. 09-089
Shantae Goodloe
(202) 708-0685

For Release
Wednesday
June 17, 2009

HUD EXPANDS MULTI-LINGUAL WEBSITE TO HELP FAMILES WHO ARE LIMITED
ENGLISH PROFICIENT TO GAIN ACCESS TO HUD PROGRAMS
New website offers translation of HUD Vital Documents for Free

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
today unveiled an enhanced website to promote equal access to housing
programs by providing important HUD documents in 12 different languages.
HUD’s expanded Limited English Proficiency (LEP) website features
factsheets, housing brochures and other forms in Amharic
< .cfm?/offices/fheo/Amharic.pdf> ,
Arabic
< t.cfm?/offices/fheo/Arabic.pdf> ,
Armenian
< ept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Armenian.doc>
, Cambodian
< pt.cfm?/offices/fheo/Cambodian.pdf>
, Chinese
< .cfm?/offices/fheo/Chinese.doc> ,
Farsi
< .cfm?/offices/fheo/Farsi.doc> ,
French
< t.cfm?/offices/fheo/French.doc> ,
Korean
< t.cfm?/offices/fheo/Korean.doc> ,
Portuguese
< rcept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Portuguese.doc> , Spanish
< ntent=3Dpr09-089.cfm&lang=3Des> ,
Tagalog
< pt.cfm?/offices/fheo/Tagalog.doc> ,
and Vietnamese
< ept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Vietnamese.pdf> , in addition to English.

"When buying or renting a home, obtaining important housing information
should not depend on how well people speak English," said John
Trasviña, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity. "This website greatly expands HUD’s ability to offer all
families access to our programs and services, regardless of the language
they speak."

The HUD site offers brochures on fair housing, model lease agreements,
information about HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), and
a Resident Rights and Responsibilities brochure in various languages.
These documents < p.cfm>
are free to the public.

The LEP website is in response to Executive Order 13166, which requires
all federal, local and state agencies that receive federal funding to
ensure that people with limited language skills have meaningful access
to government programs and services.

"The importance of homeownership and fair housing means HUD must be a
leader in this area. HUD will continue our efforts to serve all persons
by translating additional vital documents and posting them on the
website," said Trasviña.

FHEO and its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program investigate
approximately 10,500 housing discrimination complaints annually. People
who believe they are the victims of housing discrimination should
contact HUD at 1 (800) 669-9777 (voice), (800) 927-9275 (TTY).
Additional information <; is available.

To view a copy of the press release in one of the 12 languages, click
the links below:

Amharic
< ntercept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Amharic.pdf>
Arabic
< fices/fheo/Arabic.pdf>
Armenian
<http://www. hud.gov/utilities/intercept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Arme nian.doc>
Cambodian
< ities/intercept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Cambodian.pdf&gt ;

Chinese
< ept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Chinese.doc>
Farsi
<ht tp:// fheo/Farsi.doc>
French
< tilities/intercept.cfm?/offices/fheo/French.doc&gt ;
Korean
< t.cfm?/offices/fheo/Korean.doc>
Portuguese
< s/fheo/Portuguese.doc>
Spanish
<http://www.h ud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=3Dpr09-089.cfm&amp ;lang=3Des>
Tagalog
< ities/intercept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Tagalog.doc>
Vietnamese
< ept.cfm?/offices/fheo/Vietnamese.pdf>

###

HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to sustaining
homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income
Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with
disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes
economic and community development and enforces the nation’s fair
housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available
on the Internet at <; and espanol.hud.gov
<; .

WORK DONE AFTER MARCH EVENTS IN ARMENIA NOT SUFFICIENT: COUNCIL OF EUROPE SECRETARY GENERAL

Trend
June 23 2009
Azerbaijan

The work done in Armenia after the March events is not sufficient,
Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis said at a news
conference as a part of the PACE summer session.

"The work done in Armenia following events that took place on March
2 is not sufficient. There are still unresolved issues. No one has
been detained and held accountable after death cases thus far,"
the secretary general said.

He said the fact that Armenian police has not yet identified the
guilty is very bad.

"Of course, I am concerned about the atmosphere of impunity towards
the murder cases. The investigation is underway. But this can not
replace police investigation," Davis said.

This is last news conference held by Davis as a secretary general.

Armenian opposition led by ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan staged
mass demonstrations against the outcome of the presidential election
held on Feb. 19, 2008. Clashes between protesters and law enforcement
agencies left ten people dead and over 131 injured. Though Armenia
earlier said shots were not fired at peaceful demonstrators, later the
country had to admit it after photos and video materials were revealed.